M. L. Carr

infobox NBA player


name = M. L. Carr
position = Guard/Forward
birth_date = birth date and age|1951|1|9
birth_place = Wallace, North Carolina
height_ft = 6
height_in = 6
weight_lbs = 205
nationality = United States
highschool = Wallace Rose Hill in Teachey, North Carolina
college = Guilford
draft = 7th, 5th round
draft_year = 1973
draft_team = Kentucky Colonels
career_start = 1974
career_end = 1985
former_teams = Israel Sabers (Israel) (1974–1975)
Spirits of St. Louis (1975–1976)
Detroit Pistons (1976–1979)
Boston Celtics (1979–1985)

Michael Leon Carr (born January 9 1951 in Wallace, North Carolina) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association, and former head coach and General Manager of the Boston Celtics. He coached the Celtics for two seasons, posting a career record of 48 wins and 116 losses. He and his wife currently reside in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts. Carr is the Co-founder, President & CEO of WARM2Kids. WARM2Kids [http://www.warm2kids.com] is an information and role model resource for youth. The WARM2Kids Learning Center Program provides much-needed computer & technology centers to community youth centers nationwide.

Playing career

After graduating from Guilford College, Carr was selected by the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association with the 7th pick of the 5th round of the 1973 NBA Draft. However, he was one of the final roster cuts the Colonels made in camp, and was subsequently released.cite web | title=Remember the ABA: Spirits of St. Louis|url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/Spirits-of-St-Louis.html| accessdate=2008-06-24] The following season, Carr played in Israel for the Israel Sabers in the European Pro Basketball league. For leading his team to the championship, leading the league in scoring, and emerging second in rebounding, he was named Most Valuable Player.

During the 1975-76 NBA season, Carr played for the Spirits of St. Louis in the ABA, averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and was named to the ABA's All-Rookie Team. The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two ABA teams (the Colonels being the other) that did not join the NBA in the ABA-NBA merger, and as a result Carr joined the NBA as a member of the Detroit Pistons from 1976–79 and the Celtics from 1979–85. He averaged 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during his NBA career, while being selected to the All-Defense second team during the 1979 season after leading the league in steals.

He was best known for the steal and dunk he made in Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, which sealed the victory for Boston, and eventually won a title for them.

Coaching career

Carr later became the General Manager of the Celtics in 1994. He later took over as coach for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons. In his last year as coach, the Celtics had the worst record in team history, winning just 15 games and losing 67, which some thought was an effort to get a stronger draft position and poise the team for a comeback under famed college coach, Rick Pitino. He was replaced at the end of season by Rick Pitino who was unable to restore the team to the glory of Carr's playing days. After the 1997 season, he became the Celtics' Director of Corporate Development.

Carr later became president of the WNBA's Charlotte Sting as part of a failed attempt to become the owner of an expansion NBA team in Charlotte, along with Steve Belkin and former teammate Larry Bird. He is now an investor in the Charlotte Bobcats.

References