Danny Granger
Encyclopedia
Danny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball
player for the Indiana Pacers
of the NBA
. He is mainly a small forward
, though he does log time at the power forward
position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward
position. Before his professional career, he went to Grace King High School
in Metairie, Louisiana
where he was a McDonald's All-American nominee before his senior year. He was an academic student who scored a 30 on the ACT and was offered admission to Yale University
. He played for Bradley University
and then transferred to University of New Mexico
before his junior year.
where he played the 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 seasons. After a lackluster 12–18 season in 2002–2003, he transferred to the University of New Mexico
for the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 seasons. In 2004–2005, he became the first player in school history to get 60 assists, 60 blocks, and 60 steals in a season. He won the Mountain West Conference tournament MVP and led the Lobos to the NCAA tournament.
Granger graduated with a degree in civil engineering
.
by the Indiana Pacers
, as the organization included former Lobo Mel Daniels
and Hall of Famer
Larry Bird
, who was coached in college by the father of New Mexico Lobo Basketball
, coach Bob King.
In his first NBA season, Granger played in 78 regular season games, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while making the All-NBA Rookie Second Team. He added 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 6 playoff games
.
With the departure of Peja Stojaković
and arrival of Al Harrington
during the 2006 offseason, Granger became the Pacers' starting small forward for 2006–07. After the first 15 games, he became the first man off the bench.
Since a January 17, 2007 eight-player trade with the Golden State Warriors
, Granger started at the small forward and shooting guard spots, mainly due to the departure of Harrington. With the second and third scoring options (Harrington and Stephen Jackson
, respectively) on the team gone, he was given more chances for scoring and averaged 13.9 points per game in 2006–07.
In 2007–08, Granger led the Pacers in scoring for the first time, averaging 19 PPG, while starting all 80 games he appeared in.
On October 31, 2008, Granger and the Pacers agreed on a 5-year contract extension. The contract pays him $9,930,500 starting in 2009–2010 and escalates ten percent each year, ending after the 2013–2014 season. The finalization of the deal was announced that night, mere hours before the midnight deadline which, if passed without any agreement, would have made Granger a restricted free agent the following summer.
In the 2008–2009 season, he scored a career high 42 points against the Detroit Pistons
on December 12, 2008 and again against the Golden State Warriors
on January 11, 2009. On January 29, 2009 Granger was announced as an All-Star reserve for the Eastern conference. On May 12, 2009 Danny Granger was named the Most Improved Player for the 2008-2009 NBA Season. At the end of the 2008-2009 season, Granger had raised his scoring average by at least five points per game each year (7.5, 13.9, 19.6, 25.8) for three consecutive years, becoming the only player in league history to do so.
Following his breakout season in 2008-2009, the next season was a bit of a disappointment, marred by injuries and losses. On March 26, 2010, however, Granger scored a new career-high 44 points against the Utah Jazz
.
In the summer of 2010, Granger participated in the FIBA World Championships, playing for the US Senior National team. On September 12, the US team won the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, beating host country Turkey 81-64.
