Marcus Paige facts for kids
Paige with the Greensboro Swarm
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| North Carolina Tar Heels | |
|---|---|
| Assistant coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 11, 1993 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Serbian |
| High school | Linn-Mar (Marion, Iowa) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | North Carolina (2012–2016) |
| NBA Draft | 2016 / Round: 2 / Pick: 55th overall |
| Selected by the Brooklyn Nets | |
| Pro career | 2016–2023 |
| League | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2016–2017 | Salt Lake City Stars |
| 2017–2018 | Charlotte Hornets |
| 2017–2018 | →Greensboro Swarm |
| 2018–2021 | Partizan |
| 2021–2022 | Orléans |
| 2022–2023 | Obradoiro |
| As coach: | |
| 2023–present | North Carolina (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Marcus Taylor Paige (born September 11, 1993) is an American basketball coach and former player. He played college basketball for the University of North Carolina. He helped his team, the Tar Heels, reach the 2016 NCAA championship game. Today, he works as an assistant coach at the same university. Marcus Paige is a citizen of both the United States and Serbia.
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High School Basketball Journey
Marcus Paige was a highly-rated player in high school. Experts ranked him as one of the best players in the country for his age group. He was even called the best point guard in his class by ESPN.
In his junior year, Marcus led Linn-Mar High School to an amazing undefeated season. They won the 2011 4-A state title, which is a huge achievement! Scouts thought he was great at handling the ball and could shoot from far away.
On January 8, 2011, Marcus decided to play college basketball for North Carolina. He chose them over many other big universities.
During his senior year, Marcus was the main player for Linn-Mar. He scored over 28 points per game on average. He even set a school record by scoring 49 points in one game! His high school career ended when his team lost in the state semi-finals.
College Basketball Career
Marcus Paige played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He played there for four years, from 2012 to 2016.
Freshman Year Success (2012-2013)
In his first year, Marcus played in almost every game. He averaged 8.6 points and 4.6 assists per game. An assist is when you pass the ball to a teammate who then scores. He was very good at passing without turning the ball over.
His best game for points was 19 against Virginia Tech. He also had 10 assists in a game against Notre Dame. Marcus helped the Tar Heels reach the "round of thirty-two" in the NCAA tournament. This means they were one of the top 32 teams.
Sophomore Year Improvements (2013-2014)
Marcus got even better in his second year. He averaged 17.5 points and 4.2 assists per game. He shot well from the field, from the three-point line, and from the free throw line. His free throw percentage was the best in his conference!
He led the Tar Heels back to the NCAA tournament. For the second year in a row, they lost in the round of thirty-two. Marcus was recognized as a Second-team All-American. He was also named the ACC's Most Improved Player.
Junior Year Challenges (2014-2015)
In his junior year, Marcus averaged 14.1 points and 4.5 assists per game. His scoring went down a bit compared to his sophomore year. He shot well from three-point range.
He almost broke the school record for most three-pointers in a season. Marcus also earned academic honors for his good grades. He was dealing with a foot injury called plantar fasciitis during this season, which made playing harder.
Senior Year Highlights (2015-2016)
Before his senior season, Marcus was named the preseason ACC player of the year. He had some struggles with his shooting early on. But he later broke the UNC record for the most career three-pointers made (299).
Marcus helped the Tar Heels win the 2016 ACC tournament. He then led them to the 2016 NCAA championship game against Villanova. In that game, he scored 21 points. He even made an amazing game-tying three-pointer with only 4.7 seconds left! However, Villanova won the game with a last-second shot.
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Marcus Paige began his professional basketball career.
Starting in the NBA G League (2016-2017)
In 2016, Marcus was picked by the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA draft. He was then traded to the Utah Jazz. He later joined the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA Development League (now called the G League).
He played in 46 games for the Stars, averaging 12.1 points per game. The G League is a league where players can develop their skills and try to make it to the NBA.
Time with the Charlotte Hornets (2017-2018)
In 2017, Marcus signed a special "two-way contract" with the Charlotte Hornets. This meant he could play for both the Hornets in the NBA and their G League team, the Greensboro Swarm.
He played mostly for the Greensboro Swarm, averaging 15.2 points per game. In 2018, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
Playing in Europe with Partizan (2018-2021)
In 2018, Marcus moved to Serbia to play for the club Partizan. He signed a two-year contract.
In 2019, Marcus also became a Serbian citizen. He helped Partizan win the Serbian Cup and the ABA League Supercup in 2019. They won another Serbian Cup in 2020. He signed another two-year deal with them in 2020. He left the team in 2021.
Other European Teams (2021-2023)
After Partizan, Marcus played for the French club Orléans Loiret Basket in 2021. Then, in 2022, he signed with the Spanish club Monbus Obradoiro. He played for them until 2023.
Coaching Career
Returning to North Carolina (2023-Present)
On April 26, 2023, Marcus Paige returned to his old college team, the North Carolina Tar Heels. He joined the coaching staff as the director of team and player development.
This role means he helps players improve their skills and grow as a team. Marcus took over this job from another former Tar Heel player. In 2024, Marcus became a full assistant coach and started leading the UNC junior varsity team.
Images for kids
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Paige with the Greensboro Swarm
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Paige in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Marcus Paige para niños
