Mario Chalmers facts for kids
Chalmers with the Miami Heat in 2009
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 19, 1986 Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. |
| High school | Bartlett (Anchorage, Alaska) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kansas (2005–2008) |
| NBA Draft | 2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 34th overall |
| Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| Pro career | 2008–present |
| Career history | |
| 2008–2015 | Miami Heat |
| 2015–2016, 2017–2018 |
Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2019 | Virtus Bologna |
| 2019–2020 | AEK Athens |
| 2020–2021 | Aris Thessaloniki |
| 2021 | Indios de Mayagüez |
| 2021 | Grand Rapids Gold |
| 2022 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2023 | Zamboanga Valientes |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Almario Vernard Chalmers (born May 19, 1986) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the Zamboanga Valientes team. He was chosen in the 2008 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. This was after he played three years of college basketball at the University of Kansas.
In college, he was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. He also won the Most Outstanding Player award in the 2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. His team, the Kansas Jayhawks, won the NCAA championship that year.
In the NBA, Chalmers was the starting point guard for the Miami Heat. He helped them win two championships in 2012 and 2013. Chalmers is the only person from Alaska to win a championship in high school, college, and professional basketball. After seven seasons with the Heat, he joined the Memphis Grizzlies in 2015. He later played for teams overseas and in the G-League.
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Early Life and Family
Mario Chalmers is the son of Ronnie and Almarie Chalmers. Both of his parents have been very involved in basketball. His father, Ronnie, was a high school basketball coach. He also coached at the University of Kansas.
Mario's mother, Almarie, has led many basketball camps. She even wrote a book about raising a family involved in basketball. Mario has an older sister named Roneka. He is also a father to four children.
Chalmers went to Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. He was named the best player in his state three times. He led his high school team to two state championships in 2002 and 2003. In his senior year, he was named a McDonald's All-American. This means he was one of the best high school players in the country.
College Basketball Career
Chalmers decided to play college basketball for the University of Kansas in 2004. He started his college career on the bench. But he soon became a starter in January 2006.
As a freshman, he averaged 11.5 points per game. He also set a new record for most steals in a season by a freshman with 89. He was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. He also won the Big 12 Tournament MVP award. This was after he helped Kansas win the Big 12 tournament.
In his second year, Chalmers averaged 12.3 points per game. He was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 Conference. He also set a new school record with 97 steals in one season.
During his junior year, Chalmers averaged 12.8 points per game. He also led his team in assists and three-point shooting. He tied his own school record with 97 steals again. He scored 30 points in the Big 12 Conference tournament final against Texas.
Chalmers was a key player when his team won the 2008 NCAA Championship. He made a famous three-point shot with just 2.1 seconds left. This shot sent the game into overtime. Kansas then beat the Memphis Tigers to win the title. Chalmers was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
After winning the NCAA championship, Chalmers decided to enter the NBA draft. He gave up his final year of college eligibility. In 2013, the University of Kansas retired his jersey number, 15, to honor him.
Professional Basketball Career
Miami Heat (2008–2015)
The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Chalmers as the 34th pick in the 2008 NBA draft. His rights were then traded to the Miami Heat. He signed with the Heat in July 2008.
Rookie Season Success
In his first NBA season (2008–09), Chalmers started all 82 regular season games. He averaged 10 points, 4.9 assists, and 2 steals per game. His 2 steals per game were the most among all rookies. On November 5, 2008, in only his fourth NBA game, Chalmers set a team record with nine steals in one game.
Joining the Big Three
In 2010, the Heat added superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Chalmers changed his jersey number from 6 to 15. This was his college number.
In Game 5 of the 2011 NBA Finals, Chalmers made a half-court shot at the end of the first quarter. The Heat lost that series to the Dallas Mavericks.
Winning NBA Championships
Chalmers re-signed with the Heat in 2011. In February 2012, he took part in the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout.
He played a big role in Game 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals, scoring 25 points. The Heat won the 2012 NBA championship. This was Chalmers' first NBA title.
On January 12, 2013, Chalmers scored a career-high 34 points against the Sacramento Kings. He made 10 three-pointers in that game. This tied the Heat's record for most three-pointers in a game. He helped the Heat win their second straight championship in 2013. They beat the San Antonio Spurs in an exciting seven-game series.
In the 2014 NBA Finals, the Heat faced the Spurs again. Chalmers struggled in this series. The Heat lost the series in five games. He re-signed with the Heat in 2014.
Memphis Grizzlies (2015–2018)
In November 2015, Chalmers was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He scored a season-high 29 points in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder that month. In March 2016, he suffered a serious injury to his right Achilles tendon. This ended his season. He was then released by the Grizzlies.
After recovering from his injury, Chalmers re-signed with the Grizzlies in July 2017.
Playing Overseas (2019–2021)
In March 2019, Chalmers joined Virtus Bologna in Italy. He helped them win the 2019 FIBA Champions League title.
Later in 2019, he joined AEK Athens in Greece. He also played for Aris Thessaloniki in Greece in 2020. In 2021, he played for Indios de Mayagüez in Puerto Rico.
NBA G League (2021–2022)
In December 2021, Chalmers signed with the Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League. He later joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce in January 2022.
Zamboanga Valientes (2023)
In January 2023, Chalmers signed with the Zamboanga Valientes team.
Charity Work
Chalmers started the Mario V. Chalmers Foundation. This foundation helps children with sports and education programs. It also supports research for breast cancer.
He also runs an annual basketball camp called the Mario Chalmers Miracle Shot Basketball Camp. This camp helps kids learn and improve their basketball skills. He has held these camps in his college town, Lawrence, Kansas, and his hometown, Anchorage, Alaska. The camp is for both beginners and more advanced players.
Images for kids
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Chalmers with the Miami Heat in 2009
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Chalmers playing for the Kansas Jayhawks in February 2008.
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Chalmers in December 2010
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See also
In Spanish: Mario Chalmers para niños
