Mitchell Wiggins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mitchell Wiggins

Personal information
Born	(1959-09-28)September 28, 1959 Kinston, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	September 13, 2024(2024-09-13) (aged 64)
High school	North Lenoir (LaGrange, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College	Truett-McConnell CC (1978–1979) Clemson (1979–1980) Florida State (1981–1983)
NBA Draft	1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23rd overall
Selected by the Indiana Pacers
Pro career	1983–2003
Career history
1983–1984	Chicago Bulls
1984–1987	Houston Rockets
1987	Tampa Bay Stars
1987–1988	Mississippi Jets
1987–1988	Quad City Thunder
1988	Jacksonville Hooters
1989–1990	Houston Rockets
1991–1992	Philadelphia 76ers
1992	Fort Wayne Fury
1992–1993	Oklahoma City Cavalry
1993	Aurora Desio
1993–1994	Milon
1994	Tondeña 65 Rhummasters
1994–1996	Sporting
1996–1997	Panionios
1997–1998	Sporting
1998–1999	Limoges CSP
2002	Hickory Nutz
2002–2003	Spearfish Black Hills Heat
Career highlights and awards
2× Greek League Top Scorer (1994, 1996) 3× Greek League All-Star (1994 I, 1994 II, 1996 I) 2× First-team All-Metro Conference (1982, 1983)
Career statistics
Medals Representing  United States FIBA World Cup Silver 1982 Colombia

Mitchell Lee Wiggins (born September 28, 1959 – died September 13, 2024) was an American professional basketball player. He played as a shooting guard, which is a player who specializes in scoring points.

College Basketball Journey

Mitchell Wiggins played college basketball at three different schools. He started at Truett-McConnell College, then moved to Clemson University. His final college years were spent at Florida State University.

During his two seasons at Florida State, Wiggins was a strong player. He scored about 23 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in each game.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Chicago Bulls (1983–1984)

In the 1983 NBA draft, Mitchell Wiggins was chosen by the Indiana Pacers as the 23rd player overall. However, he was soon traded to the Chicago Bulls. In his first year, the 1983–84 season, Wiggins played in all 82 regular season games. He averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.

Time with the Houston Rockets (1984–1987, 1989–1990)

After his rookie year, the Bulls traded Wiggins to the Houston Rockets. He often came off the bench, supporting star players. In 1987, Wiggins and another player faced a long break from the league due to a rule violation.

Both players were allowed to return for the 1989–90 season. Wiggins played in 66 games and averaged 15.5 points. However, his coach, Don Chaney, wanted him to improve his defense. His playing time became less after the Rockets got Vernon Maxwell.

Joining the Philadelphia 76ers (1991–1992)

After leaving the Rockets, Wiggins became a free agent. The Philadelphia 76ers were the only team interested in signing him. They planned to sign him in November 1990, but he did not complete a full health check, so they waited. Wiggins did not play during the 1990-91 season. The 76ers stayed in touch and signed him to a one-year contract the next year.

The 1991-92 season was Wiggins' last time playing in the NBA. He scored a total of 3,877 points during his NBA career.

Playing Overseas and in Minor Leagues (1993–2003)

After his NBA career, Mitchell Wiggins played basketball in other countries. He had a successful time in the Greek League with teams like Milon Nea Smyrni, Sporting Athens, and Panionios Nea Smyrni. He also played in the French League for Limoges CSP. Wiggins also played for the Tondeña 65 Rhummasters in the Philippine Basketball Association. He also played for several smaller teams in the United States.

Representing the United States

Mitchell Wiggins was part of the U.S. national basketball team. He played in the 1982 FIBA World Championship and helped his team win the silver medal.

Coaching Basketball

In the 2000s, Mitchell Wiggins tried coaching basketball in smaller leagues.

Personal Life and Family

Mitchell Wiggins was married to Marita Payne-Wiggins. She was a talented track and field athlete for Canada. She won two silver medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Since 2002, the Wiggins family has lived in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.

Mitchell and Marita have several children who are also involved in sports. Their youngest son, Andrew, was the first player chosen in the 2014 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is a well-known NBA player today. Their oldest son, Mitchell Jr., played for Southeastern University. Their middle son, Nicholas Wiggins, also plays basketball professionally. Both Mitchell Jr. and Nick were drafted by the famous Harlem Globetrotters in 2014. Mitchell Wiggins also has three daughters named Stephanie, Angelica, and Taya.

Mitchell Wiggins passed away on September 13, 2024, at the age of 64.

See also

In Spanish: Mitchell Wiggins para niños

• List of second-generation National Basketball Association players