Pat Burke facts for kids
Burke with Asseco Prokom Sopot in 2009
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| Center | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 14, 1973 Dublin, Ireland |
| High school | Mariner (Cape Coral, Florida) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Auburn (1993–1997) |
| NBA Draft | 1997 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1997–2009 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1997–1998 | TAU Cerámica |
| 1998–2001 | Panathinaikos |
| 2001–2002 | Maroussi |
| 2002–2003 | Orlando Magic |
| 2003–2004 | Gran Canaria |
| 2004–2005 | Real Madrid |
| 2005–2007 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2007–2008 | Khimki BC |
| 2008–2009 | Asseco Prokom Sopot |
| As coach: | |
| 2025–Present | Beacon College |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Patrick John Burke, born on December 14, 1973, is a famous Irish basketball player. He used to play professionally and is now a basketball coach. Pat Burke played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for three seasons. He played for the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns. He is the only Irish person to have ever played in the NBA.
Before and after his time in the NBA, Pat Burke played for many teams in Europe. He played mostly in Greece and Spain. He finished his playing career with Asseco Prokom Sopot in Poland. He also helped lead the senior Irish national team. Today, he is the head coach for men's basketball at Beacon College.
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Pat Burke's Early Life
Pat Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland. When he was three years old, his family moved from Ireland to Cleveland, Ohio in the United States.
He played high school basketball at Mariner High School in Cape Coral, Florida. After high school, he played college basketball for the Auburn Tigers at Auburn University. He played there from 1993 to 1997.
Pat Burke's Professional Basketball Career
Playing in the NBA
Pat Burke was not chosen in the 1997 NBA draft after college. However, he made history in 2002 when he signed with the Orlando Magic. This made him the first Irish-born player to ever play in the NBA.
He played 62 games for the Orlando Magic. In those games, he scored about 4.3 points and got 2.4 rebounds per game. He did not play in the NBA during the 2003-04 or 2004-05 seasons. He returned to the NBA in 2005 and played for the Phoenix Suns for two seasons. In 2007, he was with the Golden State Warriors for a short time during their training camp.
Playing in Europe
Pat Burke had a very successful career playing basketball in Europe. He won the EuroLeague championship with Panathinaikos in the 1999–2000 season. He also helped Panathinaikos win the Greek League title three times in a row, from 1999 to 2001.
He also played for Spanish teams like Tau Ceramica, Gran Canaria, and Real Madrid. With Real Madrid, he helped them reach the final of the ULEB Cup (now called EuroCup) in 2004. He also helped them win the Spanish League title in 2005.
In November 2007, Burke joined the Russian team Khimki. He helped them win their first Russian Cup title. Overall, in his European career, he played 211 games. He averaged 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. In 2008, he moved to the Polish team Asseco Prokom Sopot and helped them win the league title.
Pat Burke's Coaching Career
Pat Burke became the new head coach for the men's basketball team at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida in March 2025. He took over from Sam Vincent, who coached the Beacon NaviGators/Blazers from 2022 to 2025.
Pat Burke has been involved with Beacon College since 2015. He first suggested starting a summer program there for students from other countries. He is also the director of athletics at the college.
Images for kids
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Burke with Asseco Prokom Sopot in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Pat Burke para niños
