Mark Eaton (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Mark E. Eaton is a retired American
professional basketball
player who was a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz
from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame (7-foot-4, 290 pounds) and his strong defense. He holds the NBA's record for highest average of blocks per game in a season (5.6) and in a career (3.50).
. Despite his height, as a youth he was more interested in playing water polo
than basketball. After graduating from Westminster High School
, Eaton attended the Arizona Automotive Institute in Phoenix
and graduated as a service technician. He worked as an auto mechanic for about three years, and was eventually discovered by Tom Lubin while repairing cars in Anaheim in April 1977. Lubin, a chemistry professor, was an assistant basketball coach at Cypress Junior College, and his encouragement led Eaton to enroll at Cypress and try out for the basketball team. Eaton developed into a solid junior college player. He averaged 14.3 points per game in two seasons at Cypress, and led the school to the California State Title as a sophomore.
After his freshman year at Cypress, he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns
in the 1979 NBA Draft
with the 107th pick in the 5th round. He was eligible to be drafted because he was already four year out of high school in 1979. However, he opted to return to college basketball.
Eaton transferred to University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA) in 1980, but did not see much action in his two seasons with the Bruins. In his senior season, he played just 42 total minutes, averaging 1.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11 games.
. Utah coach Frank Layden
would later explain his choice by quoting Red Auerbach
's old axiom, "you can't teach height". In his rookie season, Eaton made an immediate impact. He replaced Danny Schayes
as Utah's starting center early in the year, and finished the season with 275 blocked shots (a franchise record) in 81 games. His 3.40 blocks per game ranked third in the NBA, behind Atlanta
's Wayne "Tree" Rollins
and San Diego
's Bill Walton
.
Eaton continued to improve in his second season with the Jazz. In 82 games, he grabbed a team-leading 595 rebounds and blocked 351 shots (breaking his own franchise record). His 4.28 blocks per game led the NBA, well ahead of Rollins (who finished second with 3.60 blocks per game). Eaton's strong defense helped the Jazz make their first-ever playoff appearance. Incidentally, one shot he failed to block during the 1983-84 season was the skyhook which gave Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
his 31,421st point and the NBA's all-time scoring record.
Eaton's third season (1984–85) was spectacular. He blocked 456 shots, shattering the NBA record for most blocked shots in a single season (Elmore Smith
blocked 393 shots for the Los Angeles Lakers
in the 1973-74 season
). Eaton averaged 5.6 blocks per game, leading the league by a wide margin (Houston
's Hakeem Olajuwon
finished second with 2.68 blocks per game). In addition, Eaton averaged 11.3 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the league in that category. For his efforts, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and was honored as the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.
Although he was not a significant offensive contributor, the Jazz relied heavily on Eaton for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and occasional "tippy toe" dunks. With the emergence of superstars Karl Malone
and John Stockton
, the Jazz became one of the best teams in the NBA. Eaton's stifling defense was a major factor in Utah's success. He continued to rank among NBA leaders in blocked shots, leading the league in 1986-87 and 1987-88. In 1988-89, he averaged 10.3 rebounds per game (seventh in the NBA) and 3.84 blocks per game (second behind Golden State
's Manute Bol
). He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career, and was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team (for the third time in his career). In addition, he was chosen to play in the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, joining teammates Malone and Stockton on the Western Conference team.
In his last few years with the Jazz, Eaton was slowed by knee and back injuries. He remained an imposing defensive presence, but his rebounding and shot-blocking abilities slowly declined. In his last season (1992–93), he played in only 64 games, averaging just 17.3 minutes per game.
's career total of 3,189. Abdul-Jabbar played 1,560 games to Eaton's 875. (However, statistics for blocked shots were not kept until the 1973-74 season, missing the first 4 seasons of Abdul-Jabbar's career.) Eaton is currently the NBA's all-time leader in blocks per game, with a career average of 3.50.
To honor his contributions to the team, the Utah Jazz retired Eaton's number 53 during the 1995–96 regular season.
in Salt Lake City
, providing color commentary and analysis for television broadcasts of Utah Jazz and University of Utah
basketball games.
Eaton is a partner in a Salt Lake City-area restaurant named Tuscany.
He has served as president of the NBA Retired Players Association and is currently a board member.
He founded and served as chairman of the Mark Eaton Standing Tall for Youth organization, which provided sports and outdoor activities for at-risk children in Utah
. He is a motivational speaker.
In 2009 a golfer named Jason Hargett at his Mark Eaton Celebrity Golf Classic hit a hole-in-one to win $1 million. The hole in one insurance company that paid out the prize was Hole In One International, owned by Mark Gilmartin
.
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 who was a member of the NBA's 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...
from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame (7-foot-4, 290 pounds) and his strong defense. He holds the NBA's record for highest average of blocks per game in a season (5.6) and in a career (3.50).
College career
Mark Eaton grew up in Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. Despite his height, as a youth he was more interested in playing water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
than basketball. After graduating from Westminster High School
Westminster High School
Westminster High School may refer to:*Westminster High School *Westminster High School *Westminster High School *Westminster High School...
, Eaton attended the Arizona Automotive Institute in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and graduated as a service technician. He worked as an auto mechanic for about three years, and was eventually discovered by Tom Lubin while repairing cars in Anaheim in April 1977. Lubin, a chemistry professor, was an assistant basketball coach at Cypress Junior College, and his encouragement led Eaton to enroll at Cypress and try out for the basketball team. Eaton developed into a solid junior college player. He averaged 14.3 points per game in two seasons at Cypress, and led the school to the California State Title as a sophomore.
