Jonny Flynn
Encyclopedia
Jonny William Flynn (born February 6, 1989) is an American
professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets
of the National Basketball Association
. He played collegiate basketball for the Syracuse Orange
and was widely considered one of the top point guards in college basketball.
won the 2005 New York state public high school and federation championships. He was also named New York State Mr. Basketball
following his senior year. When he graduated with the class of 2007, he was ranked the No. 22 overall recruit and No. 4 point guard by Rivals.com as well as the No. 23 overall and the No. 4 point guard by Scout.com. Flynn was a 2007 McDonald's All-American and he was named to the 2007 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team that competed against the World Select Team in the 10th annual Nike Hoop Summit in Memphis, Tennessee. Flynn was a former high school and college teammate of guard/forward Paul Harris
, whom he played alongside as members of the Minnesota Timberwolves' summer league team. In his senior year, Flynn averaged 26.7 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.3 rebounds.
's record for most points in a freshman's debut. Later in the season, he matched his debut performance with another 28-point effort in an 82-77 loss to Pittsburgh
on March 21, 2008. Flynn would go on to a prolific freshman year, collecting co-Big East Rookie of the Year honors with averages of 15.7 points and 5.3 assists per game. Flynn and fellow freshman Donte Greene
were the second-highest scoring freshman duo in the country, combining to average 33.4 points per outing.
Flynn's leaping ability was on display on a January 11, 2009, game against Rutgers. With Syracuse clinging to a 52-48 lead, Flynn drove to the hoop and threw down a monstrous dunk over 6-foot-3 Rutgers guard Michael Rosario as he attempted to draw a charge.
In the quarterfinals of the 2009 Big East Tournament
on March 12 and 13th, Flynn led the Orange to a 127-117 win in six overtimes over the favored University of Connecticut
Huskies. Flynn played 67 minutes on the floor that evening, leading the Orange by scoring 34 points, adding 11 assists and making all 16 of his free throw attempts. Flynn then played all 45 minutes of Syracuse's 74-69 overtime victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers
in the Big East semifinals. He scored 15 points and had 9 assists. For his efforts, Flynn was named the 2009 Big East Tournament's MVP.
In his first career NCAA tournament game in 2009, Flynn led all scorers in their first round matchup against Stephen F. Austin, tallying 16 points and 7 assists. Syracuse went on to win the game 59-44. On March 22nd, 2009 Flynn would score 11 points and add 7 assists as Syracuse defeated Arizona State 78-67 advancing Syracuse to its first Sweet Sixteen since 2004.
On April 9th, it was announced by Syracuse University that Flynn would declare himself eligible for the upcoming 2009 NBA Draft
. However, Flynn would retain is NCAA eligibility by not immediately hiring an agent. Flynn officially decided to forgo his final two years at Syracuse and signed with Creative Artists Agency Sports, run by agent Leon Rose, on April 15. He was ultimately drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves
in the 2009 NBA Draft
.
. During the tournament, he averaged 8.5 ppg., 3.8 rpg., a team-high 5.3 apg. and 1.8 spg.
Flynn would once again play on Team USA in the 2007 USA Basketball U19 World Championships. The team took home the silver medal, as Flynn averaged 9.6 points per game in the USA's nine games.
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
.
On October 28, 2009, Flynn made his professional debut and sparked a rally for the Timberwolves, coming back from 19 points down. Flynn scored 13 points in the 4th quarter to lead the Timberwolves to a victory over the New Jersey Nets
.
On December 14, 2009, he made the driving game-winning layup to beat the Utah Jazz
110 to 108, scoring 28 points.
On January 18, 2010, he set a new career high with 29 points against the Philadelphia 76ers
in a 108-103 overtime victory.
At the end of the season, Flynn was selected to the All-Rookie 2nd team.
Flynn underwent hip surgery during the summer of 2010. His 2010-11 campaign was widely considered to be a disappointment, as his his numbers dipped to 5.3 points per game and only 3.4 assists per game. This led to much speculation of his departure following the season.
During the 2011 NBA Draft
, Flynn was traded to the Houston Rockets along with Donatas Motiejunas
in exchange for Brad Miller
, the number 23 and 38 picks in the draft, and a future first round draft pick.
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 81 || 81 || 28.9 || .417 || .358 || .826 || 2.4 || 4.4 || 1.0 || .0 || 13.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 53 || 8 || 18.5 || .365 || .310 || .762 || 1.5 || 3.4 || .6 || .1 || 5.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 134 || 89 || 24.8 || .405 || .343 || .817 || 2.0 || 4.0 || .9 || .0 || 10.2
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball player for 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...
of the National Basketball Association
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 played collegiate basketball for the Syracuse Orange
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
and was widely considered one of the top point guards in college basketball.
High school
Flynn and Niagara Falls High SchoolNiagara Falls High School
Niagara Falls High School is a high school located at 4455 Porter Road in Niagara Falls New York. Niagara Falls High School was established in 2000, with the merging of the "old" Niagara Falls High School and La Salle High School, both located in Niagara Falls...
won the 2005 New York state public high school and federation championships. He was also named New York State Mr. Basketball
New York Mr. Basketball Award
The Mr. New York Basketball award is presented annually to a high school senior by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York, which includes scholastic and collegiate coaches from across the state.-Award winners:-Awards by school:...
following his senior year. When he graduated with the class of 2007, he was ranked the No. 22 overall recruit and No. 4 point guard by Rivals.com as well as the No. 23 overall and the No. 4 point guard by Scout.com. Flynn was a 2007 McDonald's All-American and he was named to the 2007 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team that competed against the World Select Team in the 10th annual Nike Hoop Summit in Memphis, Tennessee. Flynn was a former high school and college teammate of guard/forward Paul Harris
Paul Harris (basketball)
Paul Harris is an American professional basketball player who recently played for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association...
