Steve Francis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steve Francis

Francis with the Knicks in 2007
Personal information
Born	(1977-02-21) February 21, 1977 (age 48) Takoma Park, Maryland, U.S.
High school	Montgomery Blair (Silver Spring, Maryland)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	San Jacinto (1996–1997) Allegany (1997–1998) Maryland (1998–1999)
NBA Draft	1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies
Pro career	1999–2010
Career history
1999–2004	Houston Rockets
2004–2006	Orlando Magic
2006–2007	New York Knicks
2007–2008	Houston Rockets
2010	Beijing Ducks
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA All-Star (2002–2004) NBA Co-Rookie of the Year (2000) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2000) Consensus second-team All-American (1999) First-team All-ACC (1999) No. 23 honored by Maryland Terrapins
Career NBA statistics
Points	10,446 (18.1 ppg)
Rebounds	3,215 (5.6 rpg)
Assists	3,473 (6.0 apg)

Steven D'Shawn Francis (born February 21, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He was picked second overall in the 1999 NBA draft. In his first year, he was named co-NBA Rookie of the Year along with Elton Brand. He became a three-time NBA All-Star while playing for the Houston Rockets. Francis also played for the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks. He ended his career with the Beijing Ducks in China. He was famous for his amazing crossover dribble, driving to the basket, and exciting dunks. Fans often called him Stevie Franchise.

Early Life and College Basketball

Francis grew up in Takoma Park, Maryland. When he was a child, people called him "Wink." After his mother passed away in 1995, his grandmother became a very important person in his life. He stopped playing basketball for a short time after his mother died.

Francis went to several high schools but only played in two basketball games. He left school at 18. Later, he earned his GED (General Education Development) certificate. This happened after coaches from San Jacinto College saw him play in a tournament and offered him a chance to play college basketball.

Francis played for San Jacinto College in 1996–97. Then, he played for the Allegany College of Maryland in 1997–98. He was the first player to lead two undefeated teams to the National Junior College Tournament. In one game for Allegany, Francis achieved a rare quadruple double. This means he had double-digit numbers in four different stats: points, rebounds, assists, and steals or blocks.

University of Maryland Star

In 1998, Francis moved to the University of Maryland for his junior year. His arrival helped the Terrapins become a top team, ranked #5 before the season began. Francis quickly made a big impact as Maryland's starting shooting guard. He scored 17 points in his first game.

Francis and the Terps gained national attention with great performances. They won a close game against #5 Stanford. By early December, the Terps were ranked #2 in the country.

The Terrapins finished second in their conference, the ACC. Francis was named to the All-ACC first team. Maryland was a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, they lost to St. John's in the "Sweet 16" round. With Francis leading the way, Maryland had a school record of 28 wins and only 6 losses. They were ranked #5 in the final national poll.

Francis finished the season averaging 17 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. He was recognized as a second-team All-American. He was also a finalist for the top college player awards. Even though he thought he would return for his senior year, he decided to enter the NBA draft instead.

While at Maryland, Francis met Idan Ravin, who coached youth basketball. Francis started training with Ravin. He also told other college players, like Elton Brand, about Ravin. Ravin later became a famous trainer for many NBA players.

NBA Career Highlights

Houston Rockets: Rookie Year and All-Star

The 1999 NBA draft picked Francis second overall. He was chosen by the Vancouver Grizzlies. However, Francis did not want to play for the Grizzlies. He said it was too far from his home in Maryland.

Before the 1999–2000 season started, Francis was traded to the Houston Rockets. This was a huge trade involving 11 players and draft picks. It was the biggest trade in NBA history at that time.

Francis shared the Rookie of the Year award with Elton Brand. He also came in second place in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest. The Rockets finished that season with a 34–48 record.

The next season, the Rockets improved to 45–37 but still missed the playoffs. In his third season, fans voted Francis to start the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. However, he played only 55 games because of a foot injury. The Rockets had a tough season, winning only 28 games. This allowed them to pick first in the 2002 NBA Draft. They chose 7'6" Chinese center Yao Ming.

Francis and Yao Ming worked well together in their first season. Both were chosen as starters for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. Francis scored a career-high 44 points in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The team finished with 43 wins and 39 losses, but still missed the playoffs.

In 2003, a new coach, Jeff Van Gundy, joined the Rockets. His coaching style did not suit Francis. Even though Francis made the All-Star game for the third year in a row, his stats went down. However, the Rockets made the playoffs for the first time since 1999. This was Francis's only playoff experience. The Rockets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

Francis was traded from the Rockets. He, along with his friend Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato, went to the Orlando Magic. In return, the Rockets received Tracy McGrady and other players. During his first time with the Rockets, Francis averaged 19.3 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Francis (left) talking with Chauncey Billups.

Orlando Magic and New York Knicks

At first, Francis was not happy about being traded to the Orlando Magic. But he soon got used to his new team. Francis played very well in Orlando's fast-paced offense. He averaged 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game in his first season with the Magic. The Magic started the 2004–05 season strong. Francis made several game-winning shots early on. On December 10, 2004, Francis scored 36 points, had 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in a win over the Golden State Warriors. The Magic struggled later in the season and missed the playoffs.

In January 2006, Francis was suspended by the Magic for two games. On February 22, 2006, Francis was traded to the New York Knicks. The Knicks received Francis for Trevor Ariza and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. Francis wore jersey #1 with the Knicks. He had a knee injury that affected his play. In the 2006–07 season, he averaged 11.3 points per game. On March 10, 2007, Francis scored 26 points. He also made a game-winning three-point shot as time ran out, helping the Knicks win 90–89 against the Washington Wizards.

On June 28, 2007, the Knicks traded Francis to the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland then bought out his contract, making him a free agent.

Return to Houston and Final Season

Several teams wanted Francis, including the Houston Rockets. On July 20, he chose to sign a two-year contract with the Rockets. However, he did not play much at the start of the 2007–08 season. He averaged 5.5 points in ten games before needing surgery for a leg injury.

Francis returned to the Houston Rockets for the 2008–09 NBA season. He worked hard to get back in shape. On December 24, 2008, the Rockets traded Francis back to the team that first drafted him, the Grizzlies. By then, the team had moved to Memphis. On January 27, 2009, the Grizzlies released Francis. No other NBA teams signed him.

In November 2010, Francis signed with the Beijing Ducks in China. He played in four games, averaging 0.5 points and 0.7 rebounds. He left the team in late December to return to the United States.

Life Outside Basketball

On September 27, 2001, a tornado hit the University of Maryland, College Park campus. Two students died, and many had to leave their dorms. Francis, who was on campus, helped by arranging a dinner for the students. He said, "I remember all of the people here supporting me while I was a Maryland student, and this is just a small way that I can give back to those who have helped me."

On February 17, 2002, Maryland honored Francis by retiring his #23 jersey. This happened before a game against the #1 ranked Duke Blue Devils. Francis sat on the team's bench and cheered as Maryland won the game.

Francis has started several businesses. These include a construction company, a boxing promotion company, a barbershop, and a clothing line called "We R One." He also has a hip-hop record label, Mazerati Music.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Steve Francis para niños