Rory Sparrow facts for kids
Sparrow speaks at Manute Bol's funeral in June 2010
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| No. 34, 2 | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 12, 1958 Suffolk, Virginia, U.S. |
| High school | Eastside (Paterson, New Jersey) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Villanova (1976–1980) |
| NBA Draft | 1980 / Round: 4 / Pick: 75th overall |
| Selected by the New Jersey Nets | |
| Pro career | 1980–1992 |
| Career history | |
| 1980 | Scranton Aces |
| 1980–1981 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1981–1983 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1983–1987 | New York Knicks |
| 1987–1988 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988–1990 | Miami Heat |
| 1990–1991 | Sacramento Kings |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1991–1992 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 7,557 (9.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,755 (2.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 4,192 (5.0 apg) |
Rory Darnell Sparrow (born June 12, 1958) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 years.
Rory was born in Suffolk, Virginia. He went to Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey. He was one of the first people to be added to his high school's Hall of Fame.
He played college basketball at Villanova University. During his time there, he scored 1,183 points. He also made 495 assists for his team. Rory was known for making game-winning shots. He made five of these shots in the last ten seconds of a game.
Contents
Rory Sparrow's Basketball Journey
Starting His NBA Career
Rory Sparrow was a 6-foot-2-inch tall point guard. In the 1980 NBA draft, he was picked 75th overall. The New Jersey Nets chose him in the fourth round.
He played for several NBA teams during his career. These teams included the Nets, Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers. He played for 12 seasons and retired after the 1991-92 season.
First Points for the Miami Heat
Rory made history with the Miami Heat. He scored the very first points for the team. This happened when the Heat team was first created in 1988.
Early Career and Success
Rory Sparrow was known as a very reliable guard in the NBA. He had some of his best years in the early 1980s. This was when he played for the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks. Later, he became one of the first players for the new Miami Heat team.
His NBA career did not start easily. After playing for Villanova, the New Jersey Nets picked him. But the Nets let him go during training camp. So, he joined the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He played for the Scranton Aces.
For the Aces, Rory averaged 24.1 points and 9.0 assists per game. The Nets then called him up twice during the 1980–81 season. However, he only played in 15 NBA games that year.
Playing for the Atlanta Hawks
Before the 1981–82 season, the Nets traded Rory to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks' coach, Kevin Loughery, made him a starting point guard right away. Rory played in all 82 games that season. He averaged 10.5 points and 5.2 assists per game. The Hawks finished with a good record but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Time with the New York Knicks
During the next season, Atlanta traded Rory to the New York Knicks. He became a key player for the Knicks for the next five years. He had his most successful team season in 1983–84. The Knicks had a strong record and won their first playoff series. They then lost a close series to the Boston Celtics.
In that season, Rory averaged 10.4 points and 6.8 assists. He continued to play well the next year. He set a career high with 7.1 assists per game.
Giving Back to the Community
While playing in New York, Rory started the Rory F. Sparrow Foundation. This charity helped children in need in the New York area. In 1986, he received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. He shared this award with Michael Cooper of the Lakers.
In 1987, Sports Illustrated magazine featured Rory on its cover. He was one of eight "Athletes Who Care." The magazine honored them as Sportsmen and Sportswomen of the Year. This showed how much he cared about helping others.
Later Career and Retirement
In the 1987–88 season, the Knicks traded Rory to the Chicago Bulls. He played as a backup to stars like Michael Jordan. Before the 1988–89 season, he joined the Miami Heat. He scored the Heat's first points on November 5, 1988. He averaged a career-high 12.5 points that year.
In his second season with the Heat, he played a backup role. Before the 1990–91 season, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings. There, he played well again, scoring 10.4 points per game.
Rory split his last season (1991–92) between the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. He retired at age 34. In total, he scored 7,557 points for seven different teams. His career average was 9.0 points per game.
After retiring from playing, Rory continued to work in basketball. In 1994, he started working for the NBA league office. He became a player programs manager.
See also
In Spanish: Rory Sparrow para niños
