Mike Vreeswyk facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 1, 1967 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| High school | Morrisville (Morrisville, Pennsylvania) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Temple (1985–1989) |
| NBA Draft | 1989 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1989–1998 |
| Career history | |
| 1990 | Zepter Vienna |
| 1991 | Kortrijk (Belgium) |
| 1991–1992 | Apollon Limassol |
| 1992–1993 | JSA Bordeaux |
| 1992–1993 | Yakima Sun Kings |
| 1993–1994 | Canoe Jeans Den Bosch |
| 1994–1995 | Hitashi Honso Rising Sun |
| 1995 | Ovar |
| 1996–1997 | Libertel Den Bosch |
| 1997–1998 | RZG Donar |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Mike Vreeswyk, born on March 1, 1967, is a former professional basketball player from America. He played college basketball for the Temple Owls. He was a starter for three years under coach John Chaney. Coach Chaney is famous and is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 2021, Mike gave a moving speech about his coach, John Chaney, at Temple University. You can watch a video of his speech here. Since 2010, Mike has been coaching youth basketball. He is currently an assistant coach at George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Contents
Mike's Basketball Journey
High School Hoops
Mike Vreeswyk went to Morrisville High School in Pennsylvania from 1981 to 1985. He became the school's all-time top scorer with 2,019 points. This was before the 3-point line was common in high school basketball.
As a junior, he scored about 23 points per game. He was named Third Team All-State for his great playing. In his senior year, he led the entire state of Pennsylvania in scoring. He averaged an amazing 33.5 points per game! This earned him a spot on the First Team All-State.
For college, Mike chose Temple University. He wanted to play for the future Hall of Fame coach John Chaney. He picked Temple over other big schools like Seton Hall and Boston College. In 1991, Morrisville High School honored Mike by retiring his #32 jersey. It now hangs proudly on the gym wall.
College Career at Temple
Mike played for Temple University from 1985 to 1989. He was a starter for three years. He finished his college career as the fifth-highest scorer in Temple's history with 1,650 points. He is now tied for 12th all-time.
He also set many 3-point records when he left school. He made 271 three-pointers, which was the most ever at the time. This record stood until 2003. He is currently 3rd all-time in 3-pointers made for Temple. Mike also set a record by making 8 three-pointers in one game. He is currently 5th all-time in 3-point shooting percentage at .392. He is also 7th all-time in free throw percentage at .815.
Mike is still tied for 1st all-time in NCAA Tournament free throw percentage. He made 100% of his free throws (18 out of 18) in the 1987–1988 NCAA Tournament. He was a key player on the 1987–88 team. This team was ranked #1 in the country for nine weeks! They entered the NCAA tournament as the top overall seed. They lost to Duke in the East Regional Finals.
Playing Pro Basketball
After college, Mike tried out for NBA teams like the Seattle SuperSonics and Philadelphia 76ers. Then, he started a 9-year professional basketball career overseas. He played in many different countries. These included Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Japan. He also played for two summers in a professional league in Venezuela. Mike also played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Yakima Sun Kings.
Awards and Recognition
Mike Vreeswyk has received many honors for his basketball achievements:
- In 1991, Morrisville High School retired his #32 jersey.
- In 1995, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Big 5 College Basketball Hall of Fame.
- In 2001, he joined the Temple University Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2010, he was enshrined in the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Bucks County Chapter.
- In 2020, he was honored in Temple Basketball's Ring of Honor.
