Bonzi Wells
Shanxi Zhongyu | |
2009–2010 | Capitanes de Arecibo |
---|---|
As coach: | |
2021–2023 | LeMoyne–Owen |
2023–present | Georgia Tech (asst.) |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells (born September 28, 1976) is an American college
College career
Wells attended Muncie Central High School and then went on to play at Ball State University, also in Muncie. There he was named the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Freshman Player of the Year in the 1995–96 season, while helping the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament.[2] Wells broke Ron Harper's conference record of 2,377 career points on a one-handed dunk against Northern Illinois on February 21, 1998. The dunk sent the sell-out crowd at University Arena into a frenzy. A timeout was immediately called and Wells was awarded the game ball by Ball State president John Worthen.[2] Wells also led the MAC in steals in 1998 with 73, averaging 3.55 steals in 29 games. Wells led the conference in steals during all four years at Ball State[2] and finished his career as the MAC all-time career records in points (2,485) and steals (347). While at Ball State he averaged 21.4 PPG, 3 SPG, and 7.3 RPG.[3] He was selected eleventh overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 1998 NBA draft, but he never played for the Pistons as his draft rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for the Blazers' 1999 first round pick. Six years later Ball State would retire his jersey number, 42, in recognition of his achievements.[4]
Professional career
Portland Trail Blazers (1998–2003)
As a swingman in Portland, Wells achieved career highs in scoring and improved somewhat on defense, and picked up what some would call a bad-boy image,[citation needed] while sharing the role of co-captain with Rasheed Wallace. Wells, however, did have his share of on- and off-court incidents. During his tenure with the Blazers, Wells was suspended for two games for publicly cursing at his coach after being taken out of a game. He was also fined in a separate incident for making an obscene gesture to a fan in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. When asked by a media reporter about the incident, he said, "I black out sometimes."[5] Wells was suspended one game without pay and fined $10,000 for intentionally striking and verbally abusing an official in 2000. Wells and teammate Erick Barkley in 2001 were cited for criminal trespass after they refused to follow the order of an officer to leave the scene of a fight near a downtown nightclub.[6] This only went to further the team's derisive nickname, The Jail Blazers.[7][8]
Wells's legacy in Portland was also positive. On February 24, 2001, Wells recorded a then career high 7 steals in one game, while also scoring 21 points and recording 7 assists.
Memphis Grizzlies (2003–2005)
The unorthodox coaching methods of
After Brown suddenly quit as coach midway through the 2004–05 season, Mike Fratello took over as head coach. It appeared Wells was finally going to be given a chance to pose a threat on the court. This would not come to be, highlighted by the fact that Wells played a total of 27 minutes in the Grizzlies' second playoff appearance in 2005. Citing undisclosed reasons, Fratello suspended him for Game 2 of the series against the powerhouse Phoenix Suns. He returned in Game 3,[11] only to play nine minutes. Wells did not dress for the series-ending Game 4.[11]
Sacramento Kings (2005–2006)
Prior to the start of the
In the playoffs, Wells was extremely productive, averaging 23.2 points and 12 rebounds per game in 6 games against the
Houston Rockets (2006–2008)
The day before the 2006 training camp began, Wells signed with the Houston Rockets, with a salary of "only" $2 million in the initial season.[13] This was considered to be a great bargain for the Rockets, as Wells had turned down a 5-year, $38.5 million offer from the Kings.[14]
Wells missed the beginning of training camp recovering from a groin injury, and then missed several days following dental work. In addition, he was absent on more than one occasion for "personal reasons". Wells played only 30 minutes total, scoring only six points, in the Rockets' second and third games of the season. Wells was not pleased with his playing time, and neither was coach
In December, Wells and his coach reconciled their differences and Bonzi was allowed back into practice. He returned to action against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 12, and over the next two weeks, his playing time gradually increased. He suffered a back injury in late December that would force him to miss the Rockets' next 10 games. He returned to the lineup on January 17, and saw consistent playing time off the bench, highlighted by his 14 points in a win against his former team, the Trail Blazers.
