Marreese Speights
Encyclopedia
Marreese Akeem Speights is an American professional basketball
player who is a center
for the Philadelphia 76ers
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). Speights played college basketball
for the University of Florida
, where he was a freshman member of the Florida Gators
' NCAA national championship team in 2007
. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft
.
. He played basketball at Admiral Farragut Academy
where they retired his jersey number after just one year. He also played basketball at Hargrave Military Academy
.
He saw few minutes because of other big men Al Horford
, Joakim Noah
, and Chris Richard
.
Speights ended the 2007–08 season averaging 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds per game and 1.4 blocks per game. After his sophomore season, he declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft
, held on June 26. Speights confirmed with Florida coach Billy Donovan
on June 12, 2008 that he would not be returning to the Gators.
with the 16th pick of the first round in the 2008 NBA Draft
. He signed with Philadelphia on July 18, 2008. That same season was his best so far with the 76ers, scoring with a field-goal percentage of .502 from the field, playing 79 games, shooting at a .205% from 3-point range, and shooting .773 from the free throw line.
, Speights injured his left knee. An MRI revealed a partial tear of the Medial collateral ligament
(MCL). He missed 14 games and came back December 16, to play 22 minutes in a losing effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers
. Since the injury, his playing time has been limited, mostly because of the increased production from Elton Brand
.
as their new head coach for the 2010-11 season. Known for his defensive-minded coaching philosophy, this shift in team focus adversely affected Speights, who is known more for his offensive capabilities. Frequent clashes with the coaching staff led to a career-low 11.5 minutes per contest. He did, however, get one start against the New Orleans Hornets on January 3, 2011 and notched 12 points and six rebounds. For the season, he averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, both career lows.
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 79 || 2 || 16.0 || .502 || .250 || .773 || 3.7 || .4 || .3 || .7 || 7.7
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 62 || 1 || 16.4 || .477 || .000 || .745 || 4.1 || .6 || .5 || .6 || 8.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 64 || 1 || 11.5 || .495 || .250 || .753 || 3.3 || .5 || .1 || .3 || 5.4
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 205 || 4 || 14.7 || .492 || .176 || .757 || 3.7 || .5 || .3 || .5 || 7.2
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 3 || 0 || 9.7 || .429 || .000 || .750 || 2.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 2 || 0 || 10.5 || .167 || .000 || .000 || 3.0 || .5 || .0 || .5 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 5 || 0 || 9.8 || .263 || .000 || .750 || 2.4 || .2 || .0 || .2 || 2.6
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 is a 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...
for 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...
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...
(NBA). Speights played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, where he was a freshman member of the Florida Gators
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
' NCAA national championship team in 2007
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
.
Early years
Speights was born in St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. He played basketball at Admiral Farragut Academy
Admiral Farragut Academy
Admiral Farragut Academy is a college preparatory school with Naval training founded in 1933 in Pine Beach, New Jersey by, among others, Admiral Samuel Robison, one-time President of RCA, and former Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It is named after Admiral...
where they retired his jersey number after just one year. He also played basketball at Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy is a private American boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia.Hargrave is a school affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a college and military preparatory program...
.
College career
Speights began his career at Florida in 2006, and averaged approximately four points and two rebounds in only six minutes per game as a freshman for the national champion Gators.He saw few minutes because of other big men Al Horford
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
, Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah
Joakim Simon Noah is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Born in New York City to a Swedish mother and French father, he holds American, Swedish and French citizenship...
, and Chris Richard
Chris Richard (basketball)
Chris Richard is an American professional basketball player. Richard, a power forward, played college basketball for the University of Florida. He has a wingspan of 7'4½". His role was that of the sixth man that came off the bench for the Florida Gators national championship men's team during the...
.
Speights ended the 2007–08 season averaging 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds per game and 1.4 blocks per game. After his sophomore season, he declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
, held on June 26. Speights confirmed with Florida coach Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan
William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. is an American college basketball coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team of the University of Florida...
on June 12, 2008 that he would not be returning to the Gators.
Rookie Season
Speights was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 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...
with the 16th pick of the first round in the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
. He signed with Philadelphia on July 18, 2008. That same season was his best so far with the 76ers, scoring with a field-goal percentage of .502 from the field, playing 79 games, shooting at a .205% from 3-point range, and shooting .773 from the free throw line.
Sophomore Season
Marreese's second season with the 76ers started off on a high note as he saw a slight increase in playing time and put up good numbers. He scored 15 or more points in 5 of his first 10 games, and was a vital part of the team's frontcourt until he was injured. In the 4th quarter of November 14's game versus the Chicago BullsChicago 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...
, Speights injured his left knee. An MRI revealed a partial tear of the Medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
(MCL). He missed 14 games and came back December 16, to play 22 minutes in a losing effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. Since the injury, his playing time has been limited, mostly because of the increased production from Elton Brand
Elton Brand
Elton Tyron Brand is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association...
.
Year 3
The 76ers hired Doug CollinsDoug Collins
Paul Douglas "Doug" Collins is a retired American basketball player, a former four-time NBA All-Star and currently the head coach of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.-High school and college:...
as their new head coach for the 2010-11 season. Known for his defensive-minded coaching philosophy, this shift in team focus adversely affected Speights, who is known more for his offensive capabilities. Frequent clashes with the coaching staff led to a career-low 11.5 minutes per contest. He did, however, get one start against the New Orleans Hornets on January 3, 2011 and notched 12 points and six rebounds. For the season, he averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, both career lows.
Regular season
|-| 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" | Philadelphia
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...
| 79 || 2 || 16.0 || .502 || .250 || .773 || 3.7 || .4 || .3 || .7 || 7.7
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | Philadelphia
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...
| 62 || 1 || 16.4 || .477 || .000 || .745 || 4.1 || .6 || .5 || .6 || 8.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Philadelphia
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...
| 64 || 1 || 11.5 || .495 || .250 || .753 || 3.3 || .5 || .1 || .3 || 5.4
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 205 || 4 || 14.7 || .492 || .176 || .757 || 3.7 || .5 || .3 || .5 || 7.2
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2008–09
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" | Philadelphia
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...
| 3 || 0 || 9.7 || .429 || .000 || .750 || 2.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
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" | Philadelphia
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...
| 2 || 0 || 10.5 || .167 || .000 || .000 || 3.0 || .5 || .0 || .5 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 5 || 0 || 9.8 || .263 || .000 || .750 || 2.4 || .2 || .0 || .2 || 2.6
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators basketball players