Jamal Mashburn facts for kids

Jamal Mashburn Sr. (born November 29, 1972) is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. People called him "the Monster Mash" because he was a great scorer. He played as a small forward for 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He scored an average of 19.1 points per game throughout his career.

Early Life and College Basketball

Jamal Mashburn was born in The Bronx, New York. His father was a former boxer and police officer. Jamal learned to play basketball at Rucker Park, a famous court near his home.

A jersey honoring Mashburn hangs in Rupp Arena.

After high school at Cardinal Hayes High School, Mashburn played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. He was one of the top scorers for the Wildcats. By his junior year, he was named a First Team All-American. That year, the Wildcats reached the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. After this, he decided to join the NBA draft. The Dallas Mavericks chose him as the fourth pick in the 1993 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Dallas Mavericks

Jamal joined the Dallas Mavericks in 1993. The team was rebuilding at the time. He quickly became a key player, averaging 19.2 points per game in his first year. He was even named to the first NBA All-Rookie Team. Despite his great play, the Mavericks won only 13 games that season.

The next year, the team drafted Jason Kidd. With Mashburn, Kidd, and Jim Jackson, they were called "The Three J's." The Mavericks improved, winning 36 games. Mashburn averaged 24.1 points per game, which was sixth-best in the league. He even scored 50 points in one game against the Chicago Bulls. This made him one of the youngest players to score 50 points in an NBA game. He set many team records. However, injuries limited him to only 18 games the following season. In February 1997, he was traded to the Miami Heat.

Playing for the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat was a strong team with stars like Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway. Jamal's arrival made their offense even better. The team won 61 games that season, a record for them. Mashburn averaged 13.4 points. In the playoffs, the Heat won tough series against the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks. They reached the Conference Finals but lost to the defending champion Bulls.

Injuries affected Mashburn's next two seasons with the Heat. He played fewer games but still scored well. In the 1998-99 season, which was shorter due to a league lockout, he averaged 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds. The Heat had the best record in their conference but lost to the Knicks again in the first round of the playoffs.

In the 1999-2000 season, Mashburn's scoring improved to 17.5 points per game. The Heat won 52 games and swept the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. They faced the Knicks again in another long series. Even though Mashburn scored a lot in some games, the Knicks won the series. After this, Mashburn was traded to the Charlotte Hornets.

Playing for the Charlotte Hornets

In his first season with the Charlotte Hornets, Mashburn played very well. He averaged 20.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. With Mashburn and Baron Davis, the Hornets won 46 games. They surprised everyone by sweeping Mashburn's former team, the Miami Heat, in the first round of the playoffs. Mashburn averaged 23.7 points in that series.

Next, they played the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hornets fell behind but won three straight games. Mashburn scored 36 and 31 points in two of those wins. However, the Bucks won the last two games and the series. Mashburn had a career-high average of 24.9 points in the 2001 playoffs.

The next season, Mashburn again faced injury problems and played only 40 games. He averaged 21.5 points per game. The Hornets made the playoffs and beat Orlando, but Mashburn was injured and could not play. After this season, the team moved to New Orleans.

Playing for the New Orleans Hornets

The 2002–03 season was Jamal Mashburn's best NBA year. He played in all 82 games and averaged 21.6 points. He was chosen for his first and only NBA All-Star game, scoring 10 points. He also won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award in March. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team. He had some amazing scoring games, including 50 points against Memphis and 40 points against Orlando.

The Hornets won 47 games that year. They played the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs. Mashburn played in only four games due to a finger injury. In the final game of the series, he scored 36 points, but the Hornets lost.

In the 2003–04 season, Mashburn continued to play well, but knee injuries kept him out of most games. He played only 19 games and could not play in the playoffs. He decided to sit out the 2004–05 season to let his knee heal. He had a special surgery on his knee, which is very risky.

Retirement from Basketball

Even though Mashburn was injured, the Hornets traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2005. However, Jamal was never able to recover from his serious knee problems. He never played a game for Philadelphia. He was on the injured list for two seasons. On March 24, 2006, the 76ers released him, and Mashburn announced he was retiring from the NBA.

He finished his career with averages of 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Jamal Mashburn is one of only six players since 1970 to average at least 20 points per game in their final NBA season. This shows how strong his scoring was, even at the end of his career.

Life After Basketball

After retiring from basketball, Jamal Mashburn became a successful businessman. He also worked as an analyst for ESPN, sharing his basketball knowledge. By 2018, he owned more than 90 businesses! These included many Outback Steakhouse and Papa John's restaurants. He also owned several car dealerships in Kentucky. He is also a partner in a horse racing stable.

Personal Life

Jamal Mashburn lives in Miami. He divorced his wife in 2017. His son, Jamal Jr., is also a basketball player. Jamal Jr. played college basketball for Minnesota and New Mexico. He was coached by Richard Pitino at both schools. Jamal Jr. will play for Temple University in his final year of college basketball.

NBA Career Stats

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

See also

In Spanish: Jamal Mashburn para niños