Summary
Samuel Bruce Perkins (born June 14, 1961)[1] is an American former professional basketball player and executive. Perkins was a three-time college All-American, was a member of the 1982 national champion North Carolina Tar Heels, and won a gold medal with the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Perkins played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 17 seasons.
 Perkins in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 14, 1961 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school |
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| College | North Carolina (1980–1984) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 1984: 1st round, 4th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1984–2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Power forward / center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 41, 44, 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1990 | Dallas Mavericks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1993 | Los Angeles Lakers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1998 | Seattle SuperSonics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Indiana Pacers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 15,324 (11.9 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 7,666 (6.0 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blocks | 933 (0.7 bpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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High school career edit
Born in Brooklyn, New York,[1] Perkins attended Samuel J. Tilden High School.[2] He later attended and graduated from Shaker High School in Latham, New York.[2][3] He was named large-school player of the year (high school) by the New York State Sportswriters Association in 1980 and was also named to the 35 Greatest Boys McDonald's All Americans team.[citation needed]
College career edit
Perkins attended college at the University of North Carolina and played basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1980 to 1984.[4] He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1981[5] and starred alongside future NBA Hall of Famers James Worthy and Michael Jordan on the Tar Heels' 1982 NCAA championship team.[5][6] A three-time All-American,[5] Perkins was the 1984 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year.[4] Perkins finished his collegiate basketball career as the Tar Heels' all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots and as the second-highest scorer in team history.[5] He graduated from UNC in 1984.[7] Perkins was a co-captain of the gold medal-winning 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team.[8] He was named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference three times in his Tar Heel career.[9]
Professional career edit
Chosen by the Dallas Mavericks as the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft,[4] Perkins went on to play as a power forward and center in the NBA from 1984 to 2001.[10] He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1985.[11] Perkins played for the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Indiana Pacers.[12] He scored a career-high 45 points on April 12, 1990.[13] Perkins tied an NBA record on January 15, 1997, by making eight three-pointers without a miss.[14] He appeared in three NBA Finals: The 1991 NBA Finals (with the Lakers),[15] the 1996 NBA Finals (with the SuperSonics),[15] and the 2000 NBA Finals (with the Pacers).[16] In game one of the 1991 NBA Finals, Perkins made a game-winning three-point shot to defeat the Chicago Bulls.[1] He was known by the nicknames "Sleepy Sam", "Big Smooth",[17][10] and "The Big Easy".[1]
Post-retirement activities edit
In 2002, Perkins was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.[18]
In 2008, Perkins was named vice president of player relations for the Indiana Pacers.[19] That September, he was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.[20] Perkins held his position with the Pacers until 2010.[21]
In 2011, Perkins traveled to South Sudan as a SportsUnited Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. In this capacity, he worked with Dikembe Mutombo to lead a series of basketball clinics and team-building exercises with 50 youth and 36 coaches. This helped contribute to the State Department's mission to remove barriers and create a world in which individuals with disabilities enjoy dignity and full inclusion in society.[22]
