Mike Wilks (basketball) facts for kids
Wilks with the Wizards in a 2007 game
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| Oklahoma City Thunder | |
|---|---|
| Assistant coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 7, 1979 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| High school | Rufus King (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Rice (1997–2001) |
| NBA Draft | 2001 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2001–2011 |
| Coaching career | 2019–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2001 | Mobile Revelers |
| 2001–2002 | Huntsville Flight |
| 2002–2003 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2003 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2003–2004 | Houston Rockets |
| 2004–2005 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2005–2006 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2006–2007 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2007 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2007 | Washington Wizards |
| 2008 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2008 | Montepaschi Siena |
| 2009 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2009 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2010–2011 | Asseco Prokom Gdynia |
| As coach: | |
| 2019–present | Oklahoma City Thunder (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 591 (2.5 ppg) |
| Assists | 271 (1.2 rpg) |
| Rebounds | 228 (1.0 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
Michael Sharod Wilks Jr. (born May 7, 1979) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He currently works as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Contents
Mike Wilks' College Basketball Journey
After finishing high school at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, Mike Wilks went to Rice University. He played college basketball there for four years, from 1997 to 2001. Mike studied Economics during his time at Rice.
In his final year, Mike was a star player. He scored an average of 20.1 points per game. He also grabbed 4.9 rebounds and made 3.0 assists in each game. His excellent performance earned him the Western Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete award.
Mike Wilks' Professional Playing Career
Mike Wilks started his professional basketball career without being chosen in the NBA draft. This means he was a free agent. He first joined the Sacramento Kings for their training camp. However, he was not kept on the team before the season began.
Starting in the NBA Development League
Wilks was then picked by the Mobile Revelers in the NBA D-League draft. After playing six games for them, he moved to the Huntsville Flight. He finished his first season there. As a rookie in the NBA Development League, Mike won the 2001–02 Sportsmanship Award. This award is given to players who show great fair play.
Playing for NBA Teams
Mike tried out for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2002 but was again not kept. He returned to the Huntsville Flight. Later, in December 2002, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks. He played a few games for them before moving to the Minnesota Timberwolves. With the Timberwolves, he played 31 of the final 32 games of the season.
In 2003, Wilks signed with the Houston Rockets. He played 26 games for them. A year later, he was part of a trade to the Chicago Bulls. However, he then signed with the San Antonio Spurs in October 2004. With the Spurs, Mike achieved a huge goal: he won an NBA championship in 2005! He averaged 1.8 points per game that season.
After winning the championship, Wilks played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was later traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. He played two seasons with the SuperSonics.
Later Years as a Player
In 2007, Wilks joined the Denver Nuggets for training camp. He was briefly waived but then re-signed. Later that year, he played for the Washington Wizards. He also had another short time with the Seattle SuperSonics.
In 2008, Mike signed with the Orlando Magic. Sadly, he tore a ligament in his right knee during a preseason game. This injury made him miss the entire season. He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009.
Mike Wilks later signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in November 2009. This was his second time playing for this team. His last NBA game was on December 4, 2009. He scored 7 points and had 2 assists in that game.
Throughout most of his NBA career, Mike wore jersey number 29. This was a special tribute to the 29th Street playground in Milwaukee where he grew up playing basketball.
After his NBA career, Mike played internationally. In 2010, he signed with a team in Poland called Asseco Prokom Gdynia. He played there until January 2011.
Mike Wilks' Coaching Career
After his playing days, Mike Wilks stayed involved in basketball. In October 2012, he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder as a scout. A scout helps find new talent for the team.
Mike's career took another exciting turn in December 2021. He became the first former Thunder player to coach the team. This happened when the head coach, Mark Daigneault, was unable to coach. Mike stepped in as a temporary head coach. He continues to serve as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
See also
In Spanish: Mike Wilks para niños
