Shan Foster
Encyclopedia
Shan Donte Foster is an American
professional basketball
player. Foster played shooting guard
for the Commodores
college basketball
team at Vanderbilt University
. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's
all-time leaders with consecutive games with a made three-pointer. Foster was selected as an Associated Press
second team All-American for the 2007-2008 college basketball season. He was announced as the winner of the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
at the 2008 Final Four.
Foster graduated from Vanderbilt on May 9, 2008 with a degree in human and organizational development. On June 26, 2008, Foster was drafted
into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks
with the 51st overall pick.
, where he attended Bonnabel High School and served as the basketball team's captain his sophomore through senior years. While playing at Bonnabel his senior year, Foster garnered First Team All-State, All-Metro Most Valuable Player, All-City and All-District honors while averaging a double-double (23.4 points and 10 rebounds). Under Foster's leadership the Bonnabel Bruins finished an impressive 21-9 and claimed their district's title. Foster's success was not limited to the basketball court, as he also made his school's academic honor roll
.
, Notre Dame, Illinois, and LSU
, Foster was immediately placed in the Commodores starting line-up. During his freshman year, Foster shot a blistering 44.5% from behind the three-point line and averaged 9.2 points a game. Foster improved his game for his sophomore year, averaging 15.9 points a game, and then 15.6 points per game as a junior. It was during his junior year that the Commodores, led by SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars
, finished the regular season a surprisingly strong 20-11 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen
before being eliminated by the Georgetown University Hoyas
.
Going into his senior year, Foster was regarded as one of the deadliest long-range shooters in the NCAA and named an All-American candidate. Foster, with the help of freshman phenom Andrew Ogilvy
, led the Commodores to their best start in school history at 16-0 before falling to the Kentucky Wildcats
in double overtime at Rupp Arena
on January 12, 2008. Foster would ensure that the loss was avenged, however, when, a month later, he scored 20 points against the Wildcats during their visit to Nashville
en route to a crushing 93-52 victory that was Kentucky's worst loss since 1989, and their worst conference loss ever. Also that season, Foster would score a game-high 32 points to lead the Commodores to a 72-69 victory over the then top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers
at Memorial Gymnasium
. This marked the second time in Foster's career that Vanderbilt had knocked off the top-ranked team in the nation, the other instance occurring a year earlier when Vanderbilt defeated the eventual NCAA Tournament Champion
Florida Gators
83-70, also at Memorial Gym.
Foster hit nine consecutive three-pointers (including a 22-footer and a 25-footer), all of which were contested, and unleashed a career-high 42 points on the visiting 25th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs
, including the game-winning basket, to push then 16th-ranked Vanderbilt to a 86-85 overtime victory which gave the Commodores their first undefeated season at Memorial since the 1992-1993 season. The point total tied for second-highest single-game performance in Vanderbilt men's basketball history. At the conclusion of the regular season, Foster was named the 2008 SEC Player of the Year
by both the SEC coaches and the Associated Press.
used their only selection to pick Foster with the 51st overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft
.
Juvecaserta Basket
of the Italian Serie A league
, signed Foster for the 2008-09 season.
Foster played for the Mavericks in the NBA Summer League
in 2010
, but failed to impress.
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. Foster 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 the Commodores
Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball
The Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball team represents Vanderbilt University in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference . The Commodores have won three SEC regular season titles . They have competed in ten NCAA Tournaments, making it to the Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 six times...
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....
team at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
all-time leaders with consecutive games with a made three-pointer. Foster was selected as an 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...
second team All-American for the 2007-2008 college basketball season. He was announced as the winner of the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is an annual college athletic award in the NCAA Division I. Qualified competitors must be seniors who have remained within their NCAA Division I college for a four-year commitment and achieved excellence in one of nine sports.....
at the 2008 Final Four.
Foster graduated from Vanderbilt on May 9, 2008 with a degree in human and organizational development. On June 26, 2008, Foster was drafted
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...
into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
with the 51st overall pick.
