Gabe Pruitt
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Michael Pruitt commonly referred to as Gabe Pruitt, is an American
professional basketball
player.
in Westchester
, California in 2004. He was a Parade Magazine fourth team All-America selection, Los Angeles Times
All-City and South Bay/Westside first team and South Bay Daily Breeze
Player of the Year honors. He was listed as the No. 20 prep player in the country by Basketball Times after his senior year, and was considered among the top 20 prep guards by Athlon Sports and Insiders.com in his senior year in 2004.
; they had become the first pair of Trojans to make the team since Duane Cooper
and Harold Miner
in 1992. Additionally Pruitt was selected to the NABC District 15 first team. On December 3 v. BYU, he had his first career double-double, scoring 17 points with a career-high 10 rebounds. His next career high was made when he scored 36 points in a 71-69 victory at Loyola Marymount on December 10, which earned him Pac-10 Player of the Week honors. From the field
, Pruitt was 13-19 (68.4 percent), including 5-for-10 from three-point range. He became the 12th Trojan to score 36 points or more in a game. He had 16 points (counting 5-for-8 from outside the arc), six rebounds and assists, and four steals in a victory over North Carolina on December 21. He sealed USC's win over Stanford on December 31 by making 10 of 12 free throw
shots down the line, including 6-6 in the final 47 seconds of the 82-71 win at the Staples Center
.
He scored 30 points on 11-for-18 shooting (5-11 from three-point range) in a near-victory against Arizona State
on January 5 (at 66-65). Pruitt scored six three-pointers and made all of his 21 points in the second half of an 86-77 loss vs. Washington on the twelfth. He marked 30 points again on an 8-12 shooting (6 three-pointers made) in an 84-78 win on January 28. Pruitt became the ninth Trojan to score 30 or more points in three games or more in the same season and the first since Harold Miner in 1992 (who did this 11 times). He tallied a career-high seven steals and a game-high 25 points in a 77-70 win over Arizona on February 2. Then he missed several games from February 9 to February 25 after he suffered a tibial
plateau fracture in his left knee. His return to action was on March 2, playing in USC's final three games. However, he only marked 29.3 percent of his shots (12-for-41). He ranked second in the Pac-10 in steals with 55 (2.2 per game). His 111 steals are among the tops of the Pac-10. Making 94 of his 117 (80.3 percent) free-throw attempts, he ranked tenth in the conference and earned the Joe Barbato Award for the best free-throw percentage on the Trojans at the team awards dinner.
.
Pruitt, who missed the first 13 games of the season while academically ineligible, finished third in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game, while leading the team in assists with 113 and steals with 47 in 26 games. He also led USC in free throw shooting, hitting 80.0 percent, to win the Joe Barbato Award for the team's highest free throw percentage for his second consecutive season. Pruitt became the 32nd Trojan in history to score 1,000 points in his career, and ranks 27th all-time at USC in scoring with 1,102 points. He also stands in fourth place all-time at USC for three-pointers made with 179 while holding down the sixth spot in steals with 158.
Pruitt helped lead East Region five-seed USC to the round of Sweet Sixteen in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, where they fell to No. 1 North Carolina, 74-64. Pruitt scored in double figures in all three NCAA Tournament games against Arkansas, Kevin Durant-led Texas, and the Tar Heels, and had better than a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio (19 to 6).
On April 27, 2007, Pruitt announced that he registered for the 2007 NBA Draft
, following teammate and fellow junior Nick Young
in declaring for the draft, whereas freshman teammate Taj Gibson
declined to make himself eligible, and was eventually selected by the Boston Celtics
in the 2nd round with the 32nd overall selection.
behind Rajon Rondo
, Eddie House
and Sam Cassell
, he spent most of the season playing with the Celtics' D-League
affiliate, the Utah Flash
.
during their 2009 training camp, but was waived on October 7, 2009. Pruitt then played for the Los Angeles D-Fenders
and Utah Flash
of the NBA's developmental league.
Pruitt was arrested and charged with DUI
in Los Angeles
in the early morning of February 26, 2009 following a Celtics loss to the Los Angeles Clippers
. After his arrest Pruitt apologized and was suspended 2 games by the Celtics.
Source: http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/bviewplayer.asp?Player=46729
| align="left" | 2007-08
| align="left" | Boston
| 15 || 0 || 6.5 || .359 || .250 || .500 || .5 || .9 || .3 || .0 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
| 47 || 0 || 7.8 || .307 || .292 || .810 || .9 || .8 || .3 || .1 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 62 || 0 || 7.4 || .321 || .283 || .783 || .8 || .8 || .3 || .0 || 2.0
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .5 || .0 || .2 || .0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .5 || .0 || .2 || .0
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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.
