Maurice Cheeks facts for kids
Cheeks in 2011
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| New York Knicks | |
|---|---|
| Assistant coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 8, 1956 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | DuSable (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | West Texas A&M (1974–1978) |
| NBA Draft | 1978 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 1978–1993 |
| Coaching career | 1993–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1978–1989 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1989–1990 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1990–1991 | New York Knicks |
| 1991–1992 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1993 | New Jersey Nets |
| As coach: | |
| 1993–1994 | Quad City Thunder (assistant) |
| 1994–2001 | Philadelphia 76ers (assistant) |
| 2001–2005 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2005–2008 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2009–2013 | Oklahoma City Thunder (assistant) |
| 2013–2014 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2015–2020 | Oklahoma City Thunder (assistant) |
| 2020–2024 | Chicago Bulls (assistant) |
| 2024–present | New York Knicks (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 12,195 (11.1 ppg) |
| Assists | 7,392 (6.7 apg) |
| Steals | 2,310 (2.1 spg) |
Maurice Edward Cheeks (born September 8, 1956) is a famous American basketball coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Maurice Cheeks also used to be the head coach for teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Detroit Pistons. In 2018, he was honored by being added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player. He was the first player in NBA history to get 2,000 steals.
Contents
Early Life and College Years
Maurice Cheeks was born in Chicago on September 8, 1956. He grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes. He went to DuSable High School. He only played a lot of basketball during his last year of high school. His teammate, William Dise, was a top player. Dise told colleges that if they wanted him, they also had to offer Maurice a scholarship.
The coach at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M) agreed. He saw Maurice play in a casual game and was impressed. Maurice played for West Texas from 1974 to 1978. He was a starting player for all four years. He was a top player in the Missouri Valley Conference for three seasons. He was also named his team's Most Valuable Player three times.
Playing Career Highlights
After college, Maurice Cheeks was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1978 NBA draft. He played for 15 years as a point guard in the NBA. Eleven of those years were with the Philadelphia 76ers.
As a 76er, he was chosen for the NBA All-Star Game four times. He helped the 76ers reach the NBA Finals three times in the early 1980s. They won an NBA championship in 1983. Maurice was known for being a great team player and for his strong defense. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive team five times. When he stopped playing in 1993, he was one of the top players in NBA history for total assists and steals.
Playing for the Philadelphia 76ers (1978–1989)
Maurice Cheeks had his best years with the 76ers. At just 22 years old, he became the team's starting point guard. He played almost 30 minutes per game. The 76ers made the playoffs almost every year he was on the team.
In his fifth year, he became an All-Star. He averaged 12.5 points, 6.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. The 76ers had an amazing season that year, winning 65 games and losing only 17. This was one of the best seasons in the team's history.
They went on to win the NBA championship in 1983. This was Maurice's only championship as a player. He continued to be a very important player for the 76ers. He was chosen for three more All-Star games between 1986 and 1988. In the 1986 playoffs, he scored a career-high 20.8 points per game. In the 1986–87 season, he averaged a career-high 15.6 points.
Moving to Other Teams (1989–1993)
In 1989, Maurice Cheeks was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. Even though he was older, he still played well. He averaged 10.9 points per game for the Spurs. He was the starting point guard for 50 games.
Later in the 1989–90 season, he was traded to the New York Knicks. He played the rest of that season and the next for the Knicks. The Knicks made the playoffs both years.
In 1991, Maurice was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. His scoring dropped, and he was no longer a starting player. In his second-to-last game with the Hawks, he got four steals. This helped him pass Julius Erving's record for combined ABA and NBA steals.
In 1993, the New Jersey Nets signed Maurice. He played 35 games for them, averaging 3.6 points. The Nets made the playoffs that year.
Retirement from Playing
After the 1993 season, Maurice Cheeks became a free agent. He was 36 years old and decided to retire from playing in the NBA.
When he retired, Maurice was the NBA's all-time leader in steals. He was also third in playoff steals and fifth in assists. As of 2024, he is still among the top players in NBA history for steals and assists. In his first year in the playoffs, he averaged 4.1 steals per game. This is an NBA record for one playoff run.
Coaching Career Journey
After retiring as a player, Maurice Cheeks became a coach. He first coached for the Continental Basketball Association’s Quad City Thunder for one year. Then, he became an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1994 to 2001. He helped the 76ers reach the 2001 NBA Finals.
In 2001, he became the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He led the team to the playoffs twice in four years.
A Memorable Moment of Leadership
On April 25, 2003, during a game, a 13-year-old girl named Natalie Gilbert was singing the American national anthem. She forgot the words. Maurice Cheeks quickly went to help her. They finished the song together, and the whole arena sang along. Everyone gave them a standing ovation. This moment showed Maurice's great leadership and kindness.
Coaching the Philadelphia 76ers (2005–2008)
In 2005, Maurice Cheeks became the head coach of the 76ers. Fans loved this because he had played for the team for many years. The team's star player, Allen Iverson, also liked the choice.
The team missed the playoffs in his first two seasons. But in the 2007–08 season, the 76ers surprised many people. They made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Even though they lost in the first round, fans saw it as a successful season. Maurice was fired early in the next season.
Later Coaching Roles
After leaving the 76ers, Maurice Cheeks became an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009.
In 2013, he became the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. However, he was relieved of his duties in February 2014.
He returned to the Thunder as an assistant coach in 2015. In 2020, he joined the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach. In 2024, he became an assistant coach for the New York Knicks.
Honors and Awards for Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Cheeks has received many honors for his amazing basketball career.
- On September 7, 2018, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player.
- In 2008, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 1995, the 76ers retired his No. 10 jersey. This means no other player on the team can wear that number.
- He was also inducted into the West Texas A&M Hall of Champions in 1988.
- In 2021, he joined the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame.
In 2017, the 76ers put up a statue of Maurice Cheeks outside their training building. This shows how important he is to the team's history. When the statue was revealed, Maurice was honored with a video. Fans gave him a huge standing ovation.
