Rotnei Clarke facts for kids
Clarke with Baskets Bonn in 2015
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| Scafati Basket | |
|---|---|
| Point guard / shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 20, 1989 Claremore, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| High school | Verdigris (Claremore, Oklahoma) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 183 lb (83 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2013 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2013–present |
| League | Serie A2 |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2014 | Wollongong Hawks |
| 2014–2015 | Okapi Aalstar |
| 2015–2016 | Telekom Baskets Bonn |
| 2016–2018 | Illawarra Hawks |
| 2017–2018 | VL Pesaro |
| 2018–2019 | Pallacanestro Trapani |
| 2019–2020 | Pallacanestro Mantovana |
| 2020–2021 | Anwil Włocławek |
| 2021 | Cestistica San Severo |
| 2021–present | Scafati Basket |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Rotnei Scott Clarke (born July 20, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Scafati Basket in Italy. Rotnei played college basketball at the University of Arkansas and Butler University.
He started his professional career in Australia with the Wollongong Hawks. In his first season, he was named the NBL's Most Valuable Player. He also played in Belgium and Germany before returning to the Hawks in 2016. Rotnei can play as a point guard or a shooting guard. He is well-known for his amazing three-point shots.
During his high school years, Rotnei was famous for his sharp shooting. Many people came to watch him play. He led Verdigris High School to their first state championship. He also set a new state scoring record with over 3,700 career points. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. He chose the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2008.
In 2009, Rotnei made 13 three-pointers in one game. He scored 51 points, setting new records for his team and conference. In the 2010–11 season, he was Arkansas's top scorer. He was also named to the All-SEC second team. After his coach left, Rotnei decided to transfer. He joined the Butler Bulldogs for the 2012–13 season. He led the Bulldogs in scoring and was named to the All-Atlantic 10 first team.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Rotnei Clarke was born to Conley and Christine Clarke. He was named after a fast football player, Rotnei Anderson. His father wanted him to have a "fast name." Rotnei is also part Cherokee and related to famous people like Will Rogers and Jim Thorpe.
Rotnei started playing basketball very young. By fourth grade, he practiced shooting with his father almost every day. His parents were both sports coaches. They made sure he could always practice in a gym. By seventh grade, he was taking 500 shots a night. His family moved often, but basketball was always a big part of his life.
High School Basketball Journey
Starting Strong as a Freshman
Before high school, Rotnei's family moved back to Oklahoma. His uncle and father became coaches at Verdigris High School. Verdigris is a small town near Tulsa. Even though he was a freshman, Rotnei quickly became a key player. He averaged 20 points per game and shot 47% on three-pointers. The team finished with a great record of 24 wins and 4 losses. They won their first state-playoff game ever. Rotnei was named to the Tulsa World All-Metro first team. That summer, he played for Team Texas. He scored 31 points in one game, which caught the attention of many college coaches.
Sophomore Year Success
In the 2005–06 season, Verdigris was ranked high in their class. Rotnei scored 41 and 44 points in two early games. In a championship game, he scored 55 points, including a game-tying shot at the buzzer. So many fans wanted to see him play that the highway signs were updated to include Verdigris. He finished the year leading the state in scoring with 34.2 points per game. Verdigris reached the state semi-finals again. Rotnei was named Metro Player of the Year by Tulsa World. He was the first sophomore since 1980 to win this award.
Junior Year Challenges
By his junior year, Rotnei was a local hero. But he also faced tough opponents and insults from crowds. He said the insults made him want to play even better. Opposing teams played very physically against him. His coaches even told him to avoid the foul lane to stay safe. The team traveled with a nurse to treat his frequent injuries. In one game, he scored a career-high 65 points. In another game, he received a death threat, but he handled it calmly. Even when two players guarded him, he still scored 31 points. In a playoff game, 2,800 fans showed up, more than the gym could hold. He scored 57 points in that game. In the state playoffs, he scored 60 points in one game, setting a new state record for a single tournament game. For the season, he averaged 37.2 points and 9.0 rebounds. The Cardinals lost in the state semi-finals for the third year. Rotnei was again named Player of the Year by Tulsa World.
