Latrell Sprewell facts for kids

Latrell Fontaine Sprewell (born September 8, 1970) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for three teams: the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. During his career, Sprewell was chosen for the NBA All-Star team four times. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team once and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team once. He helped the Knicks reach the 1999 NBA Finals and the Timberwolves get to the 2004 Western Conference finals.

Early Life and College

Growing Up in Milwaukee

Latrell Sprewell grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went to Washington High School there.

College Basketball Career

After high school, Sprewell played basketball at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He played there from 1988 to 1990. Then, from 1990 to 1992, he played for the Alabama Crimson Tide. At Alabama, he was teammates with other players who later joined the NBA, like Robert Horry and Jason Caffey.

Professional Basketball Career

Golden State Warriors (1992–1998)

The Golden State Warriors picked Sprewell as the 24th player in the 1992 NBA draft. He quickly made a big impact. In his first season, he started 69 out of 77 games. He averaged 15.4 points per game. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1993. In 1994, he was chosen for both the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

Sprewell's performance kept getting better. He led the Warriors in scoring. He also represented the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game in 1994, 1995, and 1997. In the 1993–94 season, he played the most games and minutes in the league. The Warriors, with Sprewell and NBA Rookie of the Year power forward Chris Webber, made it to the playoffs. They lost in the first round to the Phoenix Suns.

A Difficult Incident in 1997

On December 1, 1997, Sprewell had a serious disagreement with his coach, P. J. Carlesimo, during a Warriors practice. This incident led to a very long suspension from the NBA. The Warriors also ended his contract. Sprewell challenged these decisions. After a review, his contract was restored, but the league suspended him for the rest of the season. This meant he missed 68 games without pay. This was one of the longest suspensions in NBA history at the time.

New York Knicks (1999–2003)

After his suspension, Sprewell was traded to the New York Knicks in February 1999. This happened during an NBA lockout, so he didn't play until then. Many people wondered if trading for Sprewell was a good idea for the Knicks. However, Sprewell said he had changed.

He played 37 games for the Knicks that season, mostly coming off the bench. The Knicks, led by veteran center Patrick Ewing, barely made it into the 1999 playoffs. They were the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They surprised everyone by winning against the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and Indiana Pacers. This made them the first eighth seed in NBA history to reach the Finals. In the Finals, they played against the San Antonio Spurs and lost in five games. Sprewell played well in the Finals, averaging 26.0 points per game.

For the 1999–2000 season, Sprewell became a starter for the Knicks at small forward. He averaged 18.6 points. The Knicks had a good record of 50 wins and 32 losses. They were the third seed in the Eastern Conference, with Sprewell, Ewing, and shooting guard Allan Houston leading the team. The Knicks won their first two playoff rounds. They then faced the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their goal of reaching the NBA Finals again ended when they lost to the Pacers in 6 games. Sprewell averaged 19.7 points per game in that series. After this, the Knicks gave him a new five-year contract.

In the 2000–01 season, Sprewell became the main leader for the Knicks after Ewing was traded. He made his only All-Star appearance for the Knicks that year, scoring 17.7 points per game. However, the Knicks lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Toronto Raptors. In 2001–02, Sprewell averaged 19.4 points per game. He scored 49 points in one game against the Boston Celtics. Despite his strong play, the Knicks missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Before the 2002–03 season, Sprewell had a broken hand. He said it happened when he slipped on his yacht. The Knicks fined him for not reporting the injury. That season, Sprewell made NBA history by making 9 out of 9 three-point shots in one game. This was the most three-pointers without a miss at the time. He scored 38 points in that game against the Los Angeles Clippers. This record has since been tied by other players. After this season, Sprewell was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2003–2005)

In the 2003–04 season, Sprewell joined power forward Kevin Garnett and point guard Sam Cassell. They formed one of the league's highest-scoring trios. The Timberwolves had a great record of 58 wins and 24 losses. They were the top team in the Western Conference for the 2004 playoffs. They won their first two playoff rounds against the Denver Nuggets and the Sacramento Kings. In the Western Conference Finals, they played against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers won in six games. This was the Timberwolves' only appearance in the conference finals until 2024. Sprewell was the third-highest scorer on the team, averaging 16.8 points per game.

In October 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves offered Sprewell a new contract. He felt insulted by the offer because it was for much less money. He famously said, "I have a family to feed." He turned down the offer. In the final year of his contract, Sprewell had the lowest-scoring season of his career. After the 2004-05 season, he did not sign with another team. His last NBA game was on April 20, 2005.

Sprewell's agent said that Sprewell would rather retire than play for the lowest salary allowed in the NBA. He said that Sprewell felt it would be "a slap in the face" to take a much smaller amount of money. Some teams, like the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, showed interest in signing him in 2006. However, Sprewell did not respond to their offers and remained a free agent.

Over his career, Sprewell started 868 out of 913 games. He averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, he averaged 19.7 points, 3.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season

Playoffs

Personal Life

As of 2022, Sprewell's Instagram profile mentioned he was working in community relations with the Knicks. He was also a media personality for Madison Square Garden.

See also

In Spanish: Latrell Sprewell para niños

• List of NBA annual minutes leaders
• List of people banned or suspended by the NBA