Leon Wood facts for kids
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| Born | March 25, 1962 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| High school | Saint Monica (Santa Monica, California) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1984–1994 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1986 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | Washington Bullets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | New Jersey Nets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | San Antonio Spurs | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | Atlanta Hawks | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | CAI Zaragoza | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Santa Barbara Islanders | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | New Jersey Nets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | Sacramento Kings | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Rapid City Thrillers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Pallacanestro Varese | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Gießen 46ers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Rapid City Thrillers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | CRO Lyon | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Fargo-Moorhead Fever | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Onyx Caserta | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Leon Wood, born on March 25, 1962, is an American former professional basketball player. He was a top college player and was chosen early in the 1984 NBA draft. Leon Wood also won gold medals at the Olympic Games and Pan American Games. After his playing career, he became an NBA referee.
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Playing Career Highlights
Leon Wood was a 6-foot-3-inch point guard who played basketball in high school at Saint Monica Catholic High School. He became an All-American at California State University-Fullerton. This means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the country.
Joining the NBA
In 1984, the Philadelphia 76ers picked Leon Wood as the 10th player in the first round of the 1984 NBA draft. He played in the NBA for six seasons. During that time, he played for six different teams. These teams included the 76ers, Washington Bullets, New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, and Sacramento Kings.
Leon Wood played in 274 NBA games. He scored a total of 1,742 points, which is about 6.4 points per game. He also took part in the very first NBA 3-point shootout. This exciting event happened at the All-Star Weekend in Dallas in 1986.
Playing Around the World
After his time in the NBA, Leon Wood played basketball in other leagues. He played for teams in Europe, like MTV 1846 Giessen in Germany. He also played for CAI Zaragoza in Spain during the 1988–1989 season.
Wood also spent four seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). In the CBA, he averaged 18.1 points and 8.5 assists per game. He was even named to the All-CBA Second Team in 1990. His last professional basketball games were in the Philippine Basketball Association in 1994. There, he helped his team, Purefoods, reach the semifinals.
Olympic Gold Medalist
Leon Wood is a two-time gold medalist in international competitions. He won his first gold medal at the 1983 Pan American Games. The next year, he was part of the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team. This team was coached by the famous Bobby Knight.
At the 1984 Olympics, Leon Wood was a key player. He led the team with an average of 7.9 assists per game. Winning an Olympic gold medal is a huge achievement for any athlete!
Life After Playing
After his successful playing career, Leon Wood decided to stay involved in basketball. In 1996, he became an NBA official, also known as a referee. As a referee, he helps make sure games are played fairly and according to the rules.
See also
In Spanish: Leon Wood para niños
