Marreese Speights facts for kids
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Speights with the Warriors in 2015
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| Georgia Southern Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Assistant coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 4, 1987 St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 256 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Florida (2006–2008) |
| NBA Draft | 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 2008–2021 |
| Coaching career | 2023–present |
| League | Sun Belt Conference |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2008–2012 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2012–2013 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2013 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2013–2016 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2016–2017 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2017–2018 | Orlando Magic |
| 2018–2021 | Guangzhou Long-Lions |
| As coach: | |
| 2023–present | Georgia Southern (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Marreese Akeem Speights (born August 4, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Guangzhou Loong Lions in China. Before that, he played in the NBA.
Speights played college basketball for the Florida Gators. He was part of their team that won the NCAA national championship in 2007. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him 16th overall in the 2008 NBA draft.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Marreese Speights was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. He loved playing basketball from a young age.
He played high school basketball at several schools. These included Admiral Farragut Academy, Hargrave Military Academy, and Gibbs High School. At Admiral Farragut Academy, his jersey number was even retired after just one year! This shows how talented he was.
College Basketball Career
Speights started playing for the University of Florida in 2006. As a freshman, he didn't play many minutes. He averaged about four points and two rebounds per game. However, his team, the Gators, won the national championship that year!
In his second year (2007–08), Speights played a lot more. He became a key player for the Gators. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. After this great season, he decided to enter the 2008 NBA draft. This meant he would leave college early to become a professional player.
Professional NBA Career
Philadelphia 76ers (2008–2012)
The Philadelphia 76ers chose Marreese Speights as the 16th pick in the 2008 NBA draft. He signed with them in July 2008. In his first year, he played in 79 games and shot very well.
His second season with the 76ers started strong. He played more and scored well. However, he got a knee injury in November 2009. After he returned, his playing time was less. This was partly because another player, Elton Brand, was playing very well.
In the 2010–11 season, the 76ers got a new coach, Doug Collins. The coach focused a lot on defense. Speights was known more for his offense, so his playing time went down. He averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, which were career lows for him.
Memphis Grizzlies (2012–2013)
In January 2012, Speights was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He joined them as part of a trade involving three different teams.
He re-signed with the Grizzlies in July 2012 for two years. He continued to play well for them.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2013)
In January 2013, Speights was traded again, this time to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played 39 games for the Cavaliers. During his time there, he averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Golden State Warriors: NBA Champion! (2013–2016)
On July 12, 2013, Speights signed with the Golden State Warriors. This was a very important move for his career! On February 10, 2014, he scored a career-high 32 points in a big win against his old team, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Speights won his first NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015. They defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. He was a key player coming off the bench, scoring important points. Fans even gave him the nickname "Mo Buckets" because he scored so much!
In the 2015–16 season, Speights helped the Warriors have an amazing start. They won their first 24 games, which was an NBA record! The team also finished the season with 73 wins and only 9 losses. This was the best regular season record in NBA history!
The Warriors made it to the NBA Finals again in 2016. They faced the Cleveland Cavaliers once more. Even though the Warriors were up 3-1 in the series, they ended up losing in seven games. It was a tough loss, but Speights was still a big part of their success.
Los Angeles Clippers (2016–2017)
After his time with the Warriors, Speights signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in July 2016. On January 16, 2017, he scored a season-high 23 points in a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Orlando Magic (2017–2018)
In July 2017, Speights signed with the Orlando Magic. He continued to show his ability to score, especially from long distance. On October 30, 2017, he scored 18 points and made a career-high six 3-pointers in one game!
Playing Overseas in China (2018–2021)
After his time in the NBA, Marreese Speights moved to play basketball in China. In July 2018, he signed with the Guangzhou Loong Lions in the CBA. He played for them until 2021.
See also
List of Florida Gators in the NBA
