Sam Perkins facts for kids
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Perkins in 2016
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 14, 1961 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | North Carolina (1980–1984) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Dallas Mavericks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1984–2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1990 | Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1993 | Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1998 | Seattle SuperSonics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Indiana Pacers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 15,324 (11.9 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 7,666 (6.0 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blocks | 933 (0.7 bpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Samuel Bruce Perkins (born June 14, 1961) is a former American professional basketball player. He also worked as an executive after his playing career. Perkins was a top college player, earning All-American honors three times. He helped the North Carolina Tar Heels win the national championship in 1982. Sam also won a gold medal with the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 17 seasons.
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Sam Perkins' Early Life
Sam Perkins was born in Brooklyn, New York. He went to Samuel J. Tilden High School and later graduated from Shaker High School in Latham, New York. In 1980, he was named the best large-school high school player in New York. He was also chosen for the 35 Greatest Boys McDonald's All-Americans team.
College Basketball Career
Perkins played college basketball for the University of North Carolina from 1980 to 1984. In 1981, he was named ACC Rookie of the Year. He played alongside future NBA stars James Worthy and Michael Jordan. Together, they led the Tar Heels to the 1982 NCAA championship.
Perkins was named an All-American three times during his college career. In 1984, he was honored as the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. He finished his time at North Carolina as the team's all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots. He was also the second-highest scorer in the team's history. Perkins graduated from UNC in 1984. He was a co-captain for the U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal in 1984.
Sam Perkins' Professional Career
The Dallas Mavericks chose Sam Perkins as the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He played as a power forward and center in the NBA from 1984 to 2001. In 1985, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Perkins played for several teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Indiana Pacers. He once scored a career-high 45 points in a game on April 12, 1990. On January 15, 1997, he tied an NBA record by making eight three-pointers without missing any.
He played in three NBA Finals:
- The 1991 NBA Finals with the Lakers.
- The 1996 NBA Finals with the SuperSonics.
- The 2000 NBA Finals with the Pacers.
Interestingly, all three of these Finals were lost to teams coached by Phil Jackson. In game one of the 1991 NBA Finals, Perkins made a game-winning three-point shot against the Chicago Bulls. He was known by fun nicknames like "Sleepy Sam," "Big Smooth," and "The Big Easy."
Life After Basketball
In 2002, Sam Perkins was recognized as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. This was part of the ACC's 50th Anniversary men's basketball team.
In 2008, Perkins became the vice president of player relations for the Indiana Pacers. That same year, he was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. He held his position with the Pacers until 2010.
In 2011, Perkins traveled to South Sudan as a Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. He worked with another famous basketball player, Dikembe Mutombo. They led basketball clinics and team-building exercises for young people and coaches. This work helped the State Department's goal of including people with disabilities in society.
Perkins was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. He also runs a summer camp in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for young people. The camp helps them learn basic basketball skills.
Personal Life
Sam Perkins was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. During his professional basketball career, he would stand apart from his teammates during the national anthem because of his faith.
Sam Perkins' NBA Career Stats
Sam Perkins played in many playoff games during his career. He has the third-most playoff games played without ever winning an NBA Championship. Only Karl Malone and John Stockton, who played for the Utah Jazz, have played in more playoff games without winning a championship.
See also
In Spanish: Sam Perkins para niños
