Larry Micheaux
Encyclopedia
Larry Wayne Micheaux is a retired American
professional basketball
player.
, Micheaux attended the University of Houston
where he earned honorable mention All-America
honors and was a member of the Cougars' Phi Slamma Jamma
men's team under head coach
Guy Lewis
that reached three NCAA Final Fours
. That season, as a senior, he averaged 14 points
and 7 rebounds
while playing alongside Akeem Olajuwon
, Clyde Drexler
, Alvin Franklin, Benny Anders
, Reid Gettys
and Michael Young
. Olajuwon and Drexler rank as two of the top 50 NBA
players of all time.
Micheaux led the Cougars in field goal percentage
in 1979-80 (.530) and 1980-81 (.600). He also led the team in blocked shots
in 1980–81 with 49.
by the Chicago Bulls
in the second round of the 1983 NBA Draft
. The 6-foot-9-inch Houston native played two seasons (96 games) with three different teams in the NBA
: the Kansas City Kings
(1983–84), Milwaukee Bucks
(1984–85) and Houston Rockets
(1984–85).
and Spanish basketball leagues
. Retired since 1995, he is regarded as one of the top rebounders in Spanish league history.
, located just south of Houston.
His daughter, La Toya, was a starter on the Texas A&M women's basketball team
, and had a successful four year high school career at Missouri City, Texas
's Hightower High School
, which included two first team all greater Houston stints.
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.
College
An all-state basketball player as a senior at E. E. Worthing High School in Houston, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Micheaux attended the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
where he earned honorable mention All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors and was a member of the Cougars' Phi Slamma Jamma
Phi Slamma Jamma
Phi Slama Jama was the nickname of the University of Houston Cougars men's basketball teams from 1982 to 1984. Coined by former Houston Post sportswriter Thomas Bonk in a January 3, 1983 article, the nickname was quickly adopted by the players and even appeared on team warmup suits by the middle...
men's team under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Guy Lewis
Guy Lewis
Guy Vernon Lewis II is a former NCAA basketball coach who led the University of Houston Cougars program for 30 years from 1956-86.-Coaching career:...
that reached three NCAA Final Fours
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...
. That season, as a senior, he averaged 14 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
and 7 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
while playing alongside Akeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
, Alvin Franklin, Benny Anders
Benny Anders
Benny Anders was a star player at the University of Houston during the early 1980s and a member of the school's so-called Phi Slama Jama basketball fraternity that included Akeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Michael Young, Alvin Franklin, Reid Gettys, and Larry Micheaux.-High School:A cousin of former...
, Reid Gettys
Reid Gettys
A "set up man" in large part, Reid Gettys played a pivotal role in the success of the powerhouse Phi Slama Jama basketball teams at the University of Houston during the early-to-mid 1980s....
and Michael Young
Michael Young (basketball)
Michael Wayne Young is a retired American basketball player. After a 15-year playing career spent in the NBA and overseas, he is currently the director of basketball operations and performance enhancement at the University of Houston, his alma mater.- College :Young, a native Houstonian, played...
. Olajuwon and Drexler rank as two of the top 50 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...
players of all time.
Micheaux led the Cougars in field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
in 1979-80 (.530) and 1980-81 (.600). He also led the team in blocked shots
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
in 1980–81 with 49.
National Basketball Association
After earning a business degree at the University of Houston, Micheaux was draftedNBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
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 second round of the 1983 NBA Draft
1983 NBA Draft
The 1983 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1983 in New York City. A total of 226 players were selected over 10 rounds by the league's 23 teams. At least three players from the 1983 draft now serve as coaches...
. The 6-foot-9-inch Houston native played two seasons (96 games) with three different teams in 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...
: the Kansas City Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
(1983–84), Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
(1984–85) and 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...
(1984–85).
European basketball
Nicknamed "Mr. Mean," Micheaux spent the next decade playing in the ItalianSerie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
and Spanish basketball leagues
Liga Española de Baloncesto
Liga Española de Baloncesto is the second league of the Spanish basketball league system behind the ACB. It is run by the FEB. The Liga Española de Baloncesto is divided into two categories and they are sponsored by Adecco. The names of the two leagues are Adecco Oro and Adecco Plata.The LEB league...
. Retired since 1995, he is regarded as one of the top rebounders in Spanish league history.
Life after basketball
Micheaux is currently working at Stafford High School, in Stafford, TexasStafford, Texas
Stafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
, located just south of Houston.
His daughter, La Toya, was a starter on the Texas A&M women's basketball team
Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball
The Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I women's basketball. The team has been coached by Gary Blair since 2003. The Aggies play home games at Reed Arena, a 12,500-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M.The Aggies...
, and had a successful four year high school career at Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
's Hightower High School
Hightower High School
L.V. Hightower High School is a secondary school located at 3333 Hurricane Lane, Missouri City, Texas, United States.Hightower is administered by Fort Bend Independent School District and its mascot is Poseidon, but they are known as the Hightower Hurricanes.Hightower serves parts of Missouri City...
, which included two first team all greater Houston stints.