- Craig Hodges
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Craig Hodges No. 24, 15, 25, 14 Shooting guard Personal information Date of birth June 27, 1960 Place of birth Park Forest, Illinois Nationality American High school Rich East (Park Forest, Illinois) Listed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Listed weight 190 lb (86 kg) Career information College Long Beach State (1978–1982) NBA Draft 1982 / Round: 3 / Pick: 48th overall Selected by the San Diego Clippers Pro career 1982–1998 Career history 1982–1984 San Diego Clippers 1984–1988 Milwaukee Bucks 1988 (2 seasons) Phoenix Suns 1988–1992 Chicago Bulls 1993 Shampoo Clear Cantù (Italy) 1994–1995 Galatasaray (Turkey) 1995–1996 Rockford Lightning (CBA) 1997–1998 Jämtland Ambassadors Östersund (Sweden) 1998 Washington Congressionals (USBL) Career highlights and awards Career NBA statistics Points 5,940 (8.5 ppg) Assists 1,769 (2.5 apg) 3P% .400 Stats at NBA.com Stats at Basketball-Reference.com Craig Anthony Hodges (born June 27, 1960 in Park Forest, Illinois)[1] is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA for 10 seasons and led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times.[2] He won two NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls, and along with Larry Bird, is only one of two players to win three consecutive Three Point Contests at the NBA All-Star Game, winning the competition in 1990, 1991, and 1992.[3] Hodges also holds the Three Point Contest records for the most consecutive shots made with 19, set in 1991, and the most points scored in a single round at 25, set in 1986.[4] He is currently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Contents
Playing career
Hodges played college basketball at Long Beach State from 1978 to 1982. He played under Tex Winter, who later coached him again as an assistant to Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls.[5]
During his career in the NBA, Hodges played for the San Diego Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Chicago Bulls. He played for the Bulls from 1988 to 1992, and helped win two NBA Championships in 1991 and 1992. He was waived by the Bulls after the 1991–92 season.[6]
After sitting out the NBA season, he played a season with Clear Cantù in the Italian league.[7]
Three Point Contest
Hodges appeared in the first eight NBA All-Star Three Point Contests from 1986 to 1993, and won the contest three times, in 1990, 1991, and 1992.[3] He reached the final round on two other occasions, in 1986 when he lost to Larry Bird, and in 1989, when he lost to Dale Ellis.[8]
Hodges holds the Three Point Contest records for the most consecutive shots made with 19 (1991) and is tied with Jason Kapono for most points scored in a single round at 25 (1986). He is tied with Hubert Davis for the highest score in the semifinal round at 24 (1991) and with six other players for the most bonus balls made with five (1988). Hodges has the second highest three-round combined score with 61 (1991).[4]
Hodges competed in the Three Point Contest at the 1993 NBA All-Star Weekend as a free agent after he was waived by the Bulls in 1992 and did not sign with an NBA team for the 1992–93 season. The NBA initially left him off the field of contestants as he was not on an NBA roster at the time, but eventually allowed him to defend his 1992 title.[9] Hodges was eliminated after the semifinal, finishing behind eventual winner Mark Price and Terry Porter.[10]
Career Three Point Contest record
- 1986: Runner-up
- 1987: First round
- 1988: First round
- 1989: Runner-up[8]
- 1990: Winner
- 1991: Winner
- 1992: Winner
- 1993: Semi-finalist[11]
Coaching
From 1994 to 1996, Hodges coached college basketball at Chicago State University, and was fired in 1996 with a win-loss record of 8–51 over two-plus seasons.[12]
In September 2005, Hodges joined the Los Angeles Lakers as a special assistant coach under his former Bulls coach, Phil Jackson. He works with individual players on offensive skills, primarily shooting.[13]
Political activism
When the Chicago Bulls visited the White House after winning the 1992 NBA Championship, Hodges dressed in a dashiki and delivered a hand-written letter addressed to then President George H. W. Bush, expressing his discontent at the administration's treatment of the poor and minorities.[14]
Hodges also criticized his Bulls teammate Michael Jordan for not using his fame to draw attention to social and political issues, and said Jordan was "bailing out" for not being politically outspoken.[15]
In 1996, Hodges filed a $40 million lawsuit against the NBA and its then 29 teams, claiming they blackballed him for his association with Louis Farrakhan and criticism of "African-American professional athletes who failed to use their considerable wealth and influence to assist the poor and disenfranchised."[12] After he was waived by the Bulls in 1992, he did not receive an offer or a tryout from a single NBA team, even though he was only 32 years old and still able to contribute to contenders. The lawsuit claimed that Bulls assistant coach Jim Cleamons told him that the team was troubled by his criticism of players' lack of involvement in inner-city communities.[14] The suit also claimed Billy McKinney, the director of player personnel for the Seattle SuperSonics initially showed interest in Hodges in 1992, and then shortly after backed away, telling Hodges he could do nothing because "brothers have families, if you know what I mean." While a Bulls official said Hodges was waived as he was getting old and could not play defense, head coach Phil Jackson said, "I also found it strange that not a single team called to inquire about him. Usually, I get at least one call about a player we've decided not to sign. And yes, he couldn't play much defense, but a lot of guys in the league can't, but not many can shoot from his range, either."[12]
Personal
Hodges is the father of Jibril Hodges, who also played at Long Beach State.[16]
References
- ^ Craig Hodges profile page, basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011
- ^ Berkow, Ira (1996-02-18). "BASKETBALL;Still Searching For the Truth". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04E2DC1339F93BA25751C0A960958260.
