Kirk Hinrich
Encyclopedia
Kirk James Hinrich is an American 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, currently a guard for 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...

's 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:...

. He has also been a member of the USA National Team
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...

.
Growing up in Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....

, Hinrich was exposed to basketball at an early age. His father, Jim, coached him from the third grade through high school.

As a high school senior, Hinrich was named the 1999 Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball
Iowa Mr. Basketball
Each year the Iowa Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of Iowa, in the United States....

, along with future college teammate and roommate Nick Collison
Nick Collison
Nicholas John Collison is an American professional basketball player, currently a power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.- Early life and high school career :Nick Collison was born in Orange...

. Hinrich originally committed to play basketball at Iowa State
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...

 but when the coach at the time, Tim Floyd
Tim Floyd
Tim Floyd is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the University of Texas at El Paso Miners men's basketball team. He is also a former head coach of several teams in both the NCAA and the NBA, most recently the University of Southern California men's college...

, took the head coaching position for the NBA's Chicago Bulls, Hinrich changed his mind and decided to attend the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...

.
While playing college basketball for Kansas, Hinrich helped his team reach the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...

 in the NCAA basketball tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...

 in 2002 and the championship game against the Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo 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...

-led Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

 in 2003.
Hinrich played all four years at Kansas before being drafted into the NBA. He is often referred to as "Captain Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...

" because he was voted a team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...

 for the Bulls for four consecutive years. Hinrich is the Bulls' all-time leader in three point field goals. After seven seasons with the Bulls, he was traded to the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...

 on June 8, 2010. He then was traded to 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:...

 on February 23, 2011.

Early life

Hinrich was born to Jim and Nancy Hinrich of Sioux City, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

. His father had played college basketball at Briar Cliff College and later became a coach for Sioux City West High School. When Hinrich was about seven years old, Jim Hinrich visited Ray Nacke, his old college coach, and asked if Kirk could enroll in Nacke's summer camp for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Despite Nacke's hesitations, Hinrich was allowed to attend the camp, and played well against the older children. After just two years, Hinrich advanced to Nacke's camp for young teenagers, and excelled there, as well.

Hinrich also played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 at the quarterback position, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 as a pitcher. However, basketball was Hinrich's passion. His role model was Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...

 star Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...

, a player known for his strong defense. With his father as coach, Hinrich's basketball team at Sioux City West High School achieved an 82–9 record over four years, and won the Iowa state championship when Hinrich was a senior. When he graduated, Hinrich was West High's all-time leader in points, steals, assists.

College career

As a freshman with the University of Kansas Jayhawks, Hinrich tallied 123 assist
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...

s and received the Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award. The next year, he ranked eighth in the nation in assists per game (6.9), led his team in steals, and set a Kansas Jayhawks record with a .505 three-point shooting mark. Hinrich was also voted onto the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

 All-Big 12 Second Team and earned All Third Team status from the NCAA coaches.

In his junior season with Kansas, Hinrich, along with 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...

 Nick Collison
Nick Collison
Nicholas John Collison is an American professional basketball player, currently a power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.- Early life and high school career :Nick Collison was born in Orange...

, led the Jayhawks to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...

, and was voted onto the All-Big 12 Second Team by coaches and the media. He led his team in 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...

 shooting and three-point shooting, while contributing 5.0 assists per game. He also received Kansas' Ted Owens Defensive Player Award. In his final year with the Jayhawks, Hinrich helped Kansas reach the NCAA Men's Championship Game (losing to Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

) and was named the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region's Most Outstanding Player. He ranked second on his team in scoring and led them in three-pointers made, while also contributing 3.5 assists per game, 3.9 rebounds per game and 1.9 steals a game. Following the season, he was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

.

On March 1, 2009 Kansas retired Hinrich's number 10 jersey and raised it to the rafters of the historic Allen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse is an indoor arena at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The arena, named in honor of Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, who coached the university's men's basketball team for 39 years, is one of college basketball's most historically significant and prestigious buildings...

. Hinrich's was just the 25th jersey to be retired by Kansas and is an honor reserved for the highest caliber of player which includes names like Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...

 and Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...

