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
High School Basketball Star
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.
Awards and Achievements
- When he was a sophomore, he won the "Mr. Georgia Basketball" award. He won it again the next year!
- In 1990, his Southside team won the state championship. They had an amazing record of 31 wins and only 2 losses.
- During his senior year, 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 the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year twice (1990 and 1991).
- Many experts ranked him among the top 10 high school seniors in the entire country.
- He scored over 2,000 points in his high school career.
- In 1991, he was chosen for the Parade All-America First Team. He was also a McDonald's All-American, which means he was one of the best high school players in the nation.
- In the 1991 McDonald's All-American Game, he was the top scorer for his team. He also had 10 rebounds.
- In March 1991, James decided to play college basketball for Georgia Tech.
College Career at Georgia Tech
James Forrest joined Georgia Tech in 1991. He and another talented player, Travis Best, were seen as the team's new stars. They both started playing right away.
Freshman Year Highlights (1991-1992)
- James scored 16 points in his very first college game.
- He had a great first season, averaging 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
- Even though he played power forward and center in high school, he often played small forward at Georgia Tech.
- One of his most famous moments was a "buzzer beater" shot in the NCAA Tournament. With less than a second left, he made a 3-point shot to win the game 79-78 against USC. This shot sent Georgia Tech to the "Sweet 16" round!
Sophomore and Junior Years (1992-1994)
- 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 (Most Valuable Player) of the 1993 ACC men's basketball tournament.
- Some people thought he might leave college early to join the NBA, but he decided to stay.
- In his junior year, he was again the team's top scorer and also their best rebounder.
- In March 1994, he was named to the All-ACC First Team, which means he was one of the best players in his college conference.
Senior Year and College Statistics (1994-1995)
- In his final year, James had his best rebounding average (8.3 rebounds per game).
- He was named to the All-ACC Third Team.
- He was also recognized as an NCAA All-American honorable mention.
Here are his 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 |
Professional Basketball Journey
After college, James Forrest was eligible for the 1995 NBA draft. While his teammate Travis Best was drafted, James was not chosen. He then had surgery for an injury.
Playing Overseas
- In 1996, James began his professional career playing basketball outside the United States.
- His first team was Hapoel Eilat in Israel. He averaged 14.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game there.
- In 1997, he briefly signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, but he didn't make their final team.
- He then moved to Spain, playing for Ciudad de Huelva. He averaged 18.8 points per game in 12 games.
- Next, he played in Italy for Mabo Pistoia, where he averaged 19.6 points and 9.3 rebounds.
- From 1999 to 2003, James played four seasons in the Greek league. He played for Iraklio, Aris Thessaloniki, Olympiacos, and Olympia Larissa.
- While playing for Olympiacos, he got to compete in the EuroLeague, a major European basketball competition. He averaged 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in those games.
- He briefly returned to Spain in 2003 to play one game for Unicaja Málaga.
- He then played for Iraklio again, averaging 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds.
- 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
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