- ^ a b "Larry Bird bio". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/history/players/bird_bio.html.
- ^ a b "Shootout Records". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/shootout_alltime_records.html.
- ^ "49ers Sign Jibril Hodges". www.LongBeachState.com. 2002-05-14. http://www.longbeachstate.com/local/sid/features0506/hodges030206.html.
- ^ "Chicago Bulls All-Time Transactions". Bulls.com. http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/alltime_transactions.html.
- ^ Associated Press (1993-08-24). "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Hodges Going to Play in Italy". http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DE1F30F937A1575BC0A965958260.
- ^ a b "Shootout Round-by-Round Results: 1986–1989". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/shootout_results_1980s.html.
- ^ "Craig Hodges added to three-point field – Hodges will compete in NBA three-point shooting contest despite his not being on any NBA team". Jet. February 15, 1993. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n16_v83/ai_14163315.
- ^ Freeman, Mike (February 21, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; Youth Movement Gets Prime-Time Hang Time In Slam-Dunk Contest". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DC163EF932A15751C0A965958260. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- ^ "Shootout Round-by-Round Results: 1990–1999". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/shootout_results_1990s.html.
- ^ a b c Berkow, Ira (1996-12-25). "The Case Of Hodges Vs. the N.B.A.". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906E3D71E31F936A15751C1A960958260.
- ^ Associated Press (2005-09-22). "Hornets land new home(s) for season". Deseret News. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20050922/ai_n15623558.
- ^ a b Bondy, Flip (1996-12-11). "HODGES STILL FIGHTS SYSTEM". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1996/12/11/1996-12-11_hodges_still_fights_system.html.
- ^ Rhoden, William C. (1992-06-05). "BASKETBALL; Hodges Criticizes Jordan For His Silence on Issues". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3D71F3AF936A35755C0A964958260.
- ^ Jibril Hodges PDF profile at nba.comPDF (106 KiB)
External links
- Craig Hodges statistics at Basketball-reference.com
Chicago State Cougars men's basketball head coaches Isadoore Salario (1966–1970) • Robert Griggas (1970–1974) • Joseph Buckhalter (1974–1977) • Bob Hallberg (1977–1987) • Tommy Suitts (1987–1990) • Rick Pryor (1990–1994) • Craig Hodges (1994–1996) • Phillip Gary (1996–1998) • Bo Ellis (1998–2003) • Kevin Jones (2003–2007) • Benjy Taylor (2007–2010) • Tracy Dildy (2010– )
Los Angeles Lakers current roster Categories:- 1960 births
- Living people
- African American basketball coaches
- African American basketball players
- African American Muslims
- Converts to Islam
- American expatriate basketball people in Italy
- Basketball players from Illinois
- Chicago Bulls players
- Chicago State Cougars men's basketball coaches
- College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
- Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball players
- Milwaukee Bucks players
- Pallacanestro Cantù players
- Los Angeles Lakers assistant coaches
- Phoenix Suns players
- San Diego Clippers draft picks
- San Diego Clippers players
- Shooting guards
- People from Park Forest, Illinois
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