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 played college basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers. He helped them win a national championship in 1976. Quinn was a captain for the last undefeated NCAA Division I basketball champion team. He also led the 1976 Olympics team to a gold medal.
The Milwaukee Bucks picked Buckner as the 7th player in the 1976 NBA draft. He played ten years in the NBA for three teams: the Bucks, the Boston Celtics, and the Indiana Pacers. In 1984, he won an NBA championship with the Celtics.
Buckner is one of only eight players in history to achieve a basketball Triple Crown. This means winning an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He is also one of only three players to win a high school state championship, an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal.
After his playing career, Buckner coached the Dallas Mavericks for one year (1993–1994). Today, Buckner is a TV commentator for the Indiana Pacers games on Bally Sports Indiana.
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, had an amazing record. They lost only one game during his junior and senior years. They won two state championships in a row. The 1972 team was undefeated and is often called the best high school team in Illinois history.
Buckner was also a great 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 was part of the 100th anniversary of the Illinois high school basketball tournament.
College Basketball Career
Buckner studied business at Indiana University Bloomington. He played college basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers. His coach was the famous Bob Knight. Buckner was a starter for all four years and a captain for three years. He also 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. They won a bronze medal at the 1974 FIBA World Championship.
The Hoosiers had two amazing seasons in a row (1974–75 and 1975–76). They were undefeated in the regular season both years. In the 1974–75 season, they won every Big Ten game by a large margin. However, their star player, Scott May, broke his arm. This injury led to the Hoosiers losing in the NCAA tournament.
The next season, 1975–76, 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 in men's college basketball.
NBA Playing Career
Quinn 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.
The Milwaukee Bucks picked Buckner in the first round of the 1976 NBA draft. He was the seventh player chosen overall. The Washington Redskins also drafted him for football. Before joining the Bucks, Buckner won a gold medal with the 1976 U.S. Olympic basketball team.
Buckner's teams had rarely lost in high school and college. But his first NBA season with Milwaukee was tough. The Bucks lost 52 games in 1976–77. Buckner, however, played well on defense. He was fourth in the league in steals.
The next year, Buckner was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. He continued to be a strong defender. In the 1979–80 season, he helped the Bucks win their division title. He was again named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The Bucks had a strong team with players like Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief.
In the 1980–81 season, Buckner played in all 82 games. He had career highs in scoring and steals. He was again on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The Bucks had a great season, winning 60 games.
Buckner was known as a solid and dependable player. He focused on defense and helping his teammates. He once said, "My strength is defense... Another is my overall knowledge of the game and being able to get everybody involved."
Before the 1982–83 season, Buckner was traded to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics' general manager, Red Auerbach, said Buckner was "a winner, a leader." In 1984, Buckner helped the Celtics win an NBA championship. He came off the bench to support star guards like Dennis Johnson. The Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game NBA Finals. With this NBA title, Buckner completed his "Triple Crown" of championships.
Buckner played three seasons with Boston. He made important contributions to their strong team. In 1985, the Celtics reached the Finals again but lost to the Lakers. After that season, Boston traded Buckner to the Indiana Pacers. He played 32 games for the Pacers in the 1985–86 season before retiring.
Broadcasting Career
After his playing career, Quinn Buckner became a basketball broadcaster. He worked for ESPN and NBC. He also called college and NBA games for CBS Sports. He worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the early 1990s.
Today, Buckner lives in Indianapolis. He is the color commentator for the Indiana Pacers television broadcasts on Bally Sports Indiana. He also helps with community events for the Pacers.
Coaching Career
Buckner became the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks for the 1993–94 season. The team had struggled the year before. The Mavericks' owner hoped Buckner's winning attitude would help the young team. Buckner wanted to bring strong discipline to the team, like his college coach Bob Knight.
However, his coaching style did not work well with the players. The team started with a very poor record. Buckner tried to adjust his style, but the team finished the season with only 13 wins and 69 losses. This was the worst record in the league that year. After the season, the Mavericks decided to fire him.
Personal Life
In July 2004, Buckner became the Vice President of Communications for Pacers Sports & Entertainment. This group owns the Indiana Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever.
In 2016, Governor Mike Pence appointed Buckner to the Indiana University Board of Trustees. He is currently the chair of the board.
Quinn Buckner has four children with his wife, Rhonda: Jason, Cory, Lauren, and Alexsandra. He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
See also
In Spanish: Quinn Buckner para niños