| align="left" | 2001–2002
| align="left" | Bradley University
| 21 || n/a || 24.6 || .446 || .176 || .790 || 7.1 || 0.7 || 1.3 || 2.4 || 11.1
|-
| align="left" | 2002–2003
| align="left" | Bradley University
| 14 || n/a || 27.1 || .518 || .300 || .684 || 7.9 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 1.4 || 19.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–2004
| align="left" | University of New Mexico
| 22 || 22 || 32.0 || .491 || .333 || .760 || 9.0 || 2.1 || 1.3 || 1.4 || 19.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–2005
| align="left" | University of New Mexico
| 30 || 30 || 30.0 || .524 || .433 || .755 || 8.9 || 2.4 || 2.1 || 2.0 || 18.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 95 || n/a || 28.4 || .496 || .366 || .752 || 8.2 || 1.6 || 1.6 || 1.9 || 16.7
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Indiana
| 78 || 17 || 22.6 || .462 || .323 || .777 || 4.9 || 1.2 || .7 || .8 || 7.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Indiana
| 82 || 57 || 34.0 || .459 || .382 || .803 || 4.6 || 1.4 || .8 || .7 || 13.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Indiana
| 80 || 80 || 36.0 || .446 || .404 || .852 || 6.1 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 1.0 || 19.6
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Indiana
| 67 || 66 || 36.2 || .447 || .404 || .878 || 5.1 || 2.7 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 25.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Indiana
| 62 || 62 || 36.7 || .428 || .361 || .848 || 5.5 ||2.8 || 1.5 || .8 || 24.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Indiana
| 79 || 79 || 35.0 || .425 || .386 || .848 || 5.4 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .8 || 20.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 448 || 361 || 33.2 || .442 || .385 || .844 || 5.3 || 2.1 || 1.0 || 0.9 || 18.2
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 1 || 0 || 11.0 || 1.000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || 2.0 || .0 || 2.0
| align="left" | 2006
| align="left" | Indiana
| 6 || 3 || 27.0 || .529 || .563 || 1.000 || 5.2 || 1.7 || .7 || 1.2 || 8.2
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Indiana
| 5 || 5 || 36.6 || .478 || .348 || .875 || 5.6 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .2 || 21.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 11 || 8 || 31.4 || .492 || .436 || .900 || 5.4 || 2.4 || .9 || .7 || 14.3
on ABC
, in the summer of 2006. Scotty, an openly gay
artist, plays piano, guitar, flute, sax, piccolo, and several other instruments. Scotty also won $50,000 on the ABC show Wipeout on June 10, 2009. Scotty is one of the 12 finalists on the 2011 news series on Bravo entitled Platinum Hit
, a competition about songwriting.
Granger is also great-nephew of the "Queen of Gospel", Mahalia Jackson
.
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 for the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
of the 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...
. He is mainly a small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
, though he does log time at the 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...
position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward
Point forward
Point forward is an unofficial playing position in basketball for those who share the attributes of both a point guard and a forward.A point forward is usually described as a forward who possesses the ball handling skills and court vision to bring the ball up the court and to initiate the team's...
position. Before his professional career, he went to Grace King High School
Grace King High School
Grace King High School is a public high school located in Metairie, unincorporated Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a part of the Jefferson Parish Public Schools....
in Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
where he was a McDonald's All-American nominee before his senior year. He was an academic student who scored a 30 on the ACT and was offered admission to Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. He played for Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
and then transferred to University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
before his junior year.
College career
Granger started his collegiate career at Bradley UniversityBradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
where he played the 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 seasons. After a lackluster 12–18 season in 2002–2003, he transferred to the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
for the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 seasons. In 2004–2005, he became the first player in school history to get 60 assists, 60 blocks, and 60 steals in a season. He won the Mountain West Conference tournament MVP and led the Lobos to the NCAA tournament.
Granger graduated with a degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
.
Indiana Pacers (2005-present)
Granger was selected 17th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, as the organization included former Lobo Mel Daniels
Mel Daniels
Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
and Hall of Famer
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, who was coached in college by the father of New Mexico Lobo Basketball
New Mexico Lobo Basketball
The University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Division I. UNM established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899, only eight years after the invention of the sport, but it wasn't until 1920 when they hired...
, coach Bob King.
In his first NBA season, Granger played in 78 regular season games, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while making the All-NBA Rookie Second Team. He added 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 6 playoff games
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
.
With the departure of Peja Stojaković
Peja Stojaković
Predrag Stojaković , also known by his nickname Peja , is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . Standing at 6 ft 10 , Stojaković plays the small forward position...
and arrival of Al Harrington
Al Harrington
Albert "Al" Harrington is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's Denver Nuggets...
during the 2006 offseason, Granger became the Pacers' starting small forward for 2006–07. After the first 15 games, he became the first man off the bench.
Since a January 17, 2007 eight-player trade with the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Granger started at the small forward and shooting guard spots, mainly due to the departure of Harrington. With the second and third scoring options (Harrington and Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jesse Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson is a 6'8" guard-forward.-Early life, high school, and college:Jackson was born in Houston and grew up in Port Arthur, Texas...
, respectively) on the team gone, he was given more chances for scoring and averaged 13.9 points per game in 2006–07.
In 2007–08, Granger led the Pacers in scoring for the first time, averaging 19 PPG, while starting all 80 games he appeared in.
On October 31, 2008, Granger and the Pacers agreed on a 5-year contract extension. The contract pays him $9,930,500 starting in 2009–2010 and escalates ten percent each year, ending after the 2013–2014 season. The finalization of the deal was announced that night, mere hours before the midnight deadline which, if passed without any agreement, would have made Granger a restricted free agent the following summer.