Perkins was named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.[5]
Perkins runs a summer camp for Chapel Hill, North Carolina youth that focuses on developing the basic skills of basketball.[23]
Personal life edit
Perkins was raised a Jehovah's Witness. During his professional career, he stood away from his line of teammates for the national anthem due to his faith.[24]
NBA career statistics edit
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
Regular season edit
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Dallas | 82 | 42 | 28.3 | .471 | .250 | .820 | 7.4 | 1.6 | .8 | .8 | 11.0 |
| 1985–86 | Dallas | 80 | 79 | 32.8 | .503 | .333 | .814 | 8.6 | 1.9 | .9 | 1.2 | 15.4 |
| 1986–87 | Dallas | 80 | 80 | 33.6 | .482 | .352 | .828 | 7.7 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 14.8 |
| 1987–88 | Dallas | 75 | 75 | 33.3 | .450 | .167 | .822 | 8.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .7 | 14.2 |
| 1988–89 | Dallas | 78 | 77 | 36.7 | .464 | .184 | .833 | 8.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 15.0 |
| 1989–90 | Dallas | 76 | 70 | 35.1 | .493 | .214 | .778 | 7.5 | 2.3 | 1.2 | .8 | 15.9 |
| 1990–91 | L.A. Lakers | 76 | 66 | 34.3 | .495 | .281 | .821 | 7.4 | 1.5 | .9 | 1.1 | 13.5 |
| 1991–92 | L.A. Lakers | 63 | 63 | 37.0 | .450 | .217 | .817 | 8.8 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 16.5 |
| 1992–93 | L.A. Lakers | 49 | 49 | 32.4 | .459 | .172 | .829 | 7.7 | 2.6 | .8 | 1.0 | 13.7 |
| 1992–93 | Seattle | 30 | 13 | 25.4 | .511 | .452 | .795 | 4.8 | .9 | .7 | 1.0 | 12.1 |
| 1993–94 | Seattle | 81 | 41 | 26.8 | .438 | .367 | .801 | 4.5 | 1.4 | .8 | 4 | 12.3 |
| 1994–95 | Seattle | 82* | 37 | 28.7 | .466 | .397 | .799 | 4.9 | 1.6 | .9 | .5 | 12.7 |
| 1995–96 | Seattle | 82 | 20 | 26.5 | .408 | .355 | .793 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .6 | 11.8 |
| 1996–97 | Seattle | 81 | 4 | 24.4 | .439 | .395 | .817 | 3.7 | 1.3 | .9 | .6 | 11.0 |
| 1997–98 | Seattle | 81 | 0 | 20.7 | .416 | .392 | .789 | 3.1 | 1.4 | .8 | .4 | 7.2 |
| 1998–99 | Indiana | 48 | 0 | 16.4 | .400 | .389 | .717 | 2.9 | .5 | .3 | .3 | 5.0 |
| 1999–00 | Indiana | 81 | 0 | 20.0 | .417 | .408 | .825 | 3.6 | .8 | .4 | .4 | 6.6 |
| 2000–01 | Indiana | 64 | 41 | 15.6 | .381 | .345 | .842 | 2.6 | .6 | .5 | .3 | 3.8 |
| Career | 1,286 | 757 | 28.5 | .459 | .362 | .811 | 6.0 | 1.5 | .9 | .7 | 11.9 | |
Playoffs edit
Perkins has the distinction of having the third-most playoff games appeared in without having been on a team that won the NBA Championship. The only players with more playoff appearances and zero rings, as of the 2020 season, are Hall of Famers and longtime Utah Jazz players Karl Malone and John Stockton.[25]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Dallas | 4 | 4 | 42.3 | .490 | .250 | .765 | 12.8 | 2.8 | .5 | .3 | 18.8 |
| 1986 | Dallas | 10 | 10 | 34.7 | .429 | .250 | .767 | 8.3 | 2.4 | .9 | 1.4 | 14.9 |
| 1987 | Dallas | 4 | 4 | 17.0 | .500 | .000 | .696 | 8.5 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .3 | 17.0 |
| 1988 | Dallas | 17 | 17 | 33.6 | .451 | .143 | .803 | 6.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 13.5 |
| 1990 | Dallas | 3 | 3 | 39.3 | .444 | .000 | .765 | 7.3 | 2.7 | 1.0 | .7 | 15.0 |
| 1991 | L.A. Lakers | 19 | 19 | 39.6 | .548 | .367 | .761 | 8.3 | 1.7 | .8 | 1.4 | 17.7 |
| 1993 | Seattle | 19 | 17 | 32.9 | .436 | .380 | .873 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 14.4 |
| 1994 | Seattle | 5 | 0 | 28.2 | .333 | .429 | .882 | 7.2 | .8 | .8 | .4 | 9.8 |
| 1995 | Seattle | 4 | 1 | 35.3 | .438 | .455 | 1.000 | 7.8 | 3.3 | .8 | 1.3 | 13.5 |
| 1996 | Seattle | 21 | 1 | 31.1 | .459 | .368 | .754 | 4.3 | 1.7 | .7 | .3 | 12.3 |
| 1997 | Seattle | 12 | 6 | 28.3 | .337 | .311 | .862 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 8.4 |
| 1998 | Seattle | 10 | 1 | 21.0 | .381 | .417 | .600 | 3.2 | 1.4 | .3 | .5 | 5.4 |
| 1999 | Indiana | 13 | 0 | 11.2 | .514 | .458 | .667 | 1.9 | .5 | .0 | .2 | 4.1 |
| 2000 | Indiana | 23 | 0 | 18.1 | .324 | .348 | .905 | 3.2 | .4 | .2 | .3 | 4.8 |
| 2001 | Indiana | 3 | 0 | 6.3 | .250 | .250 | – | 1.3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.7 |
| Career | 167 | 83 | 28.7 | .444 | .363 | .785 | 5.6 | 1.5 | .7 | .8 | 11.1 | |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Sam Perkins - All Things Lakers - Los Angeles Times". projects.latimes.com.
