Harold Miner facts for kids
Miner in 2012
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 5, 1971 Inglewood, California, U.S. |
| High school | Inglewood (Inglewood, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | USC (1989–1992) |
| NBA Draft | 1992 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12th overall |
| Selected by the Miami Heat | |
| Pro career | 1992–1996 |
| Career history | |
| 1992–1995 | Miami Heat |
| 1995–1996 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 1,801 (9.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 432 (2.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 245 (1.2 apg) |
Harold David Miner (born May 5, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player. He was famous for his amazing dunks. Harold Miner won the National Basketball Association (NBA) Slam Dunk Contest two times! He played college basketball at the University of Southern California (USC). Later, he played in the NBA for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. People sometimes called him "Baby Jordan" because his dunks were so exciting.
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Early Life and College Basketball
Harold Miner grew up in Inglewood, California. He became well-known as a high school player. He was a star at Inglewood High School. His incredible dunking skills earned him the nickname "Baby Jordan." This nickname was a nod to Michael Jordan, another famous NBA player known for his high-flying dunks. In high school, Harold averaged 27 points per game in his junior year. In his senior year, he averaged 28 points. He even scored 48 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in one game!
Harold Miner went to the University of Southern California (USC) from 1989 to 1992. In his final year at USC, he was chosen by Sports Illustrated magazine as the best college basketball player of the year. This was a huge honor, as he was picked over other great players like Shaquille O'Neal. Harold led the USC Trojans men's basketball team to a high seed in the 1992 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. However, his team lost in the second round. They were defeated by a last-second three-point shot from James Forrest of Georgia Tech. This moment is known as the "Miracle in Milwaukee."
Professional Basketball Career
After the 1991–92 season, Harold Miner decided to leave college. He entered the 1992 NBA draft. The Miami Heat picked him as the 12th player overall.
Harold Miner became famous for winning the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest twice. He won in 1993 and again in 1995. In the 1995 contest, he beat Isaiah Rider, who had won the year before. This showed everyone that Miner was one of the best dunkers in the game. Even with his amazing dunking skills, Harold Miner did not play much in NBA games. His coaches at the Heat, Kevin Loughery and Alvin Gentry, did not give him a lot of playing time.
After the 1994–95 season, Miner was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played only a few minutes per game for the Cavaliers. He averaged just 3.2 points per game. In October 1995, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors. However, this trade was canceled a few days later. Harold Miner played his last NBA game on February 20, 1996. He played for five minutes but did not score any points.
The Cleveland Cavaliers let Harold Miner go after he played only 19 games for them that season. He tried out for the Toronto Raptors the next year. But he was cut from the team before the season started. Instead of trying to play basketball overseas, Harold Miner decided to retire from the sport. He later said that he had many knee injuries during his career. These injuries made him decide to stop playing.
Life After Basketball
As of 2011, Harold Miner was living in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was married and had two children. He shared that he had invested the money he earned from basketball wisely. This allowed him to be a stay-at-home dad. He did not need to look for another job.
For many years after he retired, Harold Miner stayed out of the public eye. He rarely gave interviews or made public appearances. He preferred to live a private life. However, in 2010, he agreed to an interview. He said he wanted to reconnect with the University of Southern California (USC). He also wanted to get back in touch with some of his old teammates.
In 2011, Harold Miner attended the Pacific-10 men's basketball tournament. He was honored and inducted into the conference's basketball Hall of Honor. He also planned to attend the ceremony where USC would retire his jersey. On January 15, 2012, he attended this special event. His jersey number 23 was retired by USC during halftime of a game against UCLA.
See also
In Spanish: Harold Miner para niños