. Hinrich was quoted as saying:

2003 Draft

Hinrich was selected by 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...

 in the 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...

 with the seventh overall pick, resulting in mild surprise because he had been expected to be a mid to late first-round draft pick.
Some doubted that his college game would translate successfully to the professional league, in part because he played shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...

 for his final two years in college, but was considered too small to play that position professionally. Hinrich's high selection in the draft is credited to a good workout in front of NBA team scouts.
The Chicago Bulls needed a point guard, as Jay Williams
Jay Williams (basketball)
Jason David Williams , professionally known as Jay Williams, is a former American professional basketball player with the NBA Chicago Bulls. He last signed with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, but was waived by the Toros on December 30, 2006 to rehabilitate a nagging injury...

 was severely injured in a motorcycle accident. After being picked by the Bulls, Hinrich said he knew they had a need at point guard:

2003–04 season

Hinrich suffered an acute viral
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...

 infection shortly before the beginning of his first season, requiring months to fully recover.
However, he played well after his recovery, showing a continued good grasp of fundamental skills, solid playmaking, leadership, and a surprising defensive intensity. He solidified his position as the Bulls' starting point guard and was named to the NBA's 2004 All-Rookie first team. He held the distinction for being the only rookie during that season to record a triple-double, with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists versus 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 February 28, 2004.
During this same season, Hinrich's shot accuracy inside the three-point line (38.6 percent on field goals) was actually poorer than from behind it (39.0 percent on three-pointers). Hinrich was named to the NBA's "Got Milk? All-Rookie First Team" along with Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...

, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...

, Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo 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...

, and Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....

.
He was also awarded the Bulls' Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...

 (MVP) Award or Player of the Year award (POY) for the 2003–04 season.

2004–05 season

In his second year, Hinrich's 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...

 went up to .397, a marginal improvement. Hinrich is known for his intense on-court demeanor; he was involved in a minor scuffle between the Bulls and the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...

 in the preseason of his second year in the league, for which he was fined $10,000. On a drive to the basket, then Wizards player Larry Hughes
Larry Hughes
Larry Darnell Hughes is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Charlotte Bobcats. He is a and shooting guard. Hughes attended Saint Louis University and was the eight pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers...

 head butted
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...

 Hinrich out of bounds, which prompted Bulls players Antonio Davis
Antonio Davis
Antonio Lee Davis is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Davis is also the former president of the NBA Players Association .-College career:...

 and Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. He was born in Harvey, Illinois...

 to get into a small fight with Wizards 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...

 Brendan Haywood
Brendan Haywood
Brendan Todd Haywood is an American professional basketball player. The 7' 0", 263-lb. center currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association.-College:...

. Hughes, Haywood, Curry and Davis were all suspended at least one game by the NBA.
The Bulls later met the Wizards in the first round of the playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...

 and the possible start of a rivalry was born.
Though he began his second year as the team's starting point guard, he was moved to the shooting guard spot nine games into the season due to the team's 0–9 start. Ben Gordon was moved to the bench, as the Bulls' sixth man
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute . A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout...

. The player who took over the starting point guard spot was rookie Chris Duhon
Chris Duhon
Chris Nicholas Duhon is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic. Duhon was a point guard for the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team from 2000 to 2004, the Chicago Bulls from 2004 to 2008, and the New York Knicks from 2008 to 2010, and presently plays for the Orlando...

. After this move was made, the Bulls started to gain team chemistry and the starting line-up was geared more towards defense, with Gordon coming off the bench to spark the team's scoring. The Bulls then made a run throughout the rest of the season to finish 47–35, becoming the first team ever to start off 0–9 and reach the playoffs, where they earned the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. After winning the first two games of their series with the Washington Wizards, they lost the next four, including a last-second loss at home in game 5, and were eliminated.
During the off-season the Bulls exercised the fourth-year option on Hinrich's contract, making him signed through the 2006–07 season.
Hinrich improved in virtually every statistical caterogy in 2004–05, including scoring (15.8 ppg), shooting (just under 40 percent from the field), rebounding (3.9 rpg) and defense (122 steals).

2005–06 season

In his third year in the NBA,Hinrich's field-goal percentage went up to 41%, although his three-point shooting accuracy fell to 35%. His career free throw shooting average is 80.5%, making him one of the better free throw shooters on the Bulls. The team traded away Antonio Davis
Antonio Davis
Antonio Lee Davis is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Davis is also the former president of the NBA Players Association .-College career:...

 and Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. He was born in Harvey, Illinois...

 in the off-season and the team struggled until making a late-season run to gain the seventh seed in the playoffs where they faced the eventual champs, the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...

