Shawn Bradley
New Jersey Nets | |
1997–2005 | Dallas Mavericks |
---|---|
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 6,752 (8.1 ppg) |
Rebounds | 5,268 (6.3 rpg) |
Blocks | 2,119 (2.5 bpg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Shawn Paul Bradley (born March 22, 1972) is a German-American former professional
Early life
Shawn Bradley was born on March 22, 1972, in Landstuhl, West Germany, where his father was working at a U.S. military hospital. Bradley came from a tall family: his father Reiner Bradley (1949–2010) was 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall, and his mother Teresa was 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m).[6] Bradley was already 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) by the end of junior high school (age 13–14), and by the end of his junior year of high school (age 16–17) he had grown to 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m), one inch shy of his adult height of 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m).[7] In 2018, genetic analysis of Bradley's DNA showed that his great height is not the result of any physical or genetic disorders, but because he happened to inherit a natural but extremely rare combination of the thousands of genetic variants that determine human height.[8]
Bradley was raised on a farm outside the small town of
College career and LDS mission
Bradley was heavily recruited by many colleges from across the United States, but ultimately decided to play at
BYU received a bid to the
Bradley took a two-year leave of absence from BYU from 1991 to 1993 to serve as a
Professional career
Philadelphia 76ers (1993–1995)
Bradley entered the
Philadelphia's management saw Bradley as a major project with huge long-term potential. The team acquired legendary big man Moses Malone to serve as a mentor for Bradley, hoping to develop his skills in the low post.[18] Also, the franchise hired strength and conditioning consultant Pat Croce and registered dietitian Jeanie Subach, as well as assistant coach Jeff Ruland, to add bulk to Bradley's skinny frame.[19] His rookie season (1993–94) produced mixed results. In his first game, Bradley totaled just 6 points and 5 rebounds, but he did manage to block 8 shots in 25 minutes.[20]
For much of his career, Bradley was inconsistent in scoring and rebounding, but he always excelled at blocking shots. He averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in his first season – good enough to earn NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors. He shot 40.9 percent from the floor and constantly struggled with turnovers and foul trouble. He suffered a season-ending injury in February of that year, dislocating his kneecap in a collision with Portland's Harvey Grant.[21]
Bradley returned to full strength in his second season, playing in all 82 games for the 76ers. His scoring actually declined slightly (9.5 points per game), but his rebounding and shot-blocking increased. He racked up 274 rejections, setting a franchise record for most blocks in a single season. Bradley gave Philly fans a glimpse of his potential in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in November, posting career highs of 28 points and 22 rebounds in a 97–83 victory. He also tied a career high with 9 blocked shots, and was credited with 9 additional "intimidations" as the Clippers were held to their lowest-ever point total against the 76ers.[22] He finished the season in strong fashion, posting 13 double-doubles in his last 17 games.
New Jersey Nets (1995–1997)
Despite these highlights, Bradley continued to baffle and frustrate Philadelphia with his inconsistent play. Just 12 games into his third season (1995–96), the 76ers traded Bradley to the
Bradley lifted his game to new levels in March 1996. He posted a career-high 32 points and added 15 rebounds against
The Nets began the 1996–97 season under new management: John Calipari was named head coach in the off-season, and John Nash replaced Willis Reed as general manager. Reed had been a big believer in Bradley, but Calipari and Nash weren't nearly as excited about the 7-foot-6 enigma. In an effort to save some cash against the salary cap, the Nets traded their big center (and his big contract) to the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster mid-season deal that involved nine players.[27]
Dallas Mavericks (1997–2005)
Bradley embraced yet another "fresh start" with a new franchise. With increased playing time in Dallas, Bradley posted some of the best numbers of his career. In a game against the Clippers, he tied his career high by scoring 32 points—the most ever by a center in the history of the Mavericks franchise. He also added a season-high 16 rebounds in that same contest. He finished the year with averages of 13.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game—breaking career highs set during the previous season. But most importantly, Bradley provided strong defense in the paint that Dallas had been lacking before his arrival. In fact, Bradley finished the year as the top shot-blocker in the entire league, averaging 3.4 swats per contest. It was the first time any Mavericks player had ever led the NBA in any statistical category.
And yet, Bradley continued to be plagued by the maddening inconsistency that defined his entire professional career. During the 1997–98 season, Dallas coach Jim Cleamons experimented by bringing Bradley off the bench in several games (instead of his usual role as starter). In one particular game, it paid off in a major way: Bradley totaled 22 points, 22 rebounds, and a career-high 13 blocked shots in an April contest against the Trail Blazers. Bradley became the fifth NBA player to record at least 20 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 blocks in a single game, and the first to do so off the bench.[11] The previous players to record a 20–20–10 game with points, rebounds, and blocks were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O'Neal. Bradley finished the year with a team-record 214 blocked shots; his average of 3.3 per game ranked third in the NBA.
