Voshon Lenard facts for kids

Voshon Kelan Lenard (born May 14, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Voshon was known for his great shooting skills, especially from the three-point line. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed about 215 pounds. Voshon was born in Detroit, Michigan.

College Basketball Career

Voshon Lenard played college basketball at the University of Minnesota. After his third year, he thought about joining the NBA draft. However, he decided to go back to Minnesota for his final year of college. He finished his time with the Golden Gophers as the school's all-time leading scorer. He scored an amazing 2,103 points during his college career.

Professional Basketball Career

After college, Voshon first played in a minor league called the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He played for the Oklahoma City Cavalry during the 1995–96 season. He was a fantastic scorer, averaging 30.1 points per game in 18 games. In the middle of that season, he signed a contract to play in the NBA with the Miami Heat.

Playing for the Miami Heat (1995–2000)

Voshon joined the Miami Heat in 1996 and played in 30 games. He scored about 5.9 points per game coming off the bench. The Heat team was being rebuilt by coach Pat Riley. They had famous players like Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway.

In the 1996–1997 season, Voshon's scoring improved a lot to 12.3 points per game. He started in 47 games for the Heat. That season was one of the best in the team's history, with 61 wins. They even made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in the playoffs for the first time ever. Voshon was especially good at shooting three-pointers. He was among the top players in the league for both three-pointers made and his shooting percentage.

A memorable moment happened on December 11, 1996, in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game was tied with only 3 seconds left. Voshon grabbed a loose ball and quickly shot it. The ball went in, giving Miami a big win on the road! This shot became one of the most famous game-winners in Miami Heat history. In the playoffs, Voshon started all 17 games. He averaged 11.4 points per game. He scored 24 points in his first playoff game against the Orlando Magic. The Heat then faced the New York Knicks in the semifinals. That series went to 7 games, and Voshon scored 22 points in one game and 21 in another. Miami eventually lost to the Chicago Bulls in the East Finals.

Voshon became a popular player and started in 81 games during the 1997–1998 season. He averaged 12.6 points per game and continued to shoot 40 percent from three-point range. The Heat made the playoffs again but lost to the New York Knicks in the first round. Voshon averaged 14.4 points in that series.

Due to an injury, Voshon played in only 12 games in the shorter 1998–1999 season. The Heat again lost to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. In the 1999–2000 season, Voshon mostly played off the bench. He still scored well, averaging 11.9 points per game. More injuries kept him out of the end of that season and the playoffs. After that season, Voshon was traded to the Denver Nuggets.

Time with the Denver Nuggets (2000–2002)

In his first year with the Denver Nuggets, Voshon started in 58 games and averaged 12.2 points. He was also among the top 10 players in the league for total three-point shots made. The next year, he played in 71 games and still averaged over 11 points per game. After this season, he signed with the Toronto Raptors.

Playing for the Toronto Raptors (2002-2003)

The Toronto Raptors had been to the playoffs for three years in a row. They had a superstar player named Vince Carter. Voshon started in 24 of the 63 games he played for the Raptors. He averaged 30 minutes per game, which was his most since 1998. This helped him average a career-high 14.3 points per game. He was also second on the team in three-point field goals. Even with Voshon's good play, the team missed the playoffs due to injuries to other players. After this season, Voshon returned to the Denver Nuggets.

Back with the Denver Nuggets (2003–2006)

The Denver Nuggets had not made the playoffs for a while. But in the 2003 NBA draft, they picked a talented college star named Carmelo Anthony. The 2003–2004 season was a great one for Voshon. He started in 70 games and averaged 14.2 points per game. The Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony, Andre Miller, and Marcus Camby, made it back to the playoffs!

Voshon also won the 2004 NBA All-Star Weekend Three-point Shootout contest in Los Angeles. This was his first time in the playoffs since 1999. He played very well, averaging a personal best of 17 points per game. However, the Nuggets lost in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Nuggets were excited for the 2004–2005 season after adding star player Kenyon Martin. But in the very first game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Voshon got a serious Achilles tendon injury. This injury kept him out for almost the entire season. He only played in two other games that year. Even with his injury, Voshon was able to take part in the 2005 three-point shootout during All-Star weekend.

Voshon returned to play in the 2005–2006 season. However, he suffered more injuries. In February, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a big four-team trade.

Final Season with the Portland Trail Blazers (2006)

Voshon only played in 14 games for the Portland Trail Blazers to finish the 2005–2006 season. He then retired from professional basketball at the end of that season.

See also

In Spanish: Voshon Lenard para niños