James Posey facts for kids
Posey with the New Orleans Hornets
|
||||||||||||||
| Portland Trail Blazers | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | January 13, 1977 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
|||||||||||||
| High school | R. B. Chamberlain (Twinsburg, Ohio) |
|||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 217 lb (98 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Xavier (1996–1999) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1999–2011 | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2013–present | |||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Houston Rockets | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Memphis Grizzlies | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Miami Heat | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Boston Celtics | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | New Orleans Hornets | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Indiana Pacers | |||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Canton Charge (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2019 | Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Washington Wizards (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Phoenix Suns (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Portland Trail Blazers (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 4,214 (8.6 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 4,532 (4.7 rpg) | |||||||||||||
| Assists | 903 (1.6 apg) | |||||||||||||
|
Medals
|
||||||||||||||
James Mikely Mantell Posey Jr. (born January 13, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). James played as a small forward for several NBA teams, including the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Hornets, and Indiana Pacers. He won two NBA championships as a player, first with the Miami Heat in 2006 and then with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Later, he also won an NBA championship as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
Contents
- College Basketball Journey
- Professional NBA Career
- Playing for the Denver Nuggets (1999–2002)
- Time with the Houston Rockets (2002–2003)
- Playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (2003–2005)
- Winning with the Miami Heat (2005–2007)
- Becoming a Champion with the Boston Celtics (2007–2008)
- Playing for the New Orleans Hornets (2008–2010)
- Finishing with the Indiana Pacers (2010–2011)
- Coaching Career Highlights
- Media Work
- Personal Life
- Images for kids
- See also
College Basketball Journey
After finishing high school in Twinsburg, Ohio, James Posey went to Xavier University in 1995. He couldn't play in his first year because of NCAA rules. However, he quickly became a star player for the Xavier Musketeers.
James is ranked among Xavier's top players for both scoring and rebounding. He led his team in rebounds for all three seasons he played there. He also earned many awards, including the "Most Outstanding Player" award in 1998 when Xavier won its first-ever Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship.
He was named the Atlantic 10 "Sixth Man Award" winner twice, which means he was a very important player who usually came off the bench. In 1999, he was named to the Atlantic 10 First Team and was also recognized as the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year.
Professional NBA Career
James Posey had a long and successful career playing in the NBA. He was known for his strong defense and ability to make important shots.
Playing for the Denver Nuggets (1999–2002)
The Denver Nuggets chose James Posey as the 18th pick in the 1999 NBA draft after he left Xavier University. In his first season, he played well, averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. This earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
He played for the Nuggets for a little over three seasons. During this time, he once scored a career-high 33 points in a game against the Golden State Warriors in December 2001.
Time with the Houston Rockets (2002–2003)
In December 2002, James Posey was traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a trade involving three different teams. He finished the 2002-2003 season playing for the Rockets.
Playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (2003–2005)
After his time with the Rockets, Posey joined the Memphis Grizzlies as a free agent in 2003. While with the Grizzlies, he had another career-best game. In March 2004, he scored an amazing 38 points against the Atlanta Hawks. He even made a three-point shot that sent the game into a second overtime, helping his team win a close game.
Winning with the Miami Heat (2005–2007)
In August 2005, James Posey was part of a very large trade in NBA history that involved 13 players and five different teams. This trade brought him to the Miami Heat. In the 2005-2006 season, he averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Even though his regular season numbers were not his highest, James Posey played a crucial role in the playoffs. He often came off the bench as the team's sixth man. His strong defense was key to the Heat's success, especially when guarding star players from opposing teams like Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.
In the 2006 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Posey was a vital player. He helped guard the Mavericks' star player, Dirk Nowitzki, and also contributed on offense by making important shots when other players were double-teamed. In Game 4 of the Finals, he scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. In Game 6, he hit a huge shot that helped the Heat win the game and the championship.
Becoming a Champion with the Boston Celtics (2007–2008)
In August 2007, James Posey signed with the Boston Celtics, joining a team that also added stars like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. In the 2008 NBA Finals, Posey won his second NBA championship. Just like with the Heat, he was important for his tough defense and for making key baskets when the game was on the line.
After winning the championship, Posey decided to become a free agent, meaning he could choose which team to play for next. He had said he wanted to return to the Celtics, but he explored other options.
Playing for the New Orleans Hornets (2008–2010)
In July 2008, James Posey signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Hornets. He played for the Hornets for two seasons.
Finishing with the Indiana Pacers (2010–2011)
In August 2010, Posey was traded to the Indiana Pacers as part of a trade involving four teams. He played one season with the Pacers before his contract was ended in December 2011.
Coaching Career Highlights
After his playing career, James Posey transitioned into coaching, sharing his knowledge and experience with new generations of basketball players.
Starting as an Assistant Coach (2013–2014)
In September 2013, Posey began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Canton Charge for the 2013–14 season.
Winning a Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2014–2018)
In August 2014, James Posey was hired as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his second season with the Cavaliers, the team won the 2016 NBA Finals Championship. This was a special win because they beat the Golden State Warriors, who had a record-breaking 73 wins that season.
Recent Coaching Roles (2022–Present)
James Posey continued his coaching journey, joining the Washington Wizards as an assistant coach in July 2022. In August 2024, he moved to the Phoenix Suns as an assistant coach. As of July 2025, James Posey is an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, where he works with head coach Chauncey Billups, a former teammate from his time with the Denver Nuggets.
Media Work
James Posey also shares his basketball insights through media. He hosts a weekly podcast called "The Posecast" on the Basketballnews.com Podcast Network. On his podcast, he talks with former teammates and other people from the NBA. He also writes weekly articles for the site, focusing on NBA topics.
Personal Life
James Posey has a son named Jace Posey, who is also a talented basketball player. Jace plays guard/small forward at Strake Jesuit High School in Houston, Texas. He is a highly-rated player from the Class of 2023 and has committed to play college basketball at TCU. James also has a daughter named Sai Aleke, who was born in March 2008.
In 2007, James Posey faced a situation where he was suspended for the first game of the 2007–08 NBA season. This happened after he pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge.
Images for kids
-
Posey with the New Orleans Hornets
-
Posey playing for the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Playoffs.
-
James Posey in 2022
See also
In Spanish: James Posey para niños