Bradley played 7 more seasons in the league, remaining with the Mavericks until his retirement in 2005. Over that span, his playing time slowly declined, mainly due to some injuries and constant juggling of the team's lineups and rotations by coach Don Nelson. In particular, Bradley's offensive role became very limited, but he remained an imposing defensive presence. In fact, in the 2000–01 season, he broke his own team record by blocking 228 shots for Dallas—the highest total in the NBA that year. The Mavericks emerged as a perennial playoff contender, mostly due to the rise of star players such as Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash, but Bradley's defense made a significant contribution. He finished his career with averages of 8.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 23.5 minutes of action per game. [28]
National team career
Bradley has competed internationally for Germany; he and Dallas teammate
Post-basketball career
After his retirement as a player, Bradley became involved with West Ridge Academy, a coeducational private school for at-risk youths in West Jordan, Utah. Bradley's role with the school involves some of the functions of a vice principal, counselor, and coach. Describing Bradley, school executive director Ken Allen said, "Shawn has a great presence—due to his size—and has immediate credibility with the kids. His instant credibility when he's talking to kids makes him an incredible mentor. He is a great example of someone who has worked hard and been very successful. Being so tall wasn't always easy for him. He knows about being the 'odd kid' and dealing with that."[30]
On March 19, 2010, Bradley filed papers to run as a Republican against incumbent Democratic Representative Tim Cosgrove for the 44th District seat in the Utah House of Representatives.[31][32] On November 2, 2010, Bradley lost the election to Cosgrove, earning 46.49% of the vote against Cosgrove's 51.13%.[33]
Personal life
Bradley has participated in many charitable endeavors. In the 2000–01 season he donated $25 for each blocked shot to Bryan's House, a managed facility for children affected by HIV and AIDS. He is a national spokesman for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.[25][34] Bradley has also participated in the "Basketball Without Borders" program with other NBA players like Dikembe Mutombo, DeSagana Diop and Malik Rose and found his experiences with children in Africa uplifting.[35] He has also participated in treating leprosy colonies in India through the Rising Star Outreach.[36]
While in the NBA, Bradley was fined for refusing to attend a mandatory meeting at a strip club, due to his religious beliefs.[37]
Bradley and his first wife, Annette Evertson, had six children together. They later divorced, and in 2017, Bradley married Carrie Cannon, adopting her three children in 2019.[38]
On January 20, 2021, Bradley was struck from behind by a motorist while riding his bicycle near his home in
In a 2022 interview with
TV and movie appearances
Bradley had a role in the film
Bradley was featured in the ESPN 30 for 30 short documentary "Posterized" given his propensity "for being on the wrong end of a lot of great dunks."[43]
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 |
* | Led the league |
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993–94 | Philadelphia | 49 | 45 | 28.3 | .409 | .000 | .607 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 10.3 |
1994–95 | Philadelphia | 82* | 59 | 28.8 | .455 | .000 | .638 | 8.0 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 9.5 |
1995–96 | Philadelphia | 12 | 11 | 27.8 | .443 | .000 | .760 | 8.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 8.8 |
1995–96 | New Jersey | 67 | 57 | 29.8 | .443 | .250 | .679 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 12.5 |
1996–97 | New Jersey | 40 | 38 | 30.7 | .436 | .000 | .664 | 8.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 4.0* | 12.0 |
1996–97 | Dallas | 33 | 32 | 32.1 | .461 | .000 | .642 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 14.6 |
1997–98 | Dallas | 64 | 46 | 28.5 | .422 | .333 | .722 | 8.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 11.4 |
1998–99 | Dallas | 49 | 33 | 26.4 | .480 | .000 | .748 | 8.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 8.6 |
1999–00 | Dallas | 77 | 54 | 24.7 | .479 | .200 | .765 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 8.4 |
2000–01 | Dallas | 82 | 35 | 24.4 | .490 | .167 | .787 | 7.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 7.1 |
2001–02 | Dallas | 53 | 16 | 14.3 | .479 | .000 | .922 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 4.1 |
2002–03 | Dallas | 81 | 39 | 21.4 | .536 | .000 | .806 | 5.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 6.7 |
2003–04 | Dallas | 66 | 5 | 11.7 | .473 | .000 | .837 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 3.3 |
2004–05 | Dallas | 77 | 14 | 11.5 | .452 | .000 | .683 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 2.7 |
