Robert Pack (basketball) facts for kids
Pack in 2011 as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 3, 1969 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| High school | Alfred Lawless (New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1991 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1991–2005 |
| Coaching career | 2009–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1991–1992 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1992–1995 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1995–1996 | Washington Bullets |
| 1996–1997 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1997–2000 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2000–2001 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2002 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2003 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2004 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2003–2004 | Valencia |
| 2004–2005 | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| As coach: | |
| 2009–2010 | New Orleans Hornets (assistant) |
| 2010–2013 | Los Angeles Clippers (assistant) |
| 2013–2015 | Oklahoma City Thunder (assistant) |
| 2015–2018 | New Orleans Pelicans (assistant) |
| 2018–2021 | Washington Wizards (assistant) |
| 2022 | REG |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Robert John Pack Jr., born on February 3, 1969, is an American basketball coach and former player. He used to coach the REG team in Rwanda. Robert was a point guard, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall, and played for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Contents
Robert Pack's Early Basketball Journey
Robert Pack went to Alfred Lawless High School in New Orleans. He played basketball there with Eldridge Recasner, who also became an NBA player. After high school, Robert attended Tyler Junior College for two years. Then, in 1989, he moved to the University of Southern California (USC) and earned a degree in sociology in 1991. During his two years at USC, he averaged 13.4 points and 5.3 assists per game.
Playing in the NBA
Starting His NBA Career
Robert Pack was not chosen by any NBA team in the draft. However, the Portland Trail Blazers signed him as a free agent on September 16, 1991. He earned a spot on the team, playing 72 games in his first year. He averaged 4.6 points per game. The Blazers reached the NBA Finals that year but lost to the Chicago Bulls.
After the 1992 season, the Blazers traded Pack to the Denver Nuggets. This happened after the Blazers signed another point guard, Rod Strickland.
Time with the Denver Nuggets and Other Teams
Pack played for the Nuggets for three seasons, from 1992 to 1995. He played more minutes and started more games each year. On March 18, 1993, he scored a career-high 27 points in a game against the Boston Celtics.
He was part of a young Nuggets team that included stars like Dikembe Mutombo and LaPhonso Ellis. In 1994, this team made history. They became the first eighth-seeded team in NBA history to beat a first-seeded team in the playoffs. They defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round.
In October 1995, Pack was traded to the Washington Bullets. Injuries often slowed him down, so he never played a full 82-game season. In 31 games for the Bullets, he had his best season, averaging 18.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Before the 1996-97 season, he joined the New Jersey Nets. Mid-season, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He stayed with the Mavericks until the end of the 1999-2000 season. Injuries continued to affect his playing time.
Later Years in the NBA
Pack returned to the Nuggets for the 2000-01 season. He played 74 games, starting 11 times when the main point guard, Nick Van Exel, was out. The Minnesota Timberwolves signed him for the 2001-02 season, where he played 16 games.
His last two seasons in the NBA were as a backup point guard. He played for the New Orleans Hornets in 2002-03 and the New Jersey Nets in 2003-04. In October 2005, he tried out for the Toronto Raptors but was cut from the team.
After his NBA career, Robert Pack played for Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania from 2004 to 2005. He helped them win the Lithuanian League championship in 2005.
Robert Pack's Coaching Career
In August 2009, Robert Pack started his coaching career as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Hornets. The next season, he became an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers. On July 31, 2013, he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder as an assistant coach.
On June 22, 2015, he returned to the New Orleans Pelicans as an assistant coach. Later, on October 10, 2018, Pack became an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards.
In February 2022, Robert Pack was announced as the new head coach for the Rwandan team REG. This team plays in the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Other Achievements and Activities
Robert Pack was known for being a great dunker, especially for a smaller player. He had an amazing vertical leap and was very quick. In 1994, he finished second in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend.
During his career, he also achieved two triple-doubles. A triple-double is when a player gets double-digit numbers in three different statistical categories in a single game, like points, rebounds, and assists.
Helping the Community
In November 2016, Robert Pack and Master P (a famous musician and former basketball player) started a group called Team H.O.P.E. NOLA. H.O.P.E. stands for "Helping Our Players Excel." This program worked with twenty boys aged 12-15 from schools in New Orleans. It aimed to help young people who were at risk.
Other Interesting Facts About Robert Pack
Robert Pack was known for being one of the best dunkers in the NBA during the early 1990s. Even though he was a smaller player, he had an amazing vertical leap and was very quick. He finished second in the 1994 NBA Slam Dunk Contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He also achieved two triple-doubles during his career, which means he had double-digit numbers in three different statistical categories (like points, rebounds, and assists) in a single game.
Helping the Community
In November 2016, Robert Pack and Master P (a famous rapper and former basketball player) started an organization called Team H.O.P.E. NOLA. H.O.P.E. stands for “Helping Our Players Excel.” They worked with twenty boys aged 12–15 from schools in New Orleans to help them succeed.
Images for kids
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Pack in 2011 as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers
See also
In Spanish: Robert Pack para niños