, in the first round. It was in the third game of the series that the Heat's James Posey
James Posey
James Mikely Mantell Posey, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, currently a small forward for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.-Early life:...

 shoulder tackled Hinrich, as he ran the fastbreak
Fastbreak
Fast break is an offensive strategy in basketball. In a fast break, a team attempts to move the ball up court and into scoring position as quickly as possible, so that the defense is outnumbered and does not have time to set up. There are various styles of the fast break and the fast break attack...

.
Hinrich ended the 05–06 season averaging a career high 15.9 ppg
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...

, a team-high 6.4 apg, and 3.6 rpg, while shooting a career high 41.8% from the field and a then career high 81.5% from the free throw line. He was the only member of the Chicago Bulls to average more than one steal per game in the 2005–06 campaign.

Hinrich received a multi-year contract extension on October 31, 2006, which was the deadline for the deal. (Otherwise Hinrich would have become a restricted free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

). Bulls GM John Paxson
John Paxson
John MacBeth Paxson is a retired American basketball player. He is currently the VP of Basketball Operations of the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.-High school career:...

 was quoted as saying,

2006–07 season

Hinrich improved his stats in shooting and scoring during the 2006–07 season, his fourth in the NBA, with career highs in field goal, 3-point field goal, and free throw shooting percentage, as well as a career high 16.6 ppg. However, Hinrich's assists average was the lowest of his career and he also grabbed the fewest rebounds per game of his career.

In a game against the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade injured his wrist while being defended by Hinrich. Heat coach Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...

 accused Hinrich of injuring Dwyane Wade's wrist on purpose.

Hinrich was then played a recording of what Riley said; his response was candid, as he responded by saying

When Hinrich's teammate Ben Gordon heard Riley's comments, he came to his defense stating "I heard him saying something about Kirk. Posey's was way more blatant. I don't think Kirk did anything. He was just playing aggressive defense. Kirk didn't do anything dirty. I don't appreciate him taking shots at our guys." Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...

columnist Chris Mannix called Riley's comments "on the border of hypocrisy" while maintaining that Hinrich's grab of Wade's wrist, while illegal, was not a dirty play. "For starters, the play itself hardly qualifies as dirty. That was not the word Riley chose, but it was certainly what he insinuated. Illegal, yes. But dirty?" "Hinrich had no intention of hurting Wade. He didn't grab his wrist and twist it. He didn't chop down on it with his other hand." He went on to describe plays like that commonplace in the NBA, while calling Posey's foul on Hinrich during the 2006 playoffs dirty. "Dirty was the cheap shot that James Posey delivered to Hinrich when he leveled the guard with a body check during last season's playoffs."

Riley later had a different view on his comments; the next time the Bulls and Heat played Riley was questioned about the comments he made by a reporter.

During the Bulls' first game of the 2007 playoffs against the Miami Heat, Hinrich threw his mouthpiece into the stands after being assessed a charging foul. Hinrich received a technical foul for his actions as well as a $25,000 fine.
Technically Hinrich should have been ejected from the game but he was allowed to stay in. Bulls coach Scott Skiles
Scott Skiles
Scott Allen Skiles is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and former American professional basketball player. He also is the former head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Skiles holds the NBA record for assists in one game, with 30...

 was quoted as saying "What Kirk did the other (day), that's supposed to be an automatic ejection. They didn't see it. Hopefully, nothing like that happens again." The Bulls went on to sweep the Heat, before being eliminated in 6 games by 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...

.

Hinrich was named to the NBA's All Defensive second team in the 06–07 season. Hinrich received 7 first team votes and 4 second team votes, for a total of 18 points. Hinrich joined teammate Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...

 on the 06–07 All Defensive second team.

2007–08 season

In the season, Hinrich's numbers dropped across the board, averaging career lows in points (11.5), assists (6.0), rebounds (3.3), and minutes played (31.7). He only appeared in 75 games and started 72 of them due to minor injuries. The Bulls missed the playoffs in the 2007–08 season finishing with a dismal 33–49 season.

Hinrich put up a career-high 38 points vs. Indiana on January 23, 2008.

2008–09 season

Due to the arrival of number one pick Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose
Derrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association ....

, Hinrich was relegated to a backup role at the point guard position for the 2008–2009 season. Injuries also held him to just 51 games played on the season, with only 4 starts.

During the 2009 NBA Playoffs Hinrich averaged 30.0 minutes per game, 2.9 assists per game, 1.7 steals per game and 12.6 points per game. The Bulls lost to the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs in a thrilling seven-game series.