On April 9, Wells failed to show up for a road trip to face the Seattle SuperSonics. His status was unknown, but it was reported that he left a message on athletic trainer Keith Jones' answering machine. In it, he said he felt like he was "disrupting team chemistry."[16] After coach Jeff Van Gundy was fired and the former Kings coach Rick Adelman was named as the replacement, he expressed his willingness to return.[17] On June 23, it was announced he had opted to stay with the Rockets and exercised the last year of his contract.
New Orleans Hornets (2008)
On February 21, 2008, Wells was traded to the
The Hornets decided not to renew Wells's contract for the 2008–09 NBA season.[20]
Shanxi Zhongyu (2008–2009)
Wells chose to sign with
His contract with the team was terminated on February 2, 2009, after he failed to promptly return to the team after the Chinese New Year break.[25]
Capitanes de Arecibo (2009–2010)
On November 25, 2009, Wells signed a contract with Puerto Rican team Capitanes de Arecibo.[26]
In December 2011, Wells signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he did not make their final roster.[27]
Personal life
Gawen DeAngelo Wells is named after his father Gawen Wells.[28] The nickname, Bonzi, originated from the cravings his mother, Christine Scaife Coleman,[28] had for ice cream bonbons during her pregnancy with him. His parents called him "bonbon" until the age of two, and it eventually evolved into what it is today.[29] He is the father to three sons, Duane, Gawen and Christian.[28]
In 2003, Wells shed tears when his hometown Roy C. Buley Community Center named its gymnasium in his honor. It is now called the Bonzi Wells Gymnasium.
Wells left Ball State to enter the NBA before being able to graduate but returned to earn his degree in 2014. He would later tell the Naismith Awards that his favorite memory was not one of basketball, but the smile his parents had on their faces when he graduated.[31]
In 2019, Wells served as a Sports Envoy to China for the U.S. State Department's Sports Diplomacy Office.[32]
NBA career statistics
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 |
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998–99 | Portland | 7 | 0 | 5.0 | .550 | .333 | .444 | 1.3 | .4 | .1 | .1 | 4.4 |
1999–00 | Portland | 66 | 0 | 17.6 | .492 | .377 | .682 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .2 | 8.8 |
2000–01 | Portland | 75 | 46 | 26.6 | .533 | .340 | .663 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 1.3 | .3 | 12.7 |
2001–02 | Portland | 74 | 69 | 31.7 | .469 | .384 | .741 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 1.5 | .3 | 17.0 |
2002–03 | Portland | 75 | 65 | 31.9 | .441 | .292 | .722 | 5.3 | 3.3 | 1.6 | .2 | 15.2 |
2003–04 | Portland | 13 | 10 | 31.1 | .389 | .125 | .778 | 4.7 | 2.7 | 1.5 | .2 | 12.2 |
2003–04 | Memphis | 59 | 17 | 24.9 | .437 | .344 | .750 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .3 | 12.3 |
2004–05 | Memphis | 69 | 19 | 21.6 | .441 | .346 | .750 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .4 | 10.4 |
2005–06 | Sacramento | 52 | 41 | 32.4 | .463 | .222 | .679 | 7.7 | 2.8 | 1.8 | .5 | 13.6 |
2006–07 | Houston | 28 | 1 | 21.1 | .411 | .143 | .561 | 4.3 | 1.1 | .9 | .5 | 7.8 |
2007–08 | Houston | 51 | 7 | 22.0 | .425 | .211 | .638 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .5 | 9.2 |
2007–08 | New Orleans | 22 | 0 | 19.9 | .490 | .333 | .660 | 3.2 | .8 | 1.1 | .4 | 8.8 |
Career | 591 | 275 | 25.6 | .460 | .327 | .697 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 1.3 | .3 | 12.1 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Portland | 14 | 0 | 13.4 | .446 | .200 | .707 | 2.5 | .9 | .5 | .0 | 7.8 |
2002 | Portland | 3 | 3 | 35.3 | .368 | .000 | .692 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 2.0 | .3 | 12.3 |
2003 | Portland | 7 | 7 | 38.3 | .395 | .300 | .667 | 6.9 | 3.7 | 2.1 | .4 | 19.0 |
2004 | Memphis | 4 | 0 | 23.5 | .514 | .000 | .643 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .3 | 11.8 |
2005 | Memphis | 2 | 0 | 12.5 | .444 | .000 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .5 | 7.0 |
2006 | Sacramento | 6 | 6 | 41.5 | .609 | .625 | .651 | 12.0 | 1.3 | .8 | .3 | 23.2 |
2008 | New Orleans | 12 | 0 | 14.2 | .386 | .000 | .000 | 2.6 | .7 | .3 | .3 | 3.7 |
Career | 48 | 16 | 22.9 | .455 | .276 | .660 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .9 | .2 | 10.8 |
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season steals leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career steals leaders
References
- ^ "Magicians Head Coach Bonzi Wells Accepts New Role at Georgia Tech". August 15, 2023.
