Jeff Hornacek

infobox NBA Player
name = Jeff Hornacek
position = Shooting guard
height_ft = 6
height_in = 4
weight_lbs = 190
nationality = American
birth_date = birth date and age|1963|5|3
birth_place = Elmhurst, Illinois
highschool = Lyons Township
college = Iowa State
draft = 2nd round, 46th overall
draft_year = 1986
draft_team = Phoenix Suns
career_start = 1986
career_end = 2000
former_teams = Phoenix Suns (1986–1992)
Philadelphia 76ers (1992–1994)
Utah Jazz (1994–2000)
awards = NBA All-Star (1992)
All-Star Three-point Shootout Champion (1998, 2000)
All-Star 2Ball Champion (2000)

Jeffrey John Hornacek (IPAEng|ˈhɔrnəsɛk); (born May 3 1963 in Elmhurst, Illinois) is a retired American basketball player who played at the shooting guard position in the NBA from 1986–2000.

High school

He attended Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois, graduating in 1981. He led his team to the Illinois Sweet 16 in his senior year coached by Ron Nikcevich and still holds individual team records in free throw shooting. Also played shortstop for the baseball team.

College

Redshirted at Iowa State University (ISU) in 1981, he was a campus from 1982–1986, the son of a high school basketball coach became an all-conference player in the Big Eight Conference, playing for legendary coach Johnny Orr. As a point guard he guided the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 of the 1986 NCAA tournament. His shining moment came at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota when, after first hitting a shot to tie the game and send it to overtime, Jeff hit the game winning shot in overtime, a 26-ft jumper at the buzzer, to give ISU its first NCAA tournament victory since 1944, beating Miami (Ohio), March 14 1986, 81-79 (Ron Harper was the starting shooting guard for Miami). Two days later, he led the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet Sixteen," in a 72-69 upset of second seed Michigan. Orr, who left Michigan to coach at Iowa State, called it the greatest victory of his career. Hornacek left ISU with a Big-8 record of 665 career assists, still an Iowa State school record, and 1,313 career points.

NBA career

He was the 22nd pick in the second round (46th overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft, by the Phoenix Suns. He became a star for the Suns, but after his sixth and most productive season, he was traded (along with Andrew Lang and Tim Perry) to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley. With Hersey Hawkins, the Sixers' leading scorer, in the shooting guard position, Hornacek was assigned point guard responsibilities. Although he had a career high 6.9 assists per game in his only complete season with the Sixers (1992-1993 season), his stint as a point guard was not a success (26 wins, 56 losses). Midway through the 1993-1994 season (February 24) he was traded to the Utah Jazz (for Jeff Malone) where he could return to his natural shooting guard position alongside John Stockton. Hornacek was also one of the best on offense in the NBA in moving without the ball, something essential for a shooting guard. He was an instrumental part of the Jazz's drive to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, where the Jazz lost to the Chicago Bulls both times. He remained with the Jazz until knee problems forced his retirement in 2000. On 23 November 1994, he set a then-NBA record with eight consecutive three-pointers in a single game without a miss against the Seattle SuperSonics. That same season, he also tied an NBA record 11 consecutive three-pointers without a miss, from December 30, 1994 through 11 January 1995.

One of the best free throw shooters in the league, once making 67 in a row (12 November 1999 – January 6 2000), one of his most well-known mannerisms was stroking his cheek three times before every free-throw attempt. That was his way of saying hello to his three children during the game. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/turnersports/nba/news/2000/04/25/turnersports_hornacek/ "Changing teams: Hornacek will trade NBA for family"] . - CNN/Sports Illustrated. - (CNNSI.com). - Wednesday, April 26, 2000.] He holds a career free throw percentage of 87.7, 12^th highest in NBA history. [http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/FTP_career.html "Career Leaders and Records for Free Throw %"] . - Basketball-Reference. - Retrieved on 2007-08-23]

Hornacek won the NBA three-point competition twice, and along with Natalie Williams, star of the Utah Starzz, won the All-Star 2-Ball Challenge.

Retirement and post NBA

Hornacek's #14 jersey was retired by the Utah Jazz, for whom he played from 1994 to 2000, and helped get them to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Coach Jerry Sloan and Jazz announcer "Hot Rod" Hundley referred to Hornacek affectionately as "Horny". [http://www.nba.com/suns/history/Jeff_Hornacek-26744-68.html Jeff Hornacek] . - NBA.]

He was hired for the 2007-2008 season by the Jazz to be as a special assistant coach and to help Andrei Kirilenko and others with their shooting. [http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/1,5620,695247493,00.html?printView=true "Kirilenko plays best game of the season: Hornacek credited for big improvement in shooting prowess"] . - "Deseret Morning News". - January 26, 2008. - Retrieved: 2008-06-16] Hanley, Brian. - [http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/970223,CST-SPT-bull26.article# "Hornacek was 'player-coach'"] . - "Chicago Sun-Times". - May 26, 2008. - Retrieved: 2008-06-16] In May 2008 he interviewed for a coaching position with the Chicago Bulls, meeting with general manager John Paxson. He put off seeking a coaching position until his kids were older so the extensive travel wouldn't put excess pressure on the family.

Hornacek currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona with wife Stacy and their children, Ryan (20), Tyler (18) and Abigail (14). Ryan attends the University of Notre Dame, Tyler attends Brophy College Preparatory, and Abigail Xavier College Preparatory.

tats

* Height: 6' 4"
* Weight: 190 lb
* High School: Lyons Township (La Grange, Cook County, Illinois)
* Iowa State Records:
** Career assists: 665
** Career steals: 211
** Career complete games: 30
** Season assists: 219 (1985-1986; 2^nd w/198 1983-1984)
** Season, assists per-game average: 6.83 (1984; 2^nd w/6.63 - 1986)
*NBA Totals:
** Games: 1,077
** Minutes Played: 33,959
** Points: 15,659 (14.5 per game)
** Assists: 5,281 (4.9 per game)
** Steals: 1,536 (1.43 per game)

Transactions

* 17 June 1986: Selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 22^nd pick in the 2^nd round (46^th pick overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft.
* 17 June 1992: Traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley by the Phoenix Suns along with Andrew Lang and Tim Perry.
* 24 February 1994: Traded to the Utah Jazz for Jeff Malone and a 1994 first-round draft choice, by the Philadelphia 76ers with Sean Green and a 1995 or 1996 second-round draft choice.
* 16 May 2000: Announced at the beginning of the season that it would be his last. After the Jazz lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in game five (Portland won the series 4 games to 1) of the Western Conference semifinals, Hornacek retired.

References

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jeff_hornacek/bio.html Jeff Hornacek bio] - NBA
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hornaje01.html Hornacek] - Basketball-Reference
* [http://databasebasketball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HORNAJE01 Career Stats] - Database Basketball
* [http://www.the700level.com/2006/12/tim_perry_jeff_.html Jeff Hornacek's 1993 Skybox Basketball Card] - The 700 Level