2009–10 season

On February 20, 2010 in a game 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...

, Hinrich became the Bulls' all-time leader in three point field goals, surpassing Ben Gordon's record of 770.

On April 13, 2010, Hinrich produced a season high 30 points in a 101–93 win over the Boston Celtics.

Hinrich finished the season averaging 10.9 points per game, 4.5 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game as the Bulls made the final 8th seed spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. In the playoffs, Hinrich averaged 12.4 ponts per game and 4 assists per game, but the Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.

Washington Wizards

On June 24, 2010, it was reported that the Chicago Bulls would trade Hinrich and the 17th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft (Kevin Seraphin
Kevin Seraphin
Kevin Seraphin is a French professional basketball player who was drafted 17th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He was subsequently traded to the Washington Wizards after being drafted, along with Kirk Hinrich and cash. He is listed at tall and he plays the power forward and...

) to the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...

 for a future 2nd-round pick.
On July 8, 2010, Hinrich was traded to the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...

 along with draft rights to forward Kevin Seraphin
Kevin Seraphin
Kevin Seraphin is a French professional basketball player who was drafted 17th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He was subsequently traded to the Washington Wizards after being drafted, along with Kirk Hinrich and cash. He is listed at tall and he plays the power forward and...

 in exchange for draft rights to Vladimir Veremeenko
Vladimir Veremeenko
Vladimir Veremeenko is a Belarusian professional basketball player. A power forward from Gomel, he was drafted by the Washington Wizards with the 48th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. He started his career at Avtodor Saratov, then moved with this team from Saratov to Saint Petersburg and played for new...

. At the end of Hinrich's tenure with the Wizards, he had averaged 11.1 points per game, 4.4 assists per game and 2.2 rebounds per game.
During his time with the Wizards, Hinrich played alongside the #1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...

, John Wall
John Wall (basketball)
Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards...

.

Atlanta Hawks

On February 23, 2011, Hinrich was traded to 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:...

 along with Hilton Armstrong
Hilton Armstrong
Hilton A. Armstrong, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for ASVEL Basket. He played forward/center for the University of Connecticut Huskies...

 in exchange for Mike Bibby
Mike Bibby
Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...

, Jordan Crawford
Jordan Crawford
Jordan Lee Crawford is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Washington Wizards. He played collegiately at Indiana University and then Xavier University. His brother is Joe Crawford II, who has also played professional basketball...

, Maurice Evans
Maurice Evans (basketball)
Maurice Eugene Evans is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. A 6 ft 5 in guard/forward, Evans weighs 220 lb...

 and a first-round pick in 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...

. At the end of the season, the Hawks made the playoffs as the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. In Game 6 of the first round against the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...

, Hinrich injured his hamstring and subsequently missed the entire 2nd round of the playoffs in which the Hawks ended up losing to Hinrich's former team, 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...

.

International career

In July 2006, Hinrich was officially named to the U.S. national basketball team
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...

 that would compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

 in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

, China.
He was initially invited to participate in February 2006, but declined due to the pressure of making a decision in the midst of a competitive NBA season with the Chicago Bulls. After his 2005–06 season ended, however, Hinrich changed his mind and accepted a spot on the team's roster. Hinrich said of the incident:
The roster first fielded more than 20 players, but it was soon cut down to 15 players, among which was Hinrich. When the final roster was announced, Hinrich was chosen as one of the 12 players set to compete in the FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...

 in Japan. After Hinrich learned of his grandfather's death, he briefly left the US training camp in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...

 early in the morning of July 25 and returned to his hometown of Sioux City, Iowa.

Hinrich started the exhibition game against Lithuania
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....

 on August 13, 2006. He scored 10 points, had 2 steals, and shot 80% from the field in a US win. After the game, Hinrich was asked about starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...

 the game. He responded, "We're playing in groups right now. I know when I get my time, I just try to make the best of it, make sure our team is successful. It's one of those deals when you play in groups in spurts like that, it's a little bit tougher. But, you don't hold back and give it everything you got because you know you'll be rested a lot."

In the FIBA world Championship semi-final, Team USA played against the Greece national team
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...

. With 2:41 to play in the game, Hinrich connected on a three-point shot to bring the US within 5 points, but was then called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Greece center Sofoklis Schortsanitis
Sofoklis Schortsanitis
Sofoklis Schortsanitis is a Greek professional basketball player. He was born in Tiko, Cameroon, to a Greek father and a Cameroonian mother.He is listed at and...

