Tharon Mayes facts for kids

Tharon Rex Mayes was born on September 9, 1968. He is an American who used to play professional basketball. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. When he played, he was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 175 pounds.

Tharon Mayes' Basketball Journey

Tharon Mayes played college basketball for the Florida State University Seminoles. He was part of the team from 1987 to 1990. During his time at Florida State, he scored a total of 1260 points. He also made 132 steals, showing his great defensive skills. In the 1989-90 season, he scored 23.3 points per game. This was one of the best scoring averages in Florida State's history. People described him as a "defensive terror" because he was so quick with his hands.

Playing in the CBA and NBA

Mayes played most of his professional basketball career in the CBA. He played for several teams, including the Sioux Falls Skyforce from 1990 to 1992. He also played for the Grand Rapids Hoops in 1993 and the Fargo-Moorhead Fever from 1993 to 1994. Later, he joined the Yakima Sun Kings in 1997.

In the 1990–91 season, Mayes was a top scorer for the Skyforce. He scored 25.1 points per game, making him the third-highest scorer in the CBA that season. His 1354 points that year were the most ever scored by a player in a single season for the Skyforce team. Because of his great performance, Mayes was chosen for the CBA All-Rookie Team in 1991.

Tharon Mayes also had short periods playing in the NBA. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1991 and the Los Angeles Clippers in 1992. In total, he played 24 games in the NBA. He averaged 4.1 points per game during his time there.

Playing Basketball Around the World

Mayes also played basketball in many different countries. He played in Belgium for Castors Braine from 1992 to 1993. He went to the Philippines and played for Purefoods TJ Hotdogs in 1993 and Formula Shell Zoom Masters in 1996.

In Germany, he played for Rhöndorfer TV from 1995 to 1996. He was the top scorer for his team, averaging 17.7 points in 23 games. He also played in Spain for Breogán Lugo (1994–1995), Covirán Sierra Nevada (1997–1998), and Recreativos Orenes Murcia (1998–1999). In Spain, he was a strong scorer, averaging over 14 points per game for each team. Finally, he played in Israel for Hapoel Tsfat (1996–1997) and Hapoel Holon (1999–2000).

Life After Basketball

After he stopped playing professional basketball, Tharon Mayes moved to Toronto, Canada. There, he started a basketball camp to help young players. In 2003, he decided to go back to Florida State University. His goal was to finish his college degree in criminology.

Mayes has always been involved in youth programs. He worked with young people in Toronto, Florida, and Boston. In 2009, he returned to his hometown of New Haven. He became the sports director for the Boys & Girls Club of New Haven, helping kids through sports.

Special Achievements

• CBA All-Rookie Team (1991)
• CBA All-Star (1991)
• Named one of the 20 Greatest Players in the history of the Sioux Falls Skyforce

Family Life

Tharon Mayes is the stepfather of Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Xavier also played basketball for Florida State, just like Tharon.

See also

In Spanish: Tharon Mayes para niños