Speedy Claxton facts for kids
Claxton in 1998 playing for Hofstra
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| Hofstra Pride | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 8, 1978 Hempstead, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Christ the King (Queens, New York) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Listed weight | 166 lb (75 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Hofstra (1996–2000) |
| NBA Draft | 2000 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 2000–2009 |
| Coaching career | 2013–present |
| League | Coastal Athletic Association |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2000–2002 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2002–2003 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2003–2005 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2005–2006 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2006–2009 | Atlanta Hawks |
| As coach: | |
| 2013–2021 | Hofstra (assistant) |
| 2021–present | Hofstra |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,096 (9.3 ppg) |
| Assists | 1,441 (4.3 apg) |
| Steals | 503 (1.5 spg) |
Craig Elliott "Speedy" Claxton (born May 8, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. He is now the head coach for the Hofstra University men's basketball team. Speedy Claxton won an NBA championship in 2003 while playing for the San Antonio Spurs. After his playing career, he became a special assistant coach at Hofstra University in 2013. He then became the head coach in 2021.
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Speedy Claxton's College Journey
Before joining the NBA, Claxton played basketball at Hofstra University. His coach there was Jay Wright, who later became a famous coach at Villanova University. At Hofstra, Claxton helped his team, the Flying Dutchmen, win the America East Championship. They beat the University of Delaware in the final game.
In 2000, his team played in the NCAA tournament. They lost in the first round to Oklahoma State. Interestingly, one of the players on that Oklahoma State team was Desmond Mason, who later became Claxton's teammate in the NBA.
Speedy Claxton has always been supportive of Hofstra. He even donated money to help build the 5,000-seat arena where the team plays. To honor his amazing career, Hofstra retired his number 10 jersey on January 31, 2009. He was also added to the Hofstra Hall of Fame on January 29, 2011.
Speedy's NBA Playing Career
Speedy Claxton was chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2000 NBA draft. He was the 20th player picked overall.
Sadly, he missed his first whole season because of a knee injury he got before the season started. In 2002, Claxton was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. There, he played an important role as the backup point guard to Tony Parker. He helped the Spurs win the 2003 NBA championship!
After winning the championship, Claxton signed a new contract with the Golden State Warriors in 2003. In 2005, he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets.
In 2006, Claxton signed a four-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks. However, he had many injuries during his time with the Hawks. Because of these injuries, he only played 44 games for them. In the 2006–07 season, he averaged about 5.3 points and 4.4 assists per game.
In 2009, Claxton was traded back to the Golden State Warriors. But he never actually played a game for them and was later released from the team in 2010.
Becoming a Coach
After his playing days, Speedy Claxton worked as a college scout for the Golden State Warriors. In 2013, he returned to Hofstra University to join their men's basketball coaching staff. He worked as an assistant coach for several years.
On April 7, 2021, Hofstra University hired him as their new head coach. In the 2022–23 season, Claxton led the Hofstra Pride to win the regular season title in the CAA (Coastal Athletic Association). Because of this success, he was named the CAA Coach of the Year for 2023.
Speedy's Life Off the Court
Speedy Claxton's parents are from Antigua and Barbuda. Basketball runs in his family! His sister, Lisa, played for the St. John's Red Storm women's basketball team. His brother, Michael, played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats. Speedy has two daughters named Aniya and London.
See also
In Spanish: Speedy Claxton para niños