. With 45 seconds left, he knocked down another three pointer to pull the US within four. Hinrich was then fouled out when he intentionally hit a Greek player to stop the shot clock. Despite the US effort, the Greek sealed the deal with free throws and won 101–95. The US team then played against the Argentinian team
Argentina national basketball team
The Argentina national basketball team represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Federation....

 for the bronze medal. In the game, Hinrich played against his former Bulls' teammate Andrés Nocioni
Andrés Nocioni
Andrés Marcelo Nocioni is an Argentine professional basketball player. He is under contract with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, but is playing for Peñarol de Mar del Plata during the NBA lockout. A regular member of the Argentine national team, Nocioni was part of the team that won a gold medal at...

. The US went on to win 96–81, and took home the bronze medal.

Hinrich dropped out of the U.S. training camp for the FIBA Americas Championship in 2007, citing personal reasons.
The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...

reported that Hinrich dropped out of his commitment to the US national team so that he could focus on his wedding, and to "hitting the weights
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...

" hard. In April 2008, Hinrich revealed that he would not play for Team USA in the Beijing Olympics since his wife was expecting a baby. He said of the Olympics, "It wasn't like I was upset about anything. It just wasn't working out for me."

Personal life

Hinrich was engaged to Jill Fisher in 2006. He married her on July 7, 2007. His wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Kenzie, in 2008. The couple also has two Boxer
Boxer (dog)
Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic , and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism , very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to...

s.

Awards and achievements

  • NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
  • All-NBA Defensive Second Team: 2007

Regular season

|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Chicago
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...


| 76 || 66 || 35.6 || .386 || .390 || .804 || 3.4 || 6.8 || 1.3 || .3 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Chicago
| 77 || 77 || 36.4 || .397 || .355 || .792 || 3.9 || 6.4 || 1.6 || .3 || 15.7
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Chicago
| 81 || 81 || 36.5 || .418 || .370 || .815 || 3.6 || 6.3 || 1.2 || .3 || 15.9
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Chicago
| 80 || 80 || 35.5 || .448 || .415 || .835 || 3.4 || 6.3 || 1.2 || .3 || 16.6
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Chicago
| 75 || 72 || 31.7 || .414 || .350 || .831 || 3.3 || 6.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 11.5
|-
| 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" | Chicago
| 51 || 4 || 26.3 || .437 || .408 || .791 || 2.4 || 3.9 || 1.3 || .4 || 9.9
|-
| 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" | Chicago
| 74 || 53 || 33.5 || .409 || .371 || .752 || 3.5 || 4.5 || 1.2 || .3 || 10.9
|-
| 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" | Washington
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...


| 48 || 29 || 30.6 || .452 || .384 || .876 || 2.7 || 4.4 || 1.2 || .2 || 11.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Atlanta
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:...


| 24 || 22 || 28.6 || .432 || .421 || .667 || 2.2 || 3.3 || .8 || .3 || 8.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 586 || 484 || 33.5 || .418 || .380 || .812 || 3.3 || 5.6 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 13.0

Playoffs

|-
| align="left" | 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...


| align="left" | Chicago
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...


| 6 || 6 || 35.5 || .450 || .515 || .690 || 3.7 || 5.8 || 2.0 || .7 || 21.2
|-
| 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" | Chicago
| 6 || 6 || 39.0 || .415 || .346 || .857 || 3.3 || 7.7 || 1.3 || .3 || 20.5
|-
| align="left" | 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...


| align="left" | Chicago
| 10 || 10 || 36.2 || .376 || .302 || .769 || 4.2 || 7.5 || .9 || .3 || 12.1
|-
| align="left" | 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...


| align="left" | Chicago
| 7 || 0 || 30.0 || .468 || .433 || .680 || 2.7 || 2.9 || 1.7 || .4 || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...


| align="left" | Chicago
| 5 || 5 || 39.2 || .423 || .500 || .714 || 4.4 || 4.0 || 1.4 || .0 || 12.4
|-
| 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" | Atlanta
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:...


| 6 || 6 || 28.8 || .500 || .421 || 1.000 || 2.3 || 2.7 || 1.2 || .3 || 10.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 40 || 33 || 34.8 || .430 || .407 || .759 || 3.5 || 5.3 || 1.4 || .4 || 14.6

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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