After his freshman year at Cypress, he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the 1979 NBA Draft
1979 NBA Draft
The 1979 NBA Draft was the 33rd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 25, 1979, before the 1979–80 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
with the 107th pick in the 5th round. He was eligible to be drafted because he was already four year out of high school in 1979. However, he opted to return to college basketball.
Eaton transferred to University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA) in 1980, but did not see much action in his two seasons with the Bruins. In his senior season, he played just 42 total minutes, averaging 1.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11 games.
Professional career
Because of his lack of playing time at UCLA, few NBA teams had interest in Eaton after he finished his college career. However, the Utah Jazz saw him as a potentially-dominant defender and selected him with the 72nd pick in the fourth round of the 1982 NBA Draft1982 NBA Draft
The 1982 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1982 at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.-Key:-Draft:-Other picks:-External links:**...
. Utah coach Frank Layden
Frank Layden
Frank Layden is a retired American basketball coach and executive of the NBA's Utah Jazz.-Coaching career:In additional to his coaching at the professional level, Layden is also a former head coach and player of his alma mater Niagara University's basketball team...
would later explain his choice by quoting Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
's old axiom, "you can't teach height". In his rookie season, Eaton made an immediate impact. He replaced Danny Schayes
Danny Schayes
Daniel Leslie "Danny" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1981 until 1999. At 6'11" and 235 pounds, he played at center...
as Utah's starting center early in the year, and finished the season with 275 blocked shots (a franchise record) in 81 games. His 3.40 blocks per game ranked third in the NBA, behind 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:...
's Wayne "Tree" Rollins
Tree Rollins
Wayne Monte "Tree" Rollins is a retired American professional basketball player who played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic. He was primarily known under his playing name, Tree...
and San Diego
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...
's Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
.
Eaton continued to improve in his second season with the Jazz. In 82 games, he grabbed a team-leading 595 rebounds and blocked 351 shots (breaking his own franchise record). His 4.28 blocks per game led the NBA, well ahead of Rollins (who finished second with 3.60 blocks per game). Eaton's strong defense helped the Jazz make their first-ever playoff appearance. Incidentally, one shot he failed to block during the 1983-84 season was the skyhook which gave Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
his 31,421st point and the NBA's all-time scoring record.
Eaton's third season (1984–85) was spectacular. He blocked 456 shots, shattering the NBA record for most blocked shots in a single season (Elmore Smith
Elmore Smith
Elmore Smith is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'0" center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1979...
blocked 393 shots for the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the 1973-74 season
1973-74 NBA season
The 1973–74 NBA season was the 28th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
). Eaton averaged 5.6 blocks per game, leading the league by a wide margin (Houston
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...
's Hakeem 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,...
finished second with 2.68 blocks per game). In addition, Eaton averaged 11.3 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the league in that category. For his efforts, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and was honored as the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.
Although he was not a significant offensive contributor, the Jazz relied heavily on Eaton for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and occasional "tippy toe" dunks. With the emergence of superstars Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
and John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
, the Jazz became one of the best teams in the NBA. Eaton's stifling defense was a major factor in Utah's success. He continued to rank among NBA leaders in blocked shots, leading the league in 1986-87 and 1987-88. In 1988-89, he averaged 10.3 rebounds per game (seventh in the NBA) and 3.84 blocks per game (second behind Golden State
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...
's Manute Bol
Manute Bol
Manute Bol was a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. At 7 feet, 7 inches , Bol was one of the tallest players ever to appear in the National Basketball Association, along with Gheorghe Mureşan. Unlike Mureşan, however, Bol was naturally tall and did not have a Pituitary disease...
). He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career, and was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team (for the third time in his career). In addition, he was chosen to play in the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, joining teammates Malone and Stockton on the Western Conference team.
In his last few years with the Jazz, Eaton was slowed by knee and back injuries. He remained an imposing defensive presence, but his rebounding and shot-blocking abilities slowly declined. In his last season (1992–93), he played in only 64 games, averaging just 17.3 minutes per game.
Legacy
His entire NBA career was spent with the Utah Jazz. In 875 games, he scored 5,216 points, grabbed 6,939 rebounds, and blocked 3,064 shots. At the time of his retirement, he ranked second all-time in league history in total blocked shots, behind Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
's career total of 3,189. Abdul-Jabbar played 1,560 games to Eaton's 875. (However, statistics for blocked shots were not kept until the 1973-74 season, missing the first 4 seasons of Abdul-Jabbar's career.) Eaton is currently the NBA's all-time leader in blocks per game, with a career average of 3.50.
To honor his contributions to the team, the Utah Jazz retired Eaton's number 53 during the 1995–96 regular season.
Retirement
Since his retirement, Eaton has worked for KJZZ-TVKJZZ-TV
KJZZ-TV, virtual channel 14, is a full-service Independent television station serving Salt Lake City, Utah, USA and surrounding areas, broadcasting in digital on UHF channel 46. The KJZZ transmitter is located on Farnsworth Peak in the Oquirrh Mountains...
in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, providing color commentary and analysis for television broadcasts of Utah Jazz and University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
basketball games.
Eaton is a partner in a Salt Lake City-area restaurant named Tuscany.
He has served as president of the NBA Retired Players Association and is currently a board member.
He founded and served as chairman of the Mark Eaton Standing Tall for Youth organization, which provided sports and outdoor activities for at-risk children in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. He is a motivational speaker.
In 2009 a golfer named Jason Hargett at his Mark Eaton Celebrity Golf Classic hit a hole-in-one to win $1 million. The hole in one insurance company that paid out the prize was Hole In One International, owned by Mark Gilmartin
Mark Gilmartin
Mark Gilmartin resides in Reno, Nevada, is a co-owner of Hole In One International and Odds On Promotions, has extensive experience within the golf industry, and has competed at the national amateur golf level throughout his career....
.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game
- List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history