, whom he played alongside as members of the Minnesota Timberwolves' summer league team. In his senior year, Flynn averaged 26.7 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.3 rebounds.
2007-08
In his first game ever, on November 12, 2007, Flynn scored 28 points which eclipsed former Orange standout Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
's record for most points in a freshman's debut. Later in the season, he matched his debut performance with another 28-point effort in an 82-77 loss to Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
on March 21, 2008. Flynn would go on to a prolific freshman year, collecting co-Big East Rookie of the Year honors with averages of 15.7 points and 5.3 assists per game. Flynn and fellow freshman Donte Greene
Donté Greene
Donté Dominic Greene is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA...
were the second-highest scoring freshman duo in the country, combining to average 33.4 points per outing.
2008-09
Flynn was named to the preseason All Big East team and started the season with a 27-point effort against Richmond on November 18, 2008. Seven days later, Flynn scored 25 points and hit a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left in regulation as Syracuse defeated then-No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP Kansas 89-81 in overtime in the championship game of the CBE Classic. Flynn was named MVP of the Tournament.Flynn's leaping ability was on display on a January 11, 2009, game against Rutgers. With Syracuse clinging to a 52-48 lead, Flynn drove to the hoop and threw down a monstrous dunk over 6-foot-3 Rutgers guard Michael Rosario as he attempted to draw a charge.
In the quarterfinals of the 2009 Big East Tournament
Big East Tournament
Big East Tournament or Big East Championship may refer to:*Big East Men's Basketball Tournament, the men's basketball championship*Big East Women's Basketball Tournament, the women's basketball championship...
on March 12 and 13th, Flynn led the Orange to a 127-117 win in six overtimes over the favored University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Huskies. Flynn played 67 minutes on the floor that evening, leading the Orange by scoring 34 points, adding 11 assists and making all 16 of his free throw attempts. Flynn then played all 45 minutes of Syracuse's 74-69 overtime victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
in the Big East semifinals. He scored 15 points and had 9 assists. For his efforts, Flynn was named the 2009 Big East Tournament's MVP.
In his first career NCAA tournament game in 2009, Flynn led all scorers in their first round matchup against Stephen F. Austin, tallying 16 points and 7 assists. Syracuse went on to win the game 59-44. On March 22nd, 2009 Flynn would score 11 points and add 7 assists as Syracuse defeated Arizona State 78-67 advancing Syracuse to its first Sweet Sixteen since 2004.
On April 9th, it was announced by Syracuse University that Flynn would declare himself eligible for the upcoming 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. However, Flynn would retain is NCAA eligibility by not immediately hiring an agent. Flynn officially decided to forgo his final two years at Syracuse and signed with Creative Artists Agency Sports, run by agent Leon Rose, on April 15. He was ultimately drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
in the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
.
Team USA
Flynn was named as a 2006 USA Men's U18 National Team member on June 26, 2006 at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. During the tournament, he averaged 8.5 ppg., 3.8 rpg., a team-high 5.3 apg. and 1.8 spg.
Flynn would once again play on Team USA in the 2007 USA Basketball U19 World Championships. The team took home the silver medal, as Flynn averaged 9.6 points per game in the USA's nine games.
NBA career
Flynn was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
.
On October 28, 2009, Flynn made his professional debut and sparked a rally for the Timberwolves, coming back from 19 points down. Flynn scored 13 points in the 4th quarter to lead the Timberwolves to a victory over the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
On December 14, 2009, he made the driving game-winning layup to beat 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...
110 to 108, scoring 28 points.
On January 18, 2010, he set a new career high with 29 points against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in a 108-103 overtime victory.
At the end of the season, Flynn was selected to the All-Rookie 2nd team.
Flynn underwent hip surgery during the summer of 2010. His 2010-11 campaign was widely considered to be a disappointment, as his his numbers dipped to 5.3 points per game and only 3.4 assists per game. This led to much speculation of his departure following the season.
During the 2011 NBA Draft
2011 NBA Draft
The 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
, Flynn was traded to the Houston Rockets along with Donatas Motiejunas
Donatas Motiejunas
Donatas Motiejūnas is a Lithuanian professional basketball player. He plays the power forward and center positions. He is nicknamed "D-Mo" by Houston Rockets fans. Motiejūnas was selected twentieth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft....
in exchange for Brad Miller
Brad Miller (basketball)
Bradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
, the number 23 and 38 picks in the draft, and a future first round draft pick.
Regular Season
|-| style="text-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....
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
| 81 || 81 || 28.9 || .417 || .358 || .826 || 2.4 || 4.4 || 1.0 || .0 || 13.5
|-
| style="text-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...
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 53 || 8 || 18.5 || .365 || .310 || .762 || 1.5 || 3.4 || .6 || .1 || 5.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 134 || 89 || 24.8 || .405 || .343 || .817 || 2.0 || 4.0 || .9 || .0 || 10.2