Mark Price
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
-
For the British musician of the same name, see Mark Price (musician)
William Mark Price (born February 15, 1964 in Enid, Oklahoma) is a former NBA basketball player. He most recently served as the inaugural head coach of the South Dragons in Australia's National Basketball League.
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
The 6-foot former Georgia Tech point guard mystified critics who said he was too slow, too small and too deliberate for a high-level game. Picked first in the second round (25th overall) by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1986 NBA Draft, he was acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a draft day trade that helped turn the team into an Eastern Conference power.
Price was known as one of the league's most consistent shooters. He finished his career with a 90.4% free throw shooting percentage, placing him as the league's all-time leader in this statistical area,[1] and a 40% three-point field goal shooting percentage.[2] During the 1988-89 season, Price became only one of three players, along with Larry Bird and Reggie Miller, to shoot at least 40% from three-point range, at least 50% from the field and at least 90% from the free throw line. Price ranked consistently among the assist leaders, twice won the Long Distance Shootout, and was a four-time All-Star.
He was plagued by injuries late in his career, a factor in his trade to the Washington Bullets prior to the 1995-96 season. He played one season for Washington before moving on to the Golden State Warriors and later the Orlando Magic, where he played his final season. He retired in 1998.
Price and college teammate John Salley are among the very few college basketball players to have had their numbers (not just their jerseys) retired by their school.
[edit] Coaching career
In March 2006, Price was appointed as the inaugural head coach of the Australian NBL's South Dragons, a new franchise for the 2006-07 season. He had travelled to Australia in February 2006 to interview for the position and investigate the effects of moving his family to Melbourne.
On October 23, 2006 a press conference was called to announce that Mark Price had resigned his position with the South Dragons, with team captain Shane Heal promoted to the position of player-coach. Price's win-loss record with the South Dragons was 0-5. [3] The following day Price spoke to the media and claimed that Heal had undermined his position, stating, "I've been in professional basketball a long time and I've never seen undermining of a coach quite like this before."[4]
[edit] Trivia
- Inside the food court of Cleveland's Tower City Center (located within short walking distance from Quicken Loans Arena) is a two story tall photograph of Price (as a member of the Cavaliers from the mid-1990s) shooting the basketball in his famous "running jumper" style.
[edit] References
- ^ NBA History (2006). All Time Leaders: Free Throw Percentage. Retrieved September 24, 2006.
- ^ NBA History (2006). All Time Leaders: Three Point Field Goal Percentage. Retrieved September 24, 2006.
- ^ http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/867420
- ^ Sportal (2006). Price blasts Heal. Retrieved October 24, 2006.
[edit] External links
Categories: 1964 births | Living people | American basketball coaches | American basketball players | Cleveland Cavaliers players | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball players | Golden State Warriors players | Orlando Magic players | Washington Bullets players | National Basketball League (Australia) coaches | People from Bartlesville, Oklahoma | People from Enid, Oklahoma | Georgia Institute of Technology alumni
