Tim Thomas (basketball)
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- For the NHL goaltender, see Tim Thomas (ice hockey).
| Position | Small forward |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Weight | 230 lb (105 kg) |
| Team | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Born | February 26, 1977 Paterson, New Jersey |
| College | Villanova |
| Draft | 7th overall, 1997 New Jersey Nets |
| Pro career | 1997–present |
| Former teams | Philadelphia 76ers (1997–1999) Milwaukee Bucks (1999–2004) New York Knicks (2004–2005) Chicago Bulls (2005) Phoenix Suns (2006) |
Timothy (Tim) Mark Thomas (born on February 26, 1977, in Paterson, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers.
After spending one year at Villanova he was drafted seventh overall by the New Jersey Nets in the 1997 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the Sixers' draft pick Keith Van Horn. In 1999, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2004, he was traded, again in exchange for Van Horn, to the New York Knicks. While with the Knicks, after a playoff game against the New Jersey Nets, he referred to Kenyon Martin as a fugazi. On the eve of training camp in 2005, he was again traded, to the Chicago Bulls along with Michael Sweetney in a package that brought Eddy Curry to New York. Chicago sent him home for good in early 2006, waived him in March, and he finished that year with Phoenix.
Thomas stands at 208 cm (6 ft 10 in) and weighs 108.9 kg (240 lb). Thomas can play shooting guard, small forward and power forward, but spends most of his time at small forward. He has tremendous range and athleticism, and has, throughout his career, been able to make an immediate impact coming into a game cold. His career stats are 11.9 points per game, 1.4 assists per game, and four rebounds per game.
On May 4, 2006, Thomas hit a game-tying three pointer at the end of regulation to spare the Phoenix Suns from elimination from the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns won that game in overtime, when Thomas hit another important three pointer, and forced game 7, which they also won to claim the series and complete a 3-1 series comeback.
Thomas was at his prime in the 2000-01 season where he averaged a career high 13.4 ppg. On January 5th, 2001, Thomas connected on eight three-point field goals in the second half of Milwaukee’s 119-115 victory over Portland, breaking the record of seven three-pointers made in one half shared by 10 players. He currently shares the record with Michael Redd. During his time with the Bucks, then teammate Ray Allen was quoted as saying "Tim Thomas could be the best player in the league".[citation needed] After that year, Thomas was rewarded with a large contract by then GM Herb Kohl, with the deal worth roughly 6 years at $66 million. While bouncing around from team to team, Thomas rejuvenated his career in the 2006 playoffs playing alongside 2-time MVP Steve Nash. He signed a 4 year, 24 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on July 13, 2006.
[edit] Awards
- Thomas was on the Second NBA All-Rookie Team in 1997-98 season.
- He won the The Sporting News Freshman of the Year during the 1996-97 season.
- Was three-time all american at Paterson Catholic High School in Paterson, NJ.Generally considered the #2 player behind Kobe Bryant in the class of 1996.
[edit] Trivia
- Traded for Keith Van Horn at two separate times (1997 - Nets/Sixers, 2004 - Knicks/Bucks)
[edit] External links
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1977 births | African American basketball players | American basketball players | Chicago Bulls players | Living people | Milwaukee Bucks players | New York Knicks players | Philadelphia 76ers players | Los Angeles Clippers players | Villanova Wildcats men's basketball players | Phoenix Suns players | McDonald's High School All-Americans
