Antoine Carr
Encyclopedia
Antoine Labotte Carr is a retired American
basketball
player. A 16-year NBA
journeyman
, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.
, Oklahoma
. A tall, garrulous youngster, Carr was a star basketball player at Wichita Heights High School
(class of 1979)—a teammate on the 1977 Heights team was future NBA player Darnell Valentine
. He accepted a scholarship to play locally at Wichita State University
. A four-year player, Carr was a major contributor on a team that also included future NBA players Xavier McDaniel
and Cliff Levingston
, averaging 17 points per game while shooting over 55% during his college career.
He played for the US national team in the 1982 FIBA World Championship
, winning the silver medal.
in the first round (eighth pick overall) of the 1983 NBA Draft
. Despite being a top-ten pick, Carr played the 1983–84 season in Italy with Simac Milano
. Returning to the NBA in the 1984–85 season, he played six full seasons with the Atlanta Hawks
before moving to the Sacramento Kings
in the middle of the 1989–90 campaign. While in Sacramento, Carr averaged 20 points per game and was the team's star. He scored 1,551 points that season, by far his best scoring season (aside from that season, he never scored more than 1,000 points). Carr also played for the San Antonio Spurs
, where he led the team in field goal percentage
. He also played a notable first round series in 1994 against the Utah Jazz. Carr was filling in for an injured David Robinson
, who had a fractured hand. Carr put on what could be considered the best games of his career, but the Spurs still lost the series 1–3. Carr was signed as a free agent by the Utah Jazz
on October 29, 1994, where he was a periodic starter at the center
position beside power forward
Karl Malone
. When not starting, he settled in as his role as the energetic and jovial sixth man
. Coach Jerry Sloan
utilized Carr extensively during the two years that the Jazz reached the NBA finals – relying on his experience and ability to control the ball. Carr led the Jazz to victory in Game 5 of the 1998 Finals against the Chicago Bulls
with several clutch jumpshots. Carr finished his career with the Houston Rockets
and Vancouver Grizzlies
, playing 18 games with Houston and 21 with Vancouver in a reserve role.
Carr scored 9,176 points in his NBA career. Carr had a strong ability to manage the ball down low, even as a small center. He is known for his power and dunking, and his ability to hit medium to long jump shots under pressure. He made 50% of his attempts from the floor and shot 78% from the free throw line. After receiving an eye injury, Carr wore orange-tinted Oakley sunglasses for the rest of his NBA career.
Following his final season with Vancouver, Carr played one season for the Kansas City Knights
of the ABA
, and one season with the Greek club Ionikos Nikaias
.
His younger brother Henry Carr
also played for Wichita State University, and was drafted in 1987 by the Los Angeles Clippers
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. A 16-year NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
journeyman
Journeyman (sports)
A journeyman or journeywoman is an athlete or professional sports player who is technically competent, but unable to excel. In certain parts of the world the term has less negative connotations and the inability to excel is not needed for a player to be labelled thus.-Definitions:Alexandra Allred...
, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.
Early life
Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. A tall, garrulous youngster, Carr was a star basketball player at Wichita Heights High School
Wichita Heights High School
Wichita Heights High School, known locally as Heights, is a coeducational secondary school located in Wichita, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the USD 259 public school system. The school principal is Mr. Bruce Deterding, who replaced Mr. Mark Christian after...
(class of 1979)—a teammate on the 1977 Heights team was future NBA player Darnell Valentine
Darnell Valentine
Darnell Terrell Valentine is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at the University of Kansas where he was a three-time Academic All-American and was a member of the 1980 Summer Olympics men's basketball team...
. He accepted a scholarship to play locally at Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
. A four-year player, Carr was a major contributor on a team that also included future NBA players Xavier McDaniel
Xavier McDaniel
Xavier Maurice McDaniel , nicknamed the X-Man, is a retired American National Basketball Association player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward and power forward, and former head coach of the Riders Slamball team.-College:While at Wichita State, McDaniel was the first person to...
and Cliff Levingston
Cliff Levingston
Clifford Eugene Levingston is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. Levingston starred at Wichita State University before being drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1982...
, averaging 17 points per game while shooting over 55% during his college career.
He played for the US national team in the 1982 FIBA World Championship
1982 FIBA World Championship
The 1982 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Colombia from August 15 to 28 , 1982.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:-Final round:...
, winning the silver medal.
Pro career
Coming off a senior season where he'd averaged 22.5 points and 7.6 rebounds a game in a strong college program, Carr was selected by the Detroit PistonsDetroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in the first round (eighth pick overall) of the 1983 NBA Draft
1983 NBA Draft
The 1983 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1983 in New York City. A total of 226 players were selected over 10 rounds by the league's 23 teams. At least three players from the 1983 draft now serve as coaches...
. Despite being a top-ten pick, Carr played the 1983–84 season in Italy with Simac Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
. Returning to the NBA in the 1984–85 season, he played six full seasons with the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
before moving to the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the middle of the 1989–90 campaign. While in Sacramento, Carr averaged 20 points per game and was the team's star. He scored 1,551 points that season, by far his best scoring season (aside from that season, he never scored more than 1,000 points). Carr also played for the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, where he led the team in field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
. He also played a notable first round series in 1994 against the Utah Jazz. Carr was filling in for an injured David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
, who had a fractured hand. Carr put on what could be considered the best games of his career, but the Spurs still lost the series 1–3. Carr was signed as a free agent by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on October 29, 1994, where he was a periodic starter at the center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
position beside power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
. When not starting, he settled in as his role as the energetic and jovial sixth man
Sixth man
The sixth man in basketball is a player who is not a starter but comes off the bench much more often than other reserves, often being the first player to be substituted in. The sixth man often plays minutes equal to or exceeding some of the starters and posts similar statistics. He is often a...
. Coach Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
utilized Carr extensively during the two years that the Jazz reached the NBA finals – relying on his experience and ability to control the ball. Carr led the Jazz to victory in Game 5 of the 1998 Finals against the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
with several clutch jumpshots. Carr finished his career with the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
and Vancouver Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, playing 18 games with Houston and 21 with Vancouver in a reserve role.
Carr scored 9,176 points in his NBA career. Carr had a strong ability to manage the ball down low, even as a small center. He is known for his power and dunking, and his ability to hit medium to long jump shots under pressure. He made 50% of his attempts from the floor and shot 78% from the free throw line. After receiving an eye injury, Carr wore orange-tinted Oakley sunglasses for the rest of his NBA career.
Following his final season with Vancouver, Carr played one season for the Kansas City Knights
Kansas City Knights
The Kansas City Knights was the name of an American Basketball Association minor league basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They have not played since the 2004/2005 season....
of the ABA
American Basketball Association (2000–present)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
, and one season with the Greek club Ionikos Nikaias
Ionikos Nikaias BC
Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC Ionikos Nikaias BC (in Greek: KAE Iωνικός Νικαίας is a Greek professional basketball club that was founded in Nikaia, Piraeus in 1965.-Arena:...
.
His younger brother Henry Carr
Henry Carr (basketball)
Henry Carr is a former college basketball player and is the younger brother of retired NBA player Antoine Carr. He is listed at 6'9" and played forward/center for the Wichita State University . Carr led the Shockers in scoring in his junior year with 12.1 ppg...
also played for Wichita State University, and was drafted in 1987 by the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
External links
- Antoine Carr at NBA.com