Sean Elliott facts for kids
Elliott in 2008
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | February 2, 1968 Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
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| High school | Cholla (Tucson, Arizona) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Arizona (1985–1989) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the San Antonio Spurs | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1989–2001 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1993 | San Antonio Spurs | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2001 | San Antonio Spurs | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 10,544 (14.2 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 3,204 (4.3 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 1,897 (2.6 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a talented small forward in both college and the NBA. Sean played for the University of Arizona. There, he became a two-time All-American. He also won several top awards in 1989, like the John R. Wooden Award and AP Player of the Year. He was also named Pac-12 Player of the Year twice.
Elliott was the third player picked in the 1989 NBA draft. He was part of the 1990 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. He was also chosen for the NBA All-Star game twice. In 1999, he helped his team win an NBA championship. Both the University of Arizona and the San Antonio Spurs have retired his jersey number, 32.
Contents
Early Life and School Years
Sean Elliott was born in Tucson, Arizona. He was the youngest of three brothers. He went to Tolson Elementary School, where he was in a special program for gifted students. Later, he played basketball at Cholla High School in Tucson.
College Basketball Career
After finishing high school in 1985, Sean stayed in Tucson. He decided to play college basketball at the University of Arizona. His coach was Lute Olson. Sean was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
He was chosen as an All-American player in his junior and senior years. In 1988, he led the Wildcats to the Final Four. Sean broke the Pac-10 career scoring record, which was previously held by Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). After a great senior year, he won the Wooden Award. Sean Elliott is still the all-time leading scorer for the University of Arizona.
He also played for the US national team. In 1986, they won the gold medal at the 1986 FIBA World Championship.
NBA Career Highlights
Playing for the San Antonio Spurs (1989–1993)
The San Antonio Spurs picked Sean Elliott third in the 1989 NBA draft. In his first season, he started in 69 games and scored 10 points per game. The Spurs made it to the playoffs. They beat the Denver Nuggets but then lost to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The next season, Sean became a permanent starter. His scoring went up to 15.9 points per game. The Spurs won 55 games but lost in the first round of the playoffs. In the 1991–92 season, he averaged 16.3 points. However, the Spurs lost in the first round again.
During the 1992–93 season, Sean averaged 17.2 points per game. He scored a career-high 41 points in one game. He was chosen for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game with his teammate David Robinson. In the playoffs, the Spurs won their first series. They then faced the top-seeded Phoenix Suns. The Spurs lost the series, but Sean played well.
Time with the Detroit Pistons (1993–1994)
Sean played for the Detroit Pistons during the 1993–94 season. He was traded there for Dennis Rodman. Sean had a tough time with the Pistons. A trade to the Houston Rockets fell through because Sean failed a medical test.
After this, Sean shared that he had a kidney problem. He stayed with the Pistons for the rest of the season. After the season, he was traded back to the Spurs.
Returning to the San Antonio Spurs (1994–1998)
In the 1994–1995 season, the Spurs won 62 games. This was thanks to Sean and MVP David Robinson. The Spurs were the top team in the Western Conference. They won their first two playoff series. However, they lost to the Houston Rockets in the conference finals.
The 1995–1996 season was Sean's best for scoring. He averaged 20 points per game, a career high. He also made a career-high 161 three-pointers. He played in the 1996 NBA All-Star Game. The next two seasons, Sean had injuries that limited how many games he could play.
NBA Championship and Kidney Transplant (1998–2001)
The 1998–1999 season was shorter due to a league lockout. The Spurs won 37 of 50 games, led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Sean started all 50 games. The Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers. Then they faced the Portland Trail Blazers.
In Game 2 of that series, the Blazers were leading by two points with nine seconds left. Sean got the ball near the sideline. He stayed on his tiptoes and shot a three-pointer over a tall defender. The shot went in, giving the Spurs a one-point lead and the win! This shot is famous and called the "Memorial Day Miracle." Sean scored 22 points in that game.
The Spurs then went to the NBA Finals and played the New York Knicks. The Spurs won in five games, earning their first NBA Championship. Sean averaged 11.9 points in the playoffs.
Soon after winning the championship, Sean shared that he had a kidney disease. It was called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. His kidney function was getting worse, and he needed a transplant. He had known about his kidney problem since 1993. On August 16, 1999, he received a kidney from his older brother, Noel.
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On March 13, 2000, Sean made history. He became the first professional athlete to return to his sport after a kidney transplant. He played in 19 games that season. In the 2000–2001 season, he started in 34 games. The Spurs had the best record in the league. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
Retirement from Basketball
Sean Elliott announced his retirement in 2001. He finished his career averaging 14.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He is one of the Spurs' top players for three-point shots made.
After His NBA Career
After retiring, Sean became a basketball analyst. He worked for The NBA on NBC and later for ABC Sports and ESPN. In 2004, he became the color commentator for the Spurs' local games. He also joined Fox Sports 1 in 2013 to call college basketball games.
On March 6, 2005, the San Antonio Spurs retired his number 32 jersey. It now hangs in the AT&T Center. The University of Arizona also retired his number 32.
Images for kids
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Elliott in 2008
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Elliott playing for the Arizona Wildcats
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Elliott (left) at the Alamodome in March 2000
See also
In Spanish: Sean Elliott para niños