- ^ a b Kirkpatrick, Curry. "A TOWERING TWOSOME". Sports Illustrated Vault | Si.com.
- ^ Franchuk, Jason (December 20, 2015). "Ballston Spa native Scott Cherry finds coaching home at High Point". Times Union.
- ^ a b c "The great Sam Perkins is giving back in Chapel Hill". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. June 30, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Sargent, Mike. "Sam Perkins, former UNC great, elected to collegiate basketball hall of fame". newsobserver.
- ^ "Sports - Easy Does It -- Sam Perkins: Selfless, Sacrificial Sonic - Seattle Times Newspaper". community.seattletimes.nwsource.com.
- ^ By. "Black alumni group calls for boycott of UNC fundraising campaign". newsobserver.
- ^ "Former Maverick Sam Perkins says NBA players united". star-telegram.
- ^ "Perkins to enter collegiate basketball Hall of Fame Sunday". GoHeels.com. November 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "Basketball great Sam Perkins touts Fox as best for council". Brooklyn Eagle. August 6, 2013.
- ^ "Top 5 picks make up NBA All-Rookie first team". ESPN.com. May 21, 2019.
- ^ Raj Prashad, Diehards. "Former North Carolina star Sam Perkins becomes sixth Tar Heel elected into College Basketball Hall of Fame". daytondailynews.
- ^ "Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks - Apr 12, 1990 - Proballers". June 2019.
- ^ "NBA.com: It's Spree for Three as Knicks Rout Clips". www.nba.com.
- ^ a b "Playoffs 2000:Big Smooth outside shot was key this season". static.espn.go.com.
- ^ "O'Neal and Lakers Win a Title for Tinseltown". archive.nytimes.com.
- ^ Horowitz, Tom. "Dallas Mavericks: 10 Best Trades in Franchise History". Bleacher Report.
- ^ Markus, Don (September 27, 2002). "ACC's top 50 includes eight Terps". baltimoresun.com.
- ^ "Perkins named V.P. of Player Relations". Indiana Pacers.
- ^ Mallozzi, Vincent M. "City's Basketball Hall Welcomes 98-Year-Old Inductee", The New York Times, September 17, 2008. Accessed September 14, 2009.
- ^ "15 years later: Where are the 2000 Pacers now?". Indianapolis Star.
- ^ "Sam Perkins and Dikembe Mutombo Travel to South Sudan | Exchange Programs". exchanges.state.gov. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "Sam Perkins Basketball Camp fundamentals of the game". Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ McCallum, Jack, "Oh Say Should We Sing?" Sports Illustrated, March 25, 1996, accessed October 21, 2016.
- ^ "Karl Malone had the most games in the playoffs with exactly 0 championships, with 193 games". statmuse.com. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
External links edit
- NBA.com Player File
- Sam Perkins at Basketball-Reference.com