Quinn Buckner facts for kids
Buckner as a member of the Boston Celtics in 1985.
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | August 20, 1954 Phoenix, Illinois, U.S. |
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| High school | Thornridge (Dolton, Illinois) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Indiana (1972–1976) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1976 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1976–1986 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1982 | Milwaukee Bucks | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1985 | Boston Celtics | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1986 | Indiana Pacers | |||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 5,929 (8.2 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 3,114 (4.3 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Steals | 1,337 (1.9 spg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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William Quinn Buckner (born August 20, 1954) is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He is known for being one of only eight players in history to achieve a special "Triple Crown" in basketball. This means he won an NCAA college championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal.
Quinn Buckner also holds another rare record. He is one of only three players ever to win a high school state championship, an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He was a captain for the last undefeated NCAA Division I basketball champion team in 1976. He also led the 1976 US Olympic team to a gold medal.
After his playing career, Buckner coached the Dallas Mavericks for one year. Today, he works as a color analyst for the Indiana Pacers television broadcast team. He helps explain the game to viewers.
Contents
Early Life and High School Success
Quinn Buckner was born in 1954 in Phoenix, Illinois. He played basketball at Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois. His high school team, the Falcons, were incredibly good. They lost only one game during his junior and senior years. They won two state championships in a row!
The 1972 team was especially amazing. They went undefeated, meaning they didn't lose a single game. No other team came within 14 points of beating them. Many people say this team was the best in Illinois high school basketball history.
Buckner was also a fantastic football player. He was named all-state in high school for football. He is the only person ever to be named Chicago area Player of the Year for both football and basketball. In 2006, Buckner was honored as one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament." This group celebrates great players and coaches from the Illinois high school basketball tournament's 100-year history.
College Basketball Career
Buckner chose to play college basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers. He played under the famous Coach Bob Knight. Quinn was a starter for all four years and a team captain for three years. He even played football for one year at Indiana.
In his first year, 1972-73, Indiana reached the Final Four. They lost to UCLA. In 1974, he played for the United States men's national basketball team in the 1974 FIBA World Championship and won a bronze medal.
The Hoosiers had two amazing seasons in 1974-75 and 1975-76. They went undefeated in the regular season both years. They won 37 Big Ten games in a row. In the 1974-75 season, they won every Big Ten game by a large average of 22.8 points. However, a key player, Scott May, broke his arm. With May injured, the top-ranked Hoosiers lost in the NCAA tournament.
The next season, 1975-76, was perfect. Buckner was a co-captain. The Hoosiers went the entire season and the 1976 NCAA tournament without a single loss. They beat Michigan 86-68 in the championship game. Indiana is still the last school to have an undefeated season and win the NCAA title.
Professional NBA Career
Quinn Buckner was chosen by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 1976 NBA draft. He was the seventh player picked overall. He was also drafted by the Washington Redskins to play football, but he chose basketball.
Before joining the Bucks, Buckner played on the gold medal-winning 1976 U.S. Olympic basketball team. His teammates included Adrian Dantley and Scott May.
Buckner played for 10 years in the NBA. He was known as a tough defender and a good playmaker. He helped his teams by being a steady and reliable player. In his first year with the Bucks, he was excellent on defense. He ranked fourth in the league with 2.43 steals per game. The next year, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. He earned this honor three more times in his career.
In 1982, Buckner was traded to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics' general manager, Red Auerbach, said Buckner was "a winner, a leader." He added that Buckner "rises to the occasion" and was "team oriented."
In 1984, Buckner and the Celtics won an NBA championship. He came off the bench to help the team. The Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a tough seven-game series. Winning this NBA title completed Buckner's "Triple Crown." This is a very rare achievement in basketball.
Buckner played three seasons with the Celtics. He helped them reach the NBA Finals again in 1985, but they lost to the Lakers. After that season, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers. He played 32 games with the Pacers before retiring, ending his 10-year NBA career.
Broadcasting Career
After his playing career, Quinn Buckner became a basketball broadcaster. He worked for major sports networks like ESPN and NBC. He also called college and NBA games for CBS Sports. He even called games for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Today, Buckner lives in Indianapolis. He is the color commentator for the Indiana Pacers television broadcasts on Bally Sports Indiana. He helps fans understand the game and the players. He also works with the Pacers on community events.
Coaching Career
In 1993, Quinn Buckner became the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. The team had a very bad record the year before. The Mavericks' owner hoped Buckner's winning attitude would help the young team. Buckner believed his players needed a lot of discipline. He tried to coach them with a very strict style.
However, this coaching style did not work well for the Mavericks. Many players complained about it. The team started the season with a record of 1 win and 23 losses. They ended up finishing the season with only 13 wins and 69 losses. This was the worst record in the league that year.
Because of the team's poor performance and issues with the owner, Buckner was fired after just one season.
Personal Life
In 2004, Quinn Buckner was named the Vice President of Communications for Pacers Sports & Entertainment. This group owns the Indiana Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever.
In 2016, the Governor of Indiana appointed Buckner to the Indiana University Board of Trustees. He is now the chairman of the board.
Quinn Buckner is married to Rhonda. They have four children: Jason, Cory, Lauren, and Alexsandra. He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Images for kids
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Buckner as a member of the Boston Celtics in 1985.
See also
In Spanish: Quinn Buckner para niños
- List of National Basketball Association single-game steals leaders
