Paul Pressey facts for kids
Pressey at a banquet event in June 2016
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 24, 1958 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| High school | George Wythe (Richmond, Virginia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1982 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall |
| Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Pro career | 1982–1993 |
| Coaching career | 1994–2016 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1982–1990 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1990–1992 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1992–1993 | Golden State Warriors |
| As coach: | |
| 1992–1994 | Golden State Warriors (assistant) |
| 1994–2000 | San Antonio Spurs (assistant) |
| 2000–2004 | Orlando Magic (assistant) |
| 2004–2006 | Boston Celtics (assistant) |
| 2007–2010 | New Orleans Hornets (assistant) |
| 2010–2013 | Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant) |
| 2014–2016 | Los Angeles Lakers (assistant) |
| 2019–2023 | St. John's (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As assistant coach:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 7,664 (10.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,798 (3.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,715 (5.1 apg) |
Paul Matthew Pressey, born on December 24, 1958, is a former American professional basketball player. He also worked as an assistant coach for many teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Pressey is known for being one of the first "point forwards." This means he could handle the ball and pass like a point guard, but also play like a small forward.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
College Success
In 1979, while playing for Western Texas College, Paul Pressey and his team had an amazing season. They won all 37 of their games. This included winning the NJCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Later, in 1982, playing for Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball, Pressey was named the MVC Player of the Year. He averaged 13.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.2 steals per game.
Time with the Milwaukee Bucks
Paul Pressey spent most of his playing career with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1980s. Even though he was a small forward, he often handled the ball. He even led the team in assists for five years in a row. As a rookie in 1983, he scored 23 points and made 4 steals in a win against the New York Knicks.
Pressey was known as a great defender. He was named to the All-NBA Defensive Team three times. He was also among the top 20 players in defensive rating for four seasons. In 1986, he took part in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. During his time in Milwaukee, the Bucks reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times. They played alongside famous players like Sidney Moncrief, Bob Lanier, and Marques Johnson. However, they never made it to the NBA Finals.
In the 1984-85 NBA season, Pressey helped the Bucks win 59 games. He led the team with 6.8 assists per game. He also scored 16.1 points and grabbed 5.4 rebounds per game. In the playoffs that year, the Bucks beat the Michael Jordan-led Bulls. Pressey had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals in the final game of that series.
On February 19, 1986, Pressey scored 26 points and had 11 assists in a big win against the Dallas Mavericks. A week later, he set a career high with 16 assists against the Los Angeles Clippers. In the 1986 NBA Playoffs, Pressey achieved a "triple-double." This means he had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists in one game. The Bucks won that series but lost in the next round.
Later Career and Coaching
Paul Pressey played his last game with the Bucks in the 1990 NBA Playoffs. He then joined the San Antonio Spurs and later the Golden State Warriors. In 1992–93, he even played 18 games for the Warriors while also being an assistant coach. He helped the team when many players were injured.
Life After Playing
Coaching Success
After his playing career, Paul Pressey became a successful assistant coach. In the 1998–99 season, he won an NBA championship as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. He also coached for teams like the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers. From 2019 to 2023, he was an assistant coach for St. John's University.
Family in Sports
Paul Pressey's children also became athletes. His daughter, Angie, played volleyball for the University of California, Berkeley. His sons, Jeremiah and Phil, played basketball for Missouri. Phil even played in the NBA from 2013 to 2016 and later played in Europe.
Paul Pressey once shared that playing in the NBA was a "far-fetched dream" for him. He thought he might just get his degree and become a coach. He was surprised to be picked in the first round of the NBA draft.
See also
In Spanish: Paul Pressey para niños