Senior Year and State Championship
During his senior year, Rotnei chased the state scoring record. He was competing with Keiton Page from Pawnee High School. When their teams played, the game was delayed because so many fans bought tickets. On February 29, 2008, Rotnei broke the state scoring record of 3,639 points. He scored his 3,640th point on a free throw. He finished that game with 37 points, leading Verdigris to a big win. "It's a great feeling," Rotnei said. "I'm glad to have it out of the way so we can focus on our main goal — winning a state championship."
More than 13,000 people watched the 2008 state finals. This was the largest crowd ever for a high school game in Oklahoma. Rotnei scored 25 points and led Verdigris to their first state championship. After the game, he signed autographs for 90 minutes. The town of Verdigris even renamed a street "Rotnei Clarke Road." His school retired his jersey. He ended the season averaging 40.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 3.4 steals per game.
Rotnei finished his high school career with 3,758 points. This was the most in Oklahoma high school history. He averaged 33.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.4 steals per game. He scored over 40 points 34 times and over 50 points seven times. He led Verdigris to an amazing 99–15 record. Rotnei was also an excellent student with a 4.0 GPA. He was a role model and inspired younger players.
College Basketball Journey
Choosing a College Team
After high school, over 50 colleges offered Rotnei scholarships. He received more than 2,500 recruiting letters. ESPN ranked him as the sixth best point guard in his class. He chose Arkansas in November 2008. He liked the fans, staff, and facilities. He also knew he could play right away. His family even moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to support him.
Freshman Year at Arkansas
In his freshman year, Rotnei started all 30 games for Arkansas. He played about 31.5 minutes and scored 12.2 points per game. He was the best freshman in the country for three-point shooting, making 39.3% of his shots. He also shot 93.5% on free throws. He scored in double figures 22 times.
Sophomore Year Highlights
Before his sophomore year, Fox Sports called Rotnei the top shooter in the country. In a game against Alcorn State, he set a conference record by making 13 three-pointers. He scored 51 points in that game, which was a school record. He finished the year with 100 three-pointers. He averaged 15.1 points per game. He was also named to the SEC community service team.
Junior Year and Transferring
As a junior, Rotnei was named to the preseason All-SEC second team. Athlon ranked him as the nation's second best shooter. He scored a career-high 36 points against Vanderbilt. For the season, he led Arkansas with 15.2 points per game. He was also named to the All-SEC second team.
Arkansas did not make the NCAA tournament during Rotnei's time there. His coach, John Pelphrey, was fired. Rotnei decided to leave the team. He later said he "just knew I was supposed to get out of there." About 40–50 schools wanted him to transfer. He chose Butler, a team that had impressed him with their national title game appearances. He felt it was the "best fit" for him.
Redshirt Year and Injury
As a transfer student, Rotnei had to sit out a year before playing. He used this time to improve his game. He practiced against Butler's best defenders. He often practiced alone in the gym, making 500 shots a night. He even got a key to the building from his coach. He called this year "one of the toughest."
While at Arkansas, Rotnei had ankle pain. Butler trainers found he had a bone defect he was born with. This needed surgery. In spring 2012, he had the surgery. He was in a wheelchair and couldn't play for four months. This was very hard for him. He realized that his faith was important, even without basketball.
Senior Year and Big Moments
In the 2012–13 season, Rotnei was ready to play. In the opening game of the Maui Invitational, he hit a running three-pointer at the buzzer. This shot won the game for Butler. Video of the shot became very popular online. He was named to the All-Tournament team.
On December 15, 2012, Butler played against the number one ranked Indiana team. Rotnei hit a crucial three-pointer in overtime. This helped Butler win the game. It was Butler's first win ever against a number-one ranked team.
On January 12, 2013, Rotnei had a scary moment. He stole the ball and was going for a layup when he was fouled hard. He crashed headfirst into the basket support. He was numb from the neck down. Doctors said he had a severely strained neck. He was very lucky and could have been seriously hurt. He walked out of the hospital a few hours later. He realized that "There are more important things than a game of basketball."
Rotnei missed three games while recovering. He returned on January 26, scoring 24 points and making nine assists. He finished the regular season averaging 16.7 points per game. He led the conference in three-pointers made and free throw percentage. He was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference first team.
