Stanley Burrell (basketball) facts for kids

Stanley Dewayne Burrell Jr. (born September 16, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a point guard and stood 6 feet 3 inches tall. Stanley played basketball professionally for 10 years.

He is known as a Hall of Fame basketball player from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a starting guard for four seasons at Xavier. He finished his college career as the 12th highest scorer in Xavier's history, with 1,612 points. He also played in a school record 132 college games.

Stanley Burrell's Early Life

Stanley Burrell was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. His parents, Wonda and Stanley Burrell, divorced when he was young. Stanley and his brother, James, were raised by their mother in her hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana.

High School Basketball Success

In Indianapolis, Stanley went to Ben Davis High School. In his senior year (2003), he was the team's top scorer, averaging 20.9 points per game. He helped his team win a Sectional Championship and reach the Regional Runner-up spot. Stanley was chosen for the 2003 Indiana All-Star Team and was named the Star West Player of the Year. After high school, he decided to play college basketball at Xavier University.

Preparing for College Basketball

After finishing high school, Stanley Burrell did not go straight to Xavier University. Instead, he spent the 2003–04 season at Hargrave Military Academy. This time helped him improve his basketball skills and get stronger. He wanted to be ready to make a big impact at Xavier right away. At Hargrave, he averaged 15.5 points per game and helped his team win the Prep-school National Championship.

Stanley Burrell's College Career at Xavier

Stanley Burrell joined Xavier University for his first year in the 2004–05 season. He was ready to play an important role immediately.

Freshman Year Achievements (2004–05)

As a freshman, Stanley led Xavier in scoring, averaging 12.7 points per game. He was only the third freshman player in Xavier's history to achieve this. He was also named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team and the All-Championship Team.

Sophomore Season Highlights (2005–06)

In his second year, Xavier won the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. This earned them a spot in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost in the first round. Stanley again led Xavier in scoring with 14.4 points per game. He also led the team in assists, with 3.3 assists per game. He was named to the All Atlantic 10 Conference Team.

Junior Year Success (2006–07)

During his junior season, Xavier won the Atlantic 10 regular season championship. They also made it to the NCAA Tournament again, but lost in the round of 32. Stanley was the team's second-highest scorer, averaging 12.4 points per game. He was also second in assists, with 2.4 assists per game. He was once again named to the Atlantic 10 All Conference Team.

Senior Year and Defensive Honors (2007–08)

In his final year at Xavier, the team won its third straight Atlantic 10 Championship. They also had a great run in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Elite Eight before losing. Stanley became one of the best defensive players in the country. He was named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year. He also continued to contribute offensively, averaging 9.7 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Stanley received national attention for his strong defense in his senior year. Sports writers and analysts praised his defensive skills. He was named to several national All-Defensive teams.

College Career Statistics Summary

Stanley Burrell played 132 games in his college career. He scored a total of 1,612 points, averaging 12.2 points per game. He also had 282 assists and 337 rebounds.

Stanley Burrell's Professional Basketball Journey

After graduating from Xavier University with a degree in Communications and Liberal Arts, Stanley began his professional basketball career.

Starting in Europe and the D-League

Stanley signed his first professional contract in 2008 with KK Bosna in the Adriatic League. He played 17 games, averaging 9.7 points and 2.4 assists. He left the team in January 2009 due to their financial problems. He then joined the Austin Toros in the NBA's Developmental League (now called the G-League) for the rest of that season. He played a reserve role for the Toros, averaging 6.5 points and 2.0 assists. The Toros made it to the semifinals of the D-League playoffs that year.

Playing in Belgium and Poland

In May 2009, Stanley attended a free-agent camp with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He then signed his second professional contract with Royal Basket Club Verviers-Pepinster in Belgium. In 31 games, he averaged 10.8 points per game. He also led the entire Belgian League in assists with 142 (4.6 assists per game).

After that, he signed a one-year deal with Generali Okapi Aalstar, also in the Belgian League, for the 2010–11 season. In 2011, Stanley moved to Poland, signing with Energa Czarni Slupsk. He led his team in scoring there, with 15.6 points per game, and also averaged 4.6 assists.

Playing in Germany, Turkey, and Israel

In 2012, Stanley signed with Bremerhaven in the German League. He was again a top scorer for his team, averaging 16.2 points and 4.3 assists per game. On July 9, 2013, he signed with Royal Halı Gaziantep in Turkey. In January 2014, Stanley joined Bnei Herzlyia in the Israeli League.

Japan, Belarus, and Return to Israel

Later in 2014, Stanley signed with the Hitachi Sunrockers in the Japanese League. On December 15, 2014, he signed with Tsmoki-Minsk in Belarus. He left Minsk in February 2015 because of financial issues with the team. He then signed with Hapoel Gilboa Galil in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.

Cyprus, Hungary, and Final Season

In 2015, Stanley signed with Apoel in the Cyprus League. In January 2016, he moved to a Eurocup team, Olaj Szolnok, in the Hungarian League. He averaged 15.2 points and 4.4 assists per game in the Eurocup. On July 27, 2016, Stanley signed with the Polish club Energa Czarni Słupsk again. He played three games before leaving the club.