Ronald Steele
Encyclopedia
Ronald Steele is an American
former college basketball
player for the University of Alabama
. He currently plays with Tofaş Bursa
in Turkey
.
. He attended John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham
and led them to an undefeated 36-0 record in his junior season. He was named "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Alabama in each of his junior and senior seasons. He was the first junior ever to receive the title.
basketball camp. After giving him tips and "a lot of compliments," Jordan invited Steele to play in a two-on-two pickup game.
In his junior season, Steele led his team to a great start and a top 10 ranking. However, Steele was injured halfway through the season. Knee tendinitis and severe ankle sprains prevented him from competing at top form. Determined to help his team, Steele decided to play through the pain and continue leading his team.
Steele underwent arthroscopic surgery in the 2007 offseason to repair tendinitis in both knees. He was expected to be 100% when the 2007-08 regular season began. However, Alabama announced on September 17, 2007, that Steele would take a medical redshirt his senior season instead. Steele said, "I am someone who tries to approach whatever I do with my best effort, and I know my body. At this point in time, I don’t believe I will be 100 percent by the start of practice. This is something I’ve put a lot of thought and prayer into. I want to play my best and play an entire season and know I’ve done everything I can on the court to help Alabama win. The doctors have told me my future for playing is good, but right now the timing for me to heal and be back in shape like I need to be to play on the level we play isn’t on my side. My teammates are out on the floor conditioning every day, getting ready for the season, and I know how important that is, and right now I’m not able to run and do all the things that they are doing. So that’s why I’ve decided to do this. Right now my plan is still to graduate in December, start taking classes toward a second degree in January and then come back next fall and have a great senior season with my team."
Steele declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft
but did not hire an agent, leaving the possibility open of returning to college. After reiterating he would leave his options open, he decided to return for his senior year.
He returned briefly for the 2008-09 season. Ten days after his final game, on January 21, 2009, Steele, who had been suffering from plantar fasciitis
, announced that he would forgo the rest of the 2008-09 season, thus effectively ending his college career. In his final season he averaged 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game in 15 games. He made a dismal 36.6% of his field goal attempts, but was making (at that time) a team-leading 38% three-pointers.
.After a season in which he averaged 9.8 points in 22.5 minutes per game Steele has extended his contract in the club for another season. In July 2011 he signed with Tofaş Bursa
for one season.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former 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....
player for the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. He currently plays with Tofaş Bursa
Tofas S.K.
Tofaş Spor Kulübü known simply as Tofaş is a professional basketball team based in the city of Bursa in Turkey that plays in the Turkish Basketball League. Their home arena is the Bursa Atatürk Sport Hall with a capacity of 3,500 seats.The club sponsored by Tofaş Company...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
High school
Ronald Steele was born in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. He attended John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
and led them to an undefeated 36-0 record in his junior season. He was named "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Alabama in each of his junior and senior seasons. He was the first junior ever to receive the title.
College
Steele raised his NBA draft profile during his sophomore year, 2005-06. In August 2006, Steele attended a Michael JordanMichael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
basketball camp. After giving him tips and "a lot of compliments," Jordan invited Steele to play in a two-on-two pickup game.
In his junior season, Steele led his team to a great start and a top 10 ranking. However, Steele was injured halfway through the season. Knee tendinitis and severe ankle sprains prevented him from competing at top form. Determined to help his team, Steele decided to play through the pain and continue leading his team.
Steele underwent arthroscopic surgery in the 2007 offseason to repair tendinitis in both knees. He was expected to be 100% when the 2007-08 regular season began. However, Alabama announced on September 17, 2007, that Steele would take a medical redshirt his senior season instead. Steele said, "I am someone who tries to approach whatever I do with my best effort, and I know my body. At this point in time, I don’t believe I will be 100 percent by the start of practice. This is something I’ve put a lot of thought and prayer into. I want to play my best and play an entire season and know I’ve done everything I can on the court to help Alabama win. The doctors have told me my future for playing is good, but right now the timing for me to heal and be back in shape like I need to be to play on the level we play isn’t on my side. My teammates are out on the floor conditioning every day, getting ready for the season, and I know how important that is, and right now I’m not able to run and do all the things that they are doing. So that’s why I’ve decided to do this. Right now my plan is still to graduate in December, start taking classes toward a second degree in January and then come back next fall and have a great senior season with my team."
Steele 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...
but did not hire an agent, leaving the possibility open of returning to college. After reiterating he would leave his options open, he decided to return for his senior year.
He returned briefly for the 2008-09 season. Ten days after his final game, on January 21, 2009, Steele, who had been suffering from plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole of the foot.Longstanding cases of plantar fasciitis often demonstrate more degenerative changes than inflammatory changes, in which case they are termed plantar fasciosis. The suffix...
, announced that he would forgo the rest of the 2008-09 season, thus effectively ending his college career. In his final season he averaged 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game in 15 games. He made a dismal 36.6% of his field goal attempts, but was making (at that time) a team-leading 38% three-pointers.
Pro career
Prior to 2009/2010 season Steele has signed for Israeli club Bnei HasharonBnei HaSharon
Bnei HaSharon/Herzliya is a professional basketball club based in Herzliya, in central Israel. The club currently plays in Ligat HaAl, the top division of Israeli basketball.The club was created by the merge of Maccabi Ra'anana and Bnei Herzliya in 2002...
.After a season in which he averaged 9.8 points in 22.5 minutes per game Steele has extended his contract in the club for another season. In July 2011 he signed with Tofaş Bursa
Tofas S.K.
Tofaş Spor Kulübü known simply as Tofaş is a professional basketball team based in the city of Bursa in Turkey that plays in the Turkish Basketball League. Their home arena is the Bursa Atatürk Sport Hall with a capacity of 3,500 seats.The club sponsored by Tofaş Company...
for one season.
Personal life
Ronald is married to Artesha Steele. Steele's younger brother, Andrew, signed to play for Alabama during the 2008-2009 season. Andrew also graduated from John Carroll Catholic High School. His father, Ronald Sr., graduated as a football player from Southern University. He then played pro football with the Birmingham VulcansBirmingham Vulcans
The Birmingham Vulcans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the World Football League . The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart league's second and final season in 1975...
.
Awards
- 2003 Alabama High School "Mr. Basketball"
- 2003 High School 6A Player of the Year
- 2003 High School 6A Finals MVP
- 2004 Alabama High School "Mr. Basketball"
- 2004 High School 6A Player of the Year
- 2006 APAssociated PressThe 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-SECSoutheastern ConferenceThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
First Team - 2007 Preseason AP All-American