James Forrest (basketball) facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 13, 1972 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| High school | Southside (Atlanta, Georgia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Georgia Tech (1991–1995) |
| NBA Draft | 1995 / Undrafted |
| Career history | |
| 1996–1997 | Hapoel Eilat |
| 1997–1998 | Ciudad de Huelva |
| 1998 | Hapoel Eilat |
| 1998–1999 | Mabo Pistoia |
| 1999–2000 | Iraklio |
| 2000–2001 | Aris Thessaloniki |
| 2001–2002 | Olympiacos Piraeus |
| 2002–2003 | Olympia Larissa |
| 2003 | Unicaja Málaga |
| 2003–2004 | Iraklio |
| 2004 | Basket Livorno |
| 2004 | Scavolini Pesaro |
| 2004–2005 | Fabriano Basket |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
James Curtnyle Forrest, born on August 13, 1972, is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was known for his strong play as a power forward and center.
Contents
James Forrest's High School Basketball Journey
James Forrest was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Later, his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There, he went to Southside High School. He quickly became one of the best young basketball players in the state of Georgia.
As a sophomore, he earned the title of Mr. Georgia Basketball. He won this award again the next year. In 1990, his Southside team won the state championship. They finished with an amazing record of 31 wins and only 2 losses.
In his final year at Southside High, James averaged 30.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. In one playoff game, he scored 55 points and grabbed 19 rebounds! He was also named Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year twice. Many experts ranked him among the top 10 high school seniors in the entire country.
During his high school years, James scored over 2,000 points. He was even compared to famous NBA player Larry Johnson. In 1991, he was chosen for the Parade All-America First Team. He also played in the prestigious McDonald's All-American Game. In that game, he was the top scorer for his team and the second-highest scorer overall. In March 1991, James announced he would play college basketball for Georgia Tech.
James Forrest's College Basketball Career
James Forrest joined Georgia Tech in 1991. He and fellow freshman point guard Travis Best were seen as the team's new stars. They both started games right away. In his first game, James scored 16 points.
He had a great first year, averaging 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. Even though he played power forward and center in high school, he often played small forward at Georgia Tech.
The Famous Buzzer-Beater Shot
James's freshman year is famous for one of the most exciting shots in college basketball history. In a big tournament game against USC, Georgia Tech was losing by two points. With less than a second left, James caught the ball and shot a 3-pointer. It went in! This amazing shot won the game 79–78 and sent Georgia Tech to the next round. It was his only 3-point shot made all season!
Improving Each Season
James got even better in his second year. He became the team's top scorer, averaging 19.5 points per game. He was named the MVP of the 1993 ACC men's basketball tournament. Some people thought he might leave college early for the NBA, but he decided to stay.
In his third year, James was again the top scorer and became the team's best rebounder. He was named to the All-ACC First Team. In his final year, he had his best rebounding average (8.3 per game). He finished his college career as a strong and important player for Georgia Tech.
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | Georgia Tech | 35 | 34 | 29.9 | .509 | .250 | .708 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 13.3 |
| 1992–93 | Georgia Tech | 30 | 29 | 34.5 | .542 | .500 | .687 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 19.5 |
| 1993–94 | Georgia Tech | 25 | 22 | 34.5 | .468 | .000 | .716 | 7.9 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 19.0 |
| 1994–95 | Georgia Tech | 24 | 23 | 34.6 | .488 | .000 | .664 | 8.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 18.8 |
| Career | 114 | 108 | 33.1 | .503 | .167 | .694 | 7.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 17.4 |
James Forrest's Professional Basketball Career
After college, James Forrest was eligible for the 1995 NBA draft. While his teammate Travis Best was chosen by the Indiana Pacers, James was not drafted. He later had surgery for an injury.
In 1996, James began his professional career playing overseas. His first team was Hapoel Eilat in Israel. He averaged 14.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game there. In 1997, he briefly joined the Los Angeles Lakers but did not make their final team.
He then moved to Spain, playing for Ciudad de Huelva. After that, he played in Italy for Mabo Pistoia. He averaged 19.6 points and 9.3 rebounds in Italy.
James then spent four years playing in the Greek league. He played for teams like Iraklio, Aris Thessaloniki, and Olympiacos. With Olympiacos, he even played in the EuroLeague, a major European basketball competition. He averaged 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in the EuroLeague.
He briefly returned to Spain in 2003, playing one game for Unicaja Málaga. He then played again for Iraklio in Greece. James finished his career playing two more seasons in Italy, retiring in 2005 after playing for Fabriano.
See also
In Spanish: James Forrest (baloncestista) para niños