High school
In High school, he averaged 22 points per game as a senior at Westchester High SchoolWestchester High School (Los Angeles)
Westchester High School is a public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Local District 3.It is located in Westchester , USA, a suburban neighborhood adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport and bordered by Playa Vista to the north, Inglewood to the east, El Segundo to the...
in Westchester
Westchester, Los Angeles, California
Westchester is a suburban neighborhood in western Los Angeles, California, United States. It is home to Los Angeles International Airport , Loyola Marymount University , and Otis College of Art and Design.-Geography:...
, California in 2004. He was a Parade Magazine fourth team All-America selection, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
All-City and South Bay/Westside first team and South Bay Daily Breeze
Daily Breeze
The Daily Breeze is a 70,000-circulation daily newspaper published in Torrance, California. It serves the South Bay cities of Los Angeles County. Its slogan is "LAX to LA Harbor".- Early history :...
Player of the Year honors. He was listed as the No. 20 prep player in the country by Basketball Times after his senior year, and was considered among the top 20 prep guards by Athlon Sports and Insiders.com in his senior year in 2004.
2004-2005
He earned team MVP honors along with fellow freshman Nick Young. He led the Trojans in points (356), scoring average (12.3), three point average (.450), assists (92), and steals (56) earning him selection to the All-Pac-10 freshman team. His three-point field-goal percentage set a school record and he hit at a .547 clip (41-of-75) in the latter half of the season. He was among the all-time Trojan top-10 freshmen in points (fifth) average (T-fourth), field goals (seventh), field-goals attempted (eighth), field-goal percentage (the ninth-best ever by a freshman guard), three-pointers (1st), three-pointers attempted (second), three-pointer percentage (first), free-throw percentage (ninth), assists (fifth) and steals (second). He scored in double-digits in 20 of 29 of his games, including a season-high of 23 twice, both against Stanford at home on January 22 and at Stanford on February 27. In the home game v. Stanford, he made a season high of seven three-pointers out of 11 attempted. This tied him with Anthony Pendleton who had achieved this feat on December 9, 1987. He had a season-best eight assists in his game v. San Diego on December 11. and a high of eight rebounds v. Arizona State on February 12.2005-2006
Gabe started 25 games for the USC and finished second on that team and fifth in the Pac-10 with a 16.9 scoring average, while snagging 4.0 rebounds and having 3.1 assists per game. He was named to the All-Pac-10 first team along with teammate Nick YoungNick Young (basketball)
Nick Young is an American professional basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the NBA at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.-High school career:...
; they had become the first pair of Trojans to make the team since Duane Cooper
Duane Cooper
Samuel Duane Cooper , is an American former professional basketball player.-Pro career:Cooper was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2nd round of the 1992 NBA Draft. A 6'1" guard, Cooper played two years in the NBA for the Lakers and Phoenix Suns...
and Harold Miner
Harold Miner
Harold David Miner is a retired American professional basketball player and two-time champion of the National Basketball Association Slam Dunk Contest. He attended college at the University of Southern California and was a star player on that school's men's basketball team...
in 1992. Additionally Pruitt was selected to the NABC District 15 first team. On December 3 v. BYU, he had his first career double-double, scoring 17 points with a career-high 10 rebounds. His next career high was made when he scored 36 points in a 71-69 victory at Loyola Marymount on December 10, which earned him Pac-10 Player of the Week honors. From the field
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
, Pruitt was 13-19 (68.4 percent), including 5-for-10 from three-point range. He became the 12th Trojan to score 36 points or more in a game. He had 16 points (counting 5-for-8 from outside the arc), six rebounds and assists, and four steals in a victory over North Carolina on December 21. He sealed USC's win over Stanford on December 31 by making 10 of 12 free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
shots down the line, including 6-6 in the final 47 seconds of the 82-71 win at the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
.
He scored 30 points on 11-for-18 shooting (5-11 from three-point range) in a near-victory against Arizona State
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
on January 5 (at 66-65). Pruitt scored six three-pointers and made all of his 21 points in the second half of an 86-77 loss vs. Washington on the twelfth. He marked 30 points again on an 8-12 shooting (6 three-pointers made) in an 84-78 win on January 28. Pruitt became the ninth Trojan to score 30 or more points in three games or more in the same season and the first since Harold Miner in 1992 (who did this 11 times). He tallied a career-high seven steals and a game-high 25 points in a 77-70 win over Arizona on February 2. Then he missed several games from February 9 to February 25 after he suffered a tibial
Tibial
Tibial can refer to:* Tibia bone* Tibial nerve* Anterior tibial artery* Posterior tibial artery* Anterior tibial vein* Posterior tibial vein...
plateau fracture in his left knee. His return to action was on March 2, playing in USC's final three games. However, he only marked 29.3 percent of his shots (12-for-41). He ranked second in the Pac-10 in steals with 55 (2.2 per game). His 111 steals are among the tops of the Pac-10. Making 94 of his 117 (80.3 percent) free-throw attempts, he ranked tenth in the conference and earned the Joe Barbato Award for the best free-throw percentage on the Trojans at the team awards dinner.
