Zach Randolph facts for kids
Randolph with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013
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| Personal information | |
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| Born | July 16, 1981 Marion, Indiana, U.S. |
| High school | Marion (Marion, Indiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Michigan State (2000–2001) |
| NBA Draft | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19th overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 2001–2019 |
| Career history | |
| 2001–2007 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2007–2008 | New York Knicks |
| 2008–2009 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2009–2017 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2017–2019 | Sacramento Kings |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 18,578 (16.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 10,208 (9.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,049 (1.8 apg) |
Zachary McKenley Randolph (born July 16, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often called "Z-Bo". Zach was a 2-time NBA All-Star. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. Then, he was chosen in the 2001 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Zach played for five different teams during his career. He won the NBA Most Improved Player award with the Portland Trail Blazers. In 2011, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. He also played for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings. Zach Randolph retired from basketball in December 2019.
Contents
Zach Randolph's Early Basketball Days
High School Success in Indiana
Zach Randolph grew up in Marion, Indiana. He went to Marion High School. His coach there was Moe Smedley. As a sophomore, Zach helped his team, the Marion Giants, reach the 1998 Indiana Class 4A Championship Game.
Later, as a senior, he led his team to win the state basketball championship. This was Marion High School's seventh state title. In 2000, Zach was named MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game. He scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in that game.
College Basketball at Michigan State
After high school, Zach played basketball for Michigan State University. His coach was Tom Izzo. Zach played with future NBA players like Jason Richardson.
In his one year at Michigan State (2000-2001), he played 33 games. He averaged 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. His team had a great record of 28 wins and 5 losses. They even made it to the NCAA Final Four. After this successful freshman year, he decided to enter the 2001 NBA draft.
Zach Randolph's NBA Career Highlights
Starting with the Portland Trail Blazers (2001–2007)
The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Zach in the first round in 2001. He was the 19th player chosen overall. Zach played as a power forward. His time with the Trail Blazers had some ups and downs. The team faced some challenges during this period.
In the 2003 NBA Playoffs, Zach played well. He averaged 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. In 2004, he won the NBA Most Improved Player Award. This award goes to a player who has shown great improvement. After winning the award, he signed a long contract with the Blazers.
During the 2006–07 NBA season, Zach averaged 23.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. His season ended early due to a hand injury. In his last game as a Trail Blazer, he scored a career-high 43 points. He also grabbed 17 rebounds. Over six seasons with Portland, he averaged 16.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Playing for the New York Knicks (2007–2008)
On June 28, 2007, Zach was traded to the New York Knicks. He wore jersey number 50 for the Knicks. He played 69 games with them in the 2007–08 season. He averaged 17.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. This is known as a "double-double" because he had double-digit points and rebounds.
Zach played only 11 games for the Knicks the next season. He was then traded to the Clippers. In his time in New York, he averaged 18.0 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Short Time with the Los Angeles Clippers (2008–2009)
On November 21, 2008, Zach was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He played 39 games with the Clippers. He averaged 20.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. After this season, he was traded again.
Becoming a Star with the Memphis Grizzlies (2009–2017)
On July 17, 2009, Zach was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. This is where he had some of his greatest success. He was chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game in 2010. He helped the Grizzlies become a much better team.
The Grizzlies made the playoffs in 2011. They were the eighth seed, meaning they were expected to lose. But they surprised everyone by beating the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs! This was a huge upset. It was the first time the Grizzlies won a playoff series. In the final game of that series, Zach scored a playoff career-high 31 points.
In April 2011, Zach signed a new contract with the Grizzlies. He was also named to the All-NBA Third Team. This means he was one of the best players in the league. Zach led the Grizzlies to a win in their next playoff series. He scored a playoff career-high 34 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In 2012, the Grizzlies faced the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs. The Grizzlies lost that series in seven games. Zach was named to his second All-Star game during the 2012–13 season. On May 15, 2013, Zach helped the Grizzlies reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time ever. He scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the deciding game. However, the Grizzlies lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Finals.
In the 2013–14 season, the Grizzlies made the playoffs again. They faced the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies lost the series in seven games. Zach faced disciplinary action for an on-court incident in Game 6.
On June 30, 2014, Zach signed a new contract with the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies made it past the first round of the 2015 playoffs. But they lost to the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the NBA championship.
On March 19, 2016, Zach achieved his first career "triple-double." This means he had double-digit points, rebounds, and assists in one game. He had 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Grizzlies made the playoffs in 2016 but lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
In November 2016, Zach became the Grizzlies' all-time leader in field goals made. He also passed Vlade Divac for 46th on the NBA's all-time rebounding list. On December 6, 2016, he played in his 1,000th career game. This is a big milestone for an NBA player.
Final Years with the Sacramento Kings (2017–2019)
On July 10, 2017, Zach signed a contract with the Sacramento Kings. Before he left, the Grizzlies announced that his jersey number 50 would never be worn by another player. They planned to retire his number in the future.
On December 8, 2017, Zach had a season-high 35 points and 13 rebounds. On December 20, 2017, he reached over 10,000 career rebounds. This is a huge achievement for a basketball player.
In the 2018–19 season, Zach played less for the Kings. The team wanted to give more playing time to younger players. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2019. The Mavericks then waived him two days later.
Zach Randolph's last NBA game was on March 19, 2018. He played for the Kings against the Detroit Pistons.
Retirement from Basketball
On December 27, 2019, Zach Randolph officially announced his retirement. On December 11, 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies retired his number 50 jersey. This was a special ceremony at FedExForum. It was the first time the Grizzlies franchise had ever retired a player's number. This shows how important Zach was to the team and its fans.
Images for kids
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Randolph with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013
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Randolph with the Clippers in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Zach Randolph para niños
