Mark West (basketball) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | November 5, 1960 Fort Campbell, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| High school | Petersburg (Petersburg, Virginia) | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| College | Old Dominion (1979–1983) | ||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1983 / Round: 2 / Pick: 30th overall | ||||||||||
| Selected by the Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||
| Pro career | 1983–2000 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||
| 1983–1984 | Dallas Mavericks | ||||||||||
| 1984 | Milwaukee Bucks | ||||||||||
| 1984–1988 | Cleveland Cavaliers | ||||||||||
| 1988–1994 | Phoenix Suns | ||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Cleveland Cavaliers | ||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Indiana Pacers | ||||||||||
| 1999 | Atlanta Hawks | ||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Phoenix Suns | ||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Phoenix Suns (assistant) | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||
| Points | 6,259 (5.7 ppg) | ||||||||||
| Rebounds | 5,347 (4.9 rpg) | ||||||||||
| Blocks | 1,403 (1.3 bpg) | ||||||||||
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Medals
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Mark Andre West (born November 5, 1960) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played as a center. The Dallas Mavericks picked him in the second round of the 1983 NBA draft.
Contents
Early Life and High School
Mark West was born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He grew up in Petersburg, Virginia. He went to Petersburg High School.
College Basketball Career
Mark West played basketball for four years at Old Dominion University (ODU). He was an amazing rebounder, grabbing 1,113 rebounds during his college career. He also scored 1,308 points.
He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the ECAC-South Tournament in 1980 and 1982. Mark West was also a top shot-blocker. He led the whole country in blocked shots in both 1980 and 1981. He finished his college career with 446 blocks.
Mark West achieved three "triple-doubles" in college. A triple-double means getting double-digit numbers in three different stats, like points, rebounds, and blocks. He had 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocks in one game. In another, he had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks. He also had 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks in a third game. He holds the ODU record for career "double-doubles" (double-digit points and rebounds) with 50.
In 1981, Mark West helped his team, the Monarchs, beat the undefeated and top-ranked DePaul team. During his time at ODU, the team had a great record of 80 wins and 37 losses. They also played in the NCAA and NIT tournaments.
Mark West graduated in 1983. He earned a degree in business administration. He focused on financial management.
Professional Basketball Career
Mark West played for 17 seasons in the NBA. This is the National Basketball Association. He played from 1983 to 2000. He was part of several teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks.
He was an important player for the Phoenix Suns team. They made it to the 1993 NBA Finals. In the Finals, they played against the Chicago Bulls.
During his NBA career, Mark West scored 6,259 points. He also grabbed 5,347 rebounds. He is one of the best players ever in terms of field-goal percentage. This means he was very good at making his shots. He ranks third all-time in this stat.
Mark West also played for the U.S. national team. He helped them win a silver medal in the 1982 FIBA World Championship.
Career After Playing
After his playing career, Mark West continued to work in basketball. In 2001, the Phoenix Suns hired him. He became their assistant general manager.
Later, in 2013, he became an assistant coach for the Suns. He worked under head coach Jeff Hornacek. In 2015, he also took on the role of Director of Player Relations for the team. He continued to help with coaching duties too.
Other Interests
Beyond basketball, Mark West has other interests. Since 1992, he has been a licensed stockbroker. In the 1990s, he became a partner at Prudential Securities in Phoenix.
Honors and Awards
Mark West has received many honors for his basketball achievements.
- In 1984, his jersey number 45 was retired by his college, Old Dominion University. This means no other player at ODU can wear that number.
- He was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
- Old Dominion University recognized him as a distinguished alumnus in 2000.
- He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
- He also joined the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Personal Life
Mark West is married to Elaina. They have two sons named Markus and Markyle.
See also
In Spanish: Mark West para niños
- List of NBA career blocks leaders
- List of NBA career field goal percentage leaders