In the 2008–2009 season, he scored a career high 42 points against the Detroit Pistons
Detroit 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...
on December 12, 2008 and again against the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on January 11, 2009. On January 29, 2009 Granger was announced as an All-Star reserve for the Eastern conference. On May 12, 2009 Danny Granger was named the Most Improved Player for the 2008-2009 NBA Season. At the end of the 2008-2009 season, Granger had raised his scoring average by at least five points per game each year (7.5, 13.9, 19.6, 25.8) for three consecutive years, becoming the only player in league history to do so.
Following his breakout season in 2008-2009, the next season was a bit of a disappointment, marred by injuries and losses. On March 26, 2010, however, Granger scored a new career-high 44 points against 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...
.
In the summer of 2010, Granger participated in the FIBA World Championships, playing for the US Senior National team. On September 12, the US team won the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, beating host country Turkey 81-64.
College career statistics
|-| align="left" | 2001–2002
| align="left" | Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
| 21 || n/a || 24.6 || .446 || .176 || .790 || 7.1 || 0.7 || 1.3 || 2.4 || 11.1
|-
| align="left" | 2002–2003
| align="left" | Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
| 14 || n/a || 27.1 || .518 || .300 || .684 || 7.9 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 1.4 || 19.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–2004
| align="left" | University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
| 22 || 22 || 32.0 || .491 || .333 || .760 || 9.0 || 2.1 || 1.3 || 1.4 || 19.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–2005
| align="left" | University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
| 30 || 30 || 30.0 || .524 || .433 || .755 || 8.9 || 2.4 || 2.1 || 2.0 || 18.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 95 || n/a || 28.4 || .496 || .366 || .752 || 8.2 || 1.6 || 1.6 || 1.9 || 16.7
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Indiana
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 78 || 17 || 22.6 || .462 || .323 || .777 || 4.9 || 1.2 || .7 || .8 || 7.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Indiana
| 82 || 57 || 34.0 || .459 || .382 || .803 || 4.6 || 1.4 || .8 || .7 || 13.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Indiana
| 80 || 80 || 36.0 || .446 || .404 || .852 || 6.1 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 1.0 || 19.6
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Indiana
| 67 || 66 || 36.2 || .447 || .404 || .878 || 5.1 || 2.7 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 25.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Indiana
| 62 || 62 || 36.7 || .428 || .361 || .848 || 5.5 ||2.8 || 1.5 || .8 || 24.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Indiana
| 79 || 79 || 35.0 || .425 || .386 || .848 || 5.4 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .8 || 20.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 448 || 361 || 33.2 || .442 || .385 || .844 || 5.3 || 2.1 || 1.0 || 0.9 || 18.2
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 1 || 0 || 11.0 || 1.000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || 2.0 || .0 || 2.0
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2006
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Indiana
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 6 || 3 || 27.0 || .529 || .563 || 1.000 || 5.2 || 1.7 || .7 || 1.2 || 8.2
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Indiana
| 5 || 5 || 36.6 || .478 || .348 || .875 || 5.6 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .2 || 21.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 11 || 8 || 31.4 || .492 || .436 || .900 || 5.4 || 2.4 || .9 || .7 || 14.3
Family
Granger has a younger brother, Scotty, who appeared on a reality TV show titled The One: Making a Music StarThe One: Making a Music Star
The One: Making a Music Star was an American reality television series that aired in July 2006 on ABC in the United States, and CBC Television in Canada. The show was hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos, known to Canadian viewers as the host of CBC's The Hour...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, in the summer of 2006. Scotty, an openly gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
artist, plays piano, guitar, flute, sax, piccolo, and several other instruments. Scotty also won $50,000 on the ABC show Wipeout on June 10, 2009. Scotty is one of the 12 finalists on the 2011 news series on Bravo entitled Platinum Hit
Platinum Hit
Platinum Hit is a reality competition series on Bravo launched in 2011 in which 12 singer-songwriters compete through innovative songwriting challenges that will test their creativity, patience and drive. The series was created and produced by Evan Bogart...
, a competition about songwriting.
Granger is also great-nephew of the "Queen of Gospel", Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
.