Career | 832 | 484 | 23.5 | .457 | .103 | .716 | 6.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 8.1 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000–01 | Dallas | 10 | 10 | 25.6 | .529 | .000 | .769 | 7.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 3.9 | 6.4 |
2001–02 | Dallas | 7 | 0 | 3.6 | .500 | .000 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 |
2002–03 | Dallas | 17 | 7 | 14.5 | .400 | .000 | .750 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 2.9 |
2003–04 | Dallas | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
2004–05 | Dallas | 7 | 0 | 3.9 | .667 | .000 | .500 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
Career | 43 | 17 | 13.0 | .478 | .000 | .741 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 3.0 |
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association single-game blocks leaders
- List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 13 or more blocks in a game
References
- Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ Gomez, Eric (January 9, 2009). "The Worst NBA Player Nicknames of All Time". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Basketball Reference". Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ^ John Rosenthal (August 14, 2008). "A New German? Olympian Chris Kaman and German Nationality". World Politics Review. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ Scott Taylor (June 5, 2001). "Bradley to Germany?". Deseret News. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ Strauss, Robert (November 14, 1993). "Long, Tall Bradley". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- ^ a b Berkowitz, Steve (June 25, 1993). "A Tall Order for the NBA". Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- ^ Cohen, Ben (September 18, 2018). "Shawn Bradley Is Really, Really Tall. But Why?". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- ^ "All-Time Roster". byucougars.com.
- ^ "Utah High School Sports Records". Deseret News.
- ^ a b "NBA.com/Stats". National Basketball Association.
- ^ "Shawn Bradley Athlete Profile". byucougars.com.
- ^ Sorensen, Mike. "#7 – 1991 — BRADLEY BLOCKS OUT VIRGINIA – Top 10 tournament performances by local players". Deseret News.
- ^ "Brigham Young vs. Arizona Box Score, March 16, 1991". Sports Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-63319-878-4. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "BYU'S Bradley Now Down Under for LDS Mission". Deseret News. June 26, 1991. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- ^ Moses Malone – 11.08.93 – SI Vault
- ^ "7,000-Calorie Diet Just Wasn't Right for Bradley". Deseret News. June 4, 1994.
- ^ "No Jordan? No Sweat. Bulls Win Anyway". The New York Times. November 6, 1993. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- ^ "76er Bradley begins light rehabilitation". The New York Times. March 3, 1994.
- ^ Bostrom, Don (November 19, 1994). "Bradley Comes Up Big". The Morning Call.
- ^ "Bradley Comes Up Big For Nets". The Philadelphia Inquirer. February 20, 1996. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012.
- ^ Shawn Bradley, the butt of jokes in Philly, may get the last laugh now that he's standing tall for New Jersey
- ^ a b "Shawn Bradley Printable Stats". NBA.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007.
- ^ "The Lineup". warnerbros.com.
- ^ "Nets and Mavericks Clean House and Start Over (Published 1997)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022.
- ^ "Shawn Bradley Stats: Basketball Reference. Retrieved 28 April 2022".
- ^ "Nachrichten – BerlinOnline.de". berlinonline.de.
- Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the originalon June 29, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
- ^ "Ex-NBA, BYU star Bradley seeks political office", Associated Press/LocalNews8.com, published March 20, 2010, accessed March 24, 2010.
- ^ "Shawn Bradley's Campaign Web Site", accessed September 26, 2010.
- ^ "2010 Utah General Election", DeseretNews.com, published November 3, 2010, accessed November 4, 2010.
- ^ "Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports". starbulletin.com.
- ^ "We Are Blessed By Visitors". National Basketball Association.
- ^ Aiken, Kathy (March 12, 2011). "Former NBA player Shawn Bradley shares experience volunteering at leprosy colonies". Deseret News.
- ^ "Mormon Athlete Gets Fined $10,000 for Standing up for His Beliefs". April 26, 2016.
- ^ a b Burnsed, Brian (January 12, 2022). "Life After 7'6": Shawn Bradley, Paralyzed in a Bike Crash, Knows 'It'll Never Be the Same'". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ MacMahon, Tim (March 17, 2021). "Former NBA center Shawn Bradley paralyzed as result of bike accident". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c Shawn Bradley profile, Internet Movie Database
- ^ ""Jimmer Jammers" group including Shawn Bradley, LaVell Edwards and Chad Lewis sings ode to Jimmer Fredette". ESPN.
- ^ "BYUtv". Archived from the original on January 19, 2013.
- ^ Jenks, Andrew (Director) (May 21, 2014). Posterized. ESPN.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Shawn Bradley at BYUCougars.com