Orlando Woolridge facts for kids
Woolridge during his tenure coaching the Los Angeles Sparks
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 16, 1959 Bernice, Louisiana, US |
| Died | May 31, 2012 (aged 52) Mansfield, Louisiana, US |
| High school | Mansfield (Mansfield, Louisiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Notre Dame (1977–1981) |
| NBA Draft | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Pro career | 1981–1996 |
| Coaching career | 1998–1999, 2007–2009 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1981–1986 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1986–1988 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1988–1990 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1990–1991 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1991–1993 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1993 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1993–1994 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1994–1995 | Benetton Treviso |
| 1995–1996 | Buckler Bologna |
| As coach: | |
| 1998–1999 | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2007–2008 | Houston Takers |
| 2008–2009 | Arizona Rhinos |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 13,623 (16.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,696 (4.3 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,609 (1.9 apg) |
Orlando Vernada Woolridge (born December 16, 1959 – died May 31, 2012) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 to 1994. Woolridge was well-known for his amazing scoring skills, especially his powerful slam dunks. He also played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
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Early Life and College
Orlando Woolridge was born in Bernice, Louisiana. After finishing high school, he went to the University of Notre Dame. There, he played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish basketball team. As a freshman in 1978, he helped his team reach the Final Four in the NCAA tournament. His teammate then was Bill Laimbeer, who he would later play with again on the Detroit Pistons.
Woolridge was a starter in every game during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He helped Notre Dame get into the NCAA tournament in 1980 and 1981. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, he played as a forward. In the 1979–80 season, he even played as a center for a year. He made 58.5 percent of his shots that season.
In 1981, The Sporting News named him a second-team All-American. He made a famous last-second shot to beat the top-ranked Virginia team. This shot ended their impressive 28-game winning streak. Throughout his college career, he scored an average of 10.6 points per game. He also grabbed 5 rebounds and made 1.2 assists per game. He shot almost 60% from the field.
Playing in the NBA
The Chicago Bulls picked Woolridge sixth in the 1981 NBA draft. He played his first five seasons with the Bulls. His NBA debut was on November 7, 1981. On December 9, 1984, he was named NBA Player of the Week.
During the 1984–85 season, Woolridge averaged 22.9 points per game. He and rookie teammate Michael Jordan together scored over 51 points per game. Before Jordan became a superstar, Woolridge was one of the Bulls' main players. He was known for his incredible dunking ability. He was also one of the first players to master the alley-oop.
Woolridge took part in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1984 and 1985. In 1984, he was the first to perform a move called the "eastbay funk dunk." This dunk earned him higher scores than Clyde Drexler and Michael Cooper. Woolridge led the Chicago Bulls in scoring in 1986. He was the last player to do so before Michael Jordan took over.
After the Bulls, he joined the New Jersey Nets in 1986. He averaged 20.7 points per game in his first season there. On August 10, 1988, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers wanted him to be a strong scorer coming off the bench. Woolridge loved playing with Magic Johnson and the Lakers' fast-paced style. He averaged 11 points per game in two seasons with the Lakers. He was a consistent scorer close to the basket. In the 1989–90 season, his 55.6% field goal percentage was the fifth best in the league.
Woolridge was later traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1990. The Nuggets played a very fast offense under coach Paul Westhead. This style helped Woolridge average 25.1 points and a career-high 6.8 rebounds per game. However, it did not lead to many team wins. He was sidelined in December after eye surgery for a detached retina. This happened after a collision during a game. At that time, he was averaging 29.0 points, which was third in the league.
After his season in Denver, Woolridge played for the Detroit Pistons in 1991–92. He split the 1992–93 season between the Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished his NBA career in 1994 with the Philadelphia 76ers. In his NBA career, he averaged 16.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
Playing in Europe
After his NBA career, Woolridge played professional basketball in Italy. He played for the Italian League club Benetton Treviso. Under coach Mike D'Antoni, he helped the team win the FIBA European Cup in the 1994–95 season. They also won the Italian Cup.
Then, Woolridge played for Buckler Bologna for the 1995–96 season. With them, he won the Italian Supercup.
Coaching and Later Life
After he stopped playing, Woolridge became a coach. He coached the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA in 1998 and 1999. Later, he coached the Arizona Rhinos in the ABA from 2008 to 2009.
Orlando Woolridge's son, Renaldo Woolridge, also became a professional basketball player. Orlando was also a cousin to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Willis Reed.
Orlando Woolridge passed away on May 31, 2012. He had been battling heart disease for a long time. He died at his parents' home in Mansfield, Louisiana.
See also
In Spanish: Orlando Woolridge para niños
