Mark Davis (basketball, born 1960) facts for kids
 |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 23, 1960 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Australian |
| Listed weight | 95 kg (209 lb) |
| Career information | |
| College | St. Augustine's (1981–1983) |
| NBA Draft | 1983 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1984–2002 |
| Career history | |
| 1984 | Hamilton |
| 1984–1985 | Dorados de Chihuahua |
| 1985–2002 | South Adelaide Panthers |
| 1985–2001 | Adelaide 36ers |
| 1987 | Long Island Knights |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Mark Anthony Davis, born on December 23, 1960, is a former professional basketball player from America and Australia. He is famous for playing in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) for the Adelaide 36ers. He played there from 1985 to 2001. People called him "The Chairman of the Boards" because he was amazing at getting rebounds, setting many records!
Mark was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. He became an Australian citizen in 1992.
Contents
College Basketball Journey
Mark Davis played college basketball for two seasons with the St. Augustine's Falcons. In his final year, the 1982–83 season, he scored an average of 20.5 points in each game.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting His Pro Career
Mark Davis began his professional basketball career in 1984. He played for the Hamilton team in the New Zealand NBL. There, he was the top player for rebounds. After that, he played in Mexico for the Dorados de Chihuahua team during the 1984–85 season. He helped his team win the championship that year.
Joining the Adelaide 36ers
In 1985, Mark moved to Adelaide, Australia. He joined two teams: the South Adelaide Panthers in the SA State League and the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL. He quickly became a key player for the 36ers.
He made his NBL debut on May 4, 1985. In that game, he scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, helping Adelaide win. Mark won the team's MVP award that year. He averaged 27.9 points and 17.6 rebounds per game. The 36ers reached the Grand Final but did not win the championship.
Winning the NBL Championship
By the start of the 1986 NBL season, Mark was known as one of the best power forwards in Australia. He led the 36ers to their second Grand Final in a row. The team had an amazing record of 24 wins and only 2 losses. They won the championship in three games against the Brisbane Bullets. Mark was named the NBL's first-ever Grand Final MVP. He was also chosen for the All-NBL First Team.
Becoming the NBL MVP
Mark's excellent performance continued in 1987. He was named the joint NBL Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the season. He averaged 26.1 points and 17.5 rebounds per game. The 36ers finished first in the regular season but lost in the semi-finals. This was also the first year Mark led the league in total rebounds. This led to his famous nickname, "Chairman of the Boards."
Leading the Team as Captain
In 1990, Mark Davis became the captain of the Adelaide 36ers. He helped the team return to the playoffs in 1991. In 1994, the 36ers made it to the Grand Final again. However, Mark dislocated his shoulder during the semi-finals. Even though he played in the Grand Final, the 36ers lost. This was the first time since 1985 that Mark did not win the 36ers Club MVP award.
Later Years and More Championships
Mark remained the 36ers captain until 1996. He then won two more NBL championships with the team in 1998 and 1999. By this time, he was playing as a "sixth man," coming off the bench to help the team. On December 13, 1999, Mark made history by grabbing his 5,000th NBL rebound. He was the first NBL player to reach this amazing milestone. His record of 5,200 rebounds was later broken by his former teammate Mark Bradtke in 2003.
Mark Davis is the 36ers' all-time leader in several categories. These include free throws made (2,037), rebounds (5,200), and blocked shots (301). He also continued to play for the South Adelaide Panthers, winning five championships and five Woollacott Medals with them.
Playing for Australia
After becoming an Australian citizen in 1992, Mark Davis was chosen to play for the Australian Boomers in 1995. He played in a series of games against the Magic Johnson All-Stars. His first game for the Boomers was in Adelaide on March 7, 1995.
Life After Basketball
Mark Davis still lives in Adelaide after retiring from playing. In 2004, he started the "Mark Davis Basketball Camp." At the camp, Mark and other former NBL and NBA players teach young athletes.
Honors and Awards
Mark Davis is one of only five players to have his jersey number retired by the Adelaide 36ers. His number 33 jersey hangs proudly in the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Inside the main entrance of the Adelaide Arena, there is a bronze bust of Mark Davis. It sits under a plaque that lists his many achievements with the 36ers.
The Adelaide 36ers' team MVP award is named the Mark Davis Trophy in his honor. Mark was the first person to win this award in 1985. He won it nine times in a row until 1993. He is also the only 36ers player to have won the NBL's MVP award.
Mark Davis was also named to the NBL (Australia) 20th Anniversary Team in 1998 and the NBL (Australia) 25th Anniversary Team in 2003. In 2006, he was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame for his great contributions to the NBL.
In 2015, Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze praised Mark Davis, saying he was an "incredible competitor" who did "tremendous things" on the court.
In March 2015, Mark's number 33 was also retired by his local club, the South Adelaide Panthers. He won five championships and five Woollacott Medals with the Panthers.
In November 2015, fans voted for the Adelaide 36ers' best-ever team in an online poll. Mark Davis was chosen as the power forward, receiving the most votes of any player (83.28%).
Mark Davis' NBL Career Stats
| Games Played: | 482 |
| Total Rebounds: | 5,200 (10.8 per game) |
| Total Points: | 8,752 (18.2 per game) |
| Free Throws Made: | 2,037 out of 2,888 (70.5% success rate) |
| Field Goals Made: | 3,235 out of 6,664 (48.5% success rate) |
| 3-Pointers Made: | 245 out of 791 (31.0% success rate) |
| Total Steals: | 481 (1.0 per game) |
| Total Assists: | 818 (1.7 per game) |
| Total Blocked Shots: | 301 (0.6 per game) |