2006-2007
Since he was an efficient shooter, defender, and leader, Pruitt did fairly well as a sophomore for the Trojans. with 131 three-pointers, Pruitt holds the record for most three pointers by a Trojan (in his first two seasons), ranking 10th all-time at USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
Pruitt, who missed the first 13 games of the season while academically ineligible, finished third in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game, while leading the team in assists with 113 and steals with 47 in 26 games. He also led USC in free throw shooting, hitting 80.0 percent, to win the Joe Barbato Award for the team's highest free throw percentage for his second consecutive season. Pruitt became the 32nd Trojan in history to score 1,000 points in his career, and ranks 27th all-time at USC in scoring with 1,102 points. He also stands in fourth place all-time at USC for three-pointers made with 179 while holding down the sixth spot in steals with 158.
Pruitt helped lead East Region five-seed USC to the round of Sweet Sixteen in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, where they fell to No. 1 North Carolina, 74-64. Pruitt scored in double figures in all three NCAA Tournament games against Arkansas, Kevin Durant-led Texas, and the Tar Heels, and had better than a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio (19 to 6).
On April 27, 2007, Pruitt announced that he registered for the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, following teammate and fellow junior Nick Young
Nick Young (basketball)
Nick Young is an American professional basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the NBA at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.-High school career:...
in declaring for the draft, whereas freshman teammate Taj Gibson
Taj Gibson
Taj Jami Gibson is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Following the 2010 signing of Carlos Boozer, he has played as the second string power forward...
declined to make himself eligible, and was eventually selected by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the 2nd round with the 32nd overall selection.
2007-2008
Pruitt did not see significant playing time in his first NBA season. Being the 4th string point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
behind Rajon Rondo
Rajon Rondo
Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a...
, Eddie House
Eddie House
Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:...
and Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell
Samuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...
, he spent most of the season playing with the Celtics' D-League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
affiliate, the Utah Flash
Utah Flash
The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah...
.
2009-2010
Pruitt was waived by the Celtics on July 31, 2009. He played with the New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
during their 2009 training camp, but was waived on October 7, 2009. Pruitt then played for the Los Angeles D-Fenders
Los Angeles D-Fenders
The Los Angeles D-Fenders are a NBA Development League team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2006, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, which became the first National Basketball Association franchise to own a D-League team...
and Utah Flash
Utah Flash
The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah...
of the NBA's developmental league.
Personal life
Because of his toothy smile that rarely leaves his face, he was named "Smilin' Gabe".Pruitt was arrested and charged with DUI
DUI
DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the early morning of February 26, 2009 following a Celtics loss to 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...
. After his arrest Pruitt apologized and was suspended 2 games by the Celtics.
College statistics
| Season | G | FG% | 3P% | FT% | Reb. | RPG | Asst | Bl | St | Pts | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-2007 | 26 | 41.6 | 35.0 | 80.0 | 73 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 324 | 12.5 |
| 2005-2006 | 25 | 40.5 | 38.0 | 80.3 | 101 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 422 | 16.9 |
| 2004-2005 | 29 | 48.8 | 45.0 | 70.3 | 73 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 356 | 12.3 |
| Career | 80 | 43.4 | 39.3 | 77.8 | 247 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 1102 | 13.8 |
Source: http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/bviewplayer.asp?Player=46729
Rankings
- Pruitt was ranked #46 in Rivals Hoops 2004 top 150 players.
- Pruitt was ranked the #9 point guards in 2004 by Rivals
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2007-08
2007-08 NBA season
The 2007–08 NBA season was the 62nd season of the National Basketball Association. The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, and ended on Wednesday, April 16, 2008...
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 15 || 0 || 6.5 || .359 || .250 || .500 || .5 || .9 || .3 || .0 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
| 47 || 0 || 7.8 || .307 || .292 || .810 || .9 || .8 || .3 || .1 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 62 || 0 || 7.4 || .321 || .283 || .783 || .8 || .8 || .3 || .0 || 2.0
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .5 || .0 || .2 || .0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .5 || .0 || .2 || .0