Mark Aguirre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark Aguirre

Aguirre in 2007
Personal information
Born	(1959-12-10) December 10, 1959 (age 65) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
High school	Austin (Chicago, Illinois) Westinghouse (Chicago, Illinois)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
College	DePaul (1978–1981)
NBA Draft	1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks
Pro career	1981–1994
Coaching career	2002–2008
Career history
As player:
1981–1989	Dallas Mavericks
1989–1993	Detroit Pistons
1993–1994	Los Angeles Clippers
As coach:
2002–2003	Indiana Pacers (assistant)
2003–2008	New York Knicks (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (1989, 1990) 3× NBA All-Star (1984, 1987, 1988) Naismith College Player of the Year (1980) Adolph Rupp Trophy (1980) USBWA Player of the Year (1980) AP Player of the Year (1980) UPI Player of the Year (1980) Sporting News College Player of the Year (1981) 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1980, 1981) No. 24 retired by DePaul Blue Demons Mr. Basketball USA (1978) Third-team Parade All-American (1978) McDonald's All-American (1978)
Career statistics
Points	18,458 (20.0 ppg)
Rebounds	4,578 (5.0 rpg)
Assists	2,871 (3.1 apg)

Mark Anthony Aguirre (/əɡwaɪər/ AG-wire; born December 10, 1959) is a Mexican-American former basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 to 1994. Mark was the very first player picked in the 1981 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks.

He played three years at DePaul University before joining the NBA. Later in his career, Mark won two NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons. He was also a three-time All-Star during his time with the Dallas Mavericks. In 2016, Mark Aguirre was honored by being inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Mark Aguirre's mother moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he was raised by his family. He grew up playing basketball on the playgrounds of Chicago's west side.

Mark started his high school basketball journey at Austin High School. Later, he moved to George Westinghouse College Prep. In his senior year, he led his team to win the Chicago Public High School League championship.

College Basketball Career

Mark Aguirre became a star player at DePaul University. He played for three seasons under coach Ray Meyer. During his college career, he averaged an amazing 24.5 points per game.

In 1980, Mark won several top awards, including the Naismith College Player of the Year award. He was also named College Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1981. As a freshman in 1978–1979, he helped his team, the Blue Demons, reach the Final Four in the NCAA tournament. They played against Indiana State, led by the famous player Larry Bird.

Olympic Team Experience

Mark Aguirre was chosen to be part of the 1980 U.S. Olympic basketball team. However, he could not compete because the United States boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics. Even though he didn't play, he received a special Congressional Gold Medal for being part of the team.

After his junior year at DePaul, Mark decided to enter the NBA draft. The Dallas Mavericks picked him as the first overall player in the 1981 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Journey

Mark Aguirre played in the NBA for 13 seasons, averaging 20 points per game throughout his career.

Dallas Mavericks Years (1981–1989)

Mark started his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks, who chose him as the first pick in the 1981 draft. In his first season, he averaged 18.7 points per game. The Mavericks team began to improve each year.

From 1982 to 1988, Mark consistently scored over 22 points per game. In the 1983–84 season, he averaged 29.5 points, which was the second-highest in the entire league. He was the Mavericks' main scorer and helped the team make their first playoff appearance in 1984. They even beat the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round.

Mark was named an All-Star in 1987 and 1988. In the 1987–88 season, the Mavericks had their best year, winning 53 games. They made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, where they played a tough seven-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Mark's scoring records for a single season still stand for the Mavericks. He is also third in the team's history for total points scored.

In the middle of the 1988–89 season, Mark was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit Pistons Success (1989–1993)

Aguirre with the Detroit Pistons in 1989

Joining the Detroit Pistons was a big change for Mark. He wasn't the main scorer anymore, but he played a very important part in helping the Pistons win the NBA championship in 1989. He showed he could fit into a winning team by taking fewer shots and playing strong defense.

The Pistons won another championship in 1990, repeating as champions. Mark continued to contribute to their success. In the 1991 playoffs, he scored his highest playoff points as a Piston with 34 points in a game against the Boston Celtics. He played two more seasons with the Pistons, taking on a smaller role as he got older and dealt with injuries.

Final Season with the Clippers (1993–1994)

In 1993, the Pistons released Mark. He then signed with the Los Angeles Clippers for his final NBA season in 1993–94. Mark retired from basketball in 1994, having scored a total of 18,458 points in his career.

Personal Life

Mark Aguirre has been married to Angela Bowman since January 1988. His father was from Mexico, and at one point, Mark thought about playing for the Mexican team in the 1992 Summer Olympics. He was even offered citizenship to encourage him to do so.

Honors and Achievements

• Mark Aguirre was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
• His jersey number 24 was retired by the DePaul Blue Demons, honoring his great college career.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Mark Aguirre para niños