Butler entered the NCAA tournament as the sixth seed. This was Rotnei's first time in a postseason tournament. He helped Butler win their first game. In the next game, he injured his shoulder. He missed a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds. He ended the season with 115 three-pointers, one of the most ever by a Butler player. He made at least one three-pointer in all 33 games he played for Butler. He finished his college career with 389 three-pointers, which is tied for 15th in NCAA history.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting in Australia
After college, Rotnei was not chosen in the 2013 NBA draft. He decided to play professionally in Europe. However, he later signed with the Wollongong Hawks in Australia's NBL on August 1, 2013. In his first game, he scored 20 points.
The Hawks had a tough season, but Rotnei helped them stay in the playoffs. He was named Player of the Month twice. He was also a top contender for the NBL's Most Valuable Player award. The Hawks made the semi-finals but lost. At the end of the season, Rotnei was named the NBL Most Valuable Player. He finished third in total points scored (633) and averaged 21.1 points per game. He also led the league in three-pointers made (95).
Playing in Europe
On June 19, 2014, Rotnei signed with Okapi Aalstar in Belgium. He played 32 games there, averaging 17.5 points per game. He also played in six EuroChallenge games.
On July 10, 2015, he signed with Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany. In 33 games, he averaged 11.5 points. He also played in 10 EuroCup games.
Return to Australia and Italy
On July 12, 2016, Rotnei signed a two-year deal to return to the Illawarra Hawks. He scored 23 points in his first game back. On December 5, 2016, he scored a season-high 29 points. On February 11, 2017, he helped the Hawks secure a playoff spot. Two days later, he was named the NBL Best Sixth Man Award. The Hawks reached the NBL Grand Final series but lost. He averaged 17.4 points per game that season.
On March 9, 2017, Rotnei signed with Victoria Libertas Pesaro in Italy. He averaged 19.5 points in eight games there. In his second season with the Illawarra Hawks, he averaged 18.1 points. The Hawks missed the finals that year. On February 20, 2018, he re-signed with Victoria Libertas Pesaro. He then joined Pallacanestro Trapani in Italy's second division on July 16, 2018. On August 1, 2019, he signed with Pallacanestro Mantovana in Italy. He averaged 19.3 points per game there.
Playing in Poland and Back to Italy
On October 24, 2020, Rotnei signed with Anwil Włocławek in Poland. On February 17, 2021, he signed with Cestistica San Severo in Italy. On July 16, 2021, he signed with Scafati Basket, where he currently plays.
Basketball Skills and Awards
Rotnei started high school as a shooting guard. He worked hard to improve his game beyond just shooting. He wanted to be known for more than just spot-up shots. He practiced driving to the basket and handling the ball. During his redshirt year at Butler, he became the team's main ball-handler.
Rotnei was named "Metro Boys Player of the Year" three times by Tulsa World. He was invited to special basketball camps run by famous players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Many experts called him the best shooter in college basketball. His Butler coach, Brad Stevens, said Rotnei could make tough three-pointers with very little space. His shot release time was incredibly fast, clocked at 0.6 seconds.
Rotnei is known as a "gym rat" because of his strong work ethic. In high school, he would make 500 three-pointers and 200 free throws in a typical workout. He also did weight-lifting, sprinting, and ball-handling drills. These sessions could last four hours or more. He believes that if you want something badly, you will work hard to get it. His work ethic inspired his teammates.
Personal Life
Rotnei's Christian faith is very important to him. He believes God put him on Earth to play basketball. After his surgery in 2012, when he couldn't play, he struggled. He said it was "the ultimate low for me." But he realized that his relationship with God was always there, even without basketball.
Rotnei has been called the Tim Tebow of basketball because he shares his faith. In high school, he talked about his faith with teammates and even opposing players. He would leave letters in visiting players' lockers about what Jesus meant to him. He also spoke at churches and basketball events.
Rotnei is a quiet person and doesn't always like being recognized off the court. He is close with his sister, Cassie. They often text each other Bible verses before games. He is also good friends with former Butler player Ronald Nored. Rotnei enjoys hunting and fishing when he's not playing basketball. He listens to Christian rap music. He hopes to become a coach after he finishes playing basketball.
In June 2014, Rotnei married Patricia Elliott. They have one daughter named Kyah.
See also
In Spanish: Rotnei Clarke para niños