- ^ a b c BSU Basketball History :: BSUFans.com :: Ball State Sports Community they won the ship that year Archived November 26, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Bonzi Wells, Ball State". www.ibiblio.org.
- ^ "President's Letter, March 2005". Archived from the original on March 9, 2007.
- ^ "KATU 2 - Portland, Oregon". Archived from the original on May 6, 2004. Retrieved July 5, 2006.
- ^ "RealGM: Wiretap Archives: Bonzi Wells, Erick Barkley Charged". Archived from the original on November 13, 2007.
- ^ "Thugs "R" Us: Looking Back at the Infamous Portland Jail Blazers Era". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Portland Wronged The Jail Blazers More Than The Jail Blazers Wronged Portland". Deadspin. May 20, 2019.
- ^ "Wells Most Steals in a Single Game on Portland". Statmuse.
- ^ Glenn James. April 23, 2003 "Nash's Clutch Trey Trips Up Blazers Archived May 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ NBA.com. Archived from the originalon June 25, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2006.
- ^ Associated Press. December 29, 2003 "ESPN - Guard led Kings in scoring for seven years - NBA"
- ^ Ric Bucher. September 28, 2006 "ESPN - Agent: Wells agrees to two-year deal with Rockets - NBA"
- NBA.com. Archived from the originalon January 16, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
- ^ BLINEBURY, FRAN (December 12, 2006). "Rockets' Wells may help fill void left by McGrady". Chron.
- ^ "Rockets' Wells no-show". ESPN.com. April 10, 2007.
- ^ "AWOL Bonzi eyes Rockets return under Adelman". ESPN.com. May 23, 2007.
- ^ "Rockets vs. Hornets - Game Preview - February 22, 2008". ESPN.
- ^ "Bonzi Wells Career High 8 Steals". Statmuse.
- ^ CASAGRANDE, MICHAEL (October 29, 2008). "NBA season opens – minus Bonzi Wells". The Star Press. Retrieved October 29, 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Bonzi Wells joins CBA with Shanxi Zhongyu". Archived from the original on December 15, 2008.
- ^ "Top 10 Unemployed Players". ESPN. November 14, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
- ^ "Bonzi Wells en Espagne?" (in French). Retrieved November 22, 2008.
- ^ "Bonzi Wells scores 48 in China basketball debut". AFP. December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ Wells ends spell in China with Shanxi Zhongyu.
- ^ "Bonzi Wells resurfaces in Puerto Rico League".
- ^ "Bonzi Wells cut by Minnesota Timberwolves".
- ^ NBA.com. Archived from the originalon June 25, 2008.
- ^ Florence, Mal. March 8, 2000 "THE INSIDE TRACK; MORNING BRIEFING; Many Players Don't Mind Getting Needled"
- ^ a b Will O'Hargan. September 24, 2004 "Gym renamed after Ball State alumnus Archived July 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine"
- ^ "You might think @BonziWells ' fav memory was when he was drafted in the 1st round out of @BallStateMBB . Or maybe a big game in the NBA? Nope. Find out what it is here. Best of luck to Bonzi as he begins his first season as an assistant with @GTMBB". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved September 18, 2023.
My favorite memory was the smile my parents had on their face when I got my degree, when I went back to get my degree in 2014, you know, after leaving school a little early.
- ^ "Sports and Public Diplomacy Envoys (2005-Present) | Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs". eca.state.gov. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Bonzi Wells at RealGM