High school career
Shan Foster was born in Kenner, LouisianaKenner, Louisiana
Kenner is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 66,702 at the 2010 census....
, where he attended Bonnabel High School and served as the basketball team's captain his sophomore through senior years. While playing at Bonnabel his senior year, Foster garnered First Team All-State, All-Metro Most Valuable Player, All-City and All-District honors while averaging a double-double (23.4 points and 10 rebounds). Under Foster's leadership the Bonnabel Bruins finished an impressive 21-9 and claimed their district's title. Foster's success was not limited to the basketball court, as he also made his school's academic honor roll
Honors student
An honors student is a person recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their course work.Honors students may refer to# Students recognized for their academic achievement on lists published periodically throughout the school year, known as honor rolls, varying from school to school, and...
.
College career
After picking Vanderbilt over KansasUniversity 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...
, Notre Dame, Illinois, and LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, Foster was immediately placed in the Commodores starting line-up. During his freshman year, Foster shot a blistering 44.5% from behind the three-point line and averaged 9.2 points a game. Foster improved his game for his sophomore year, averaging 15.9 points a game, and then 15.6 points per game as a junior. It was during his junior year that the Commodores, led by SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars
Derrick Byars
Derrick JaVaughn Byars is an American professional basketball player for the Pro A team Cholet Basket. Collegiality, he played for Virginia, and later for Vanderbilt...
, finished the regular season a surprisingly strong 20-11 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen
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...
before being eliminated by the Georgetown University Hoyas
Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
.
Going into his senior year, Foster was regarded as one of the deadliest long-range shooters in the NCAA and named an All-American candidate. Foster, with the help of freshman phenom Andrew Ogilvy
Andrew Ogilvy
Andrew James "A.J." Ogilvy is an Australian basketball player currently with Power Electronics Valencia. He was also the starting center for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. On 8 April 2010, Ogilvy announced that he was making...
, led the Commodores to their best start in school history at 16-0 before falling to the Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
in double overtime at Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena is an arena located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. Since its opening in 1976, it has been the centerpiece of Lexington Center, a convention and shopping facility owned by an arm of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, and serves as home court to the University of...
on January 12, 2008. Foster would ensure that the loss was avenged, however, when, a month later, he scored 20 points against the Wildcats during their visit to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
en route to a crushing 93-52 victory that was Kentucky's worst loss since 1989, and their worst conference loss ever. Also that season, Foster would score a game-high 32 points to lead the Commodores to a 72-69 victory over the then top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers basketball
The Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA men's basketball competition. The Volunteers currently compete in the Southeastern Conference...
at Memorial Gymnasium
Memorial Gymnasium (Vanderbilt University)
Memorial Gymnasium is a multi-purpose facility located in Nashville, Tennessee. Usually called Memorial Gym or simply Memorial, the building is located on the western end of the Vanderbilt University campus. It was built in 1952 and currently has a seating capacity of 14,316...
. This marked the second time in Foster's career that Vanderbilt had knocked off the top-ranked team in the nation, the other instance occurring a year earlier when Vanderbilt defeated the eventual NCAA Tournament Champion
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...
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...
83-70, also at Memorial Gym.
Foster hit nine consecutive three-pointers (including a 22-footer and a 25-footer), all of which were contested, and unleashed a career-high 42 points on the visiting 25th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Mississippi State Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Mississippi State University. They participate in NCAA's Division I in the competitive 12-member Southeastern Conference under the mascot Bulldogs and the school colors of maroon and white...
, including the game-winning basket, to push then 16th-ranked Vanderbilt to a 86-85 overtime victory which gave the Commodores their first undefeated season at Memorial since the 1992-1993 season. The point total tied for second-highest single-game performance in Vanderbilt men's basketball history. At the conclusion of the regular season, Foster was named the 2008 SEC Player of the Year
SEC Men's Basketball Player of the Year
The Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is an award given to the player who has proven himself, throughout the season, to be the most exceptional talent in the Southeastern Conference. The school with the most SEC Player of the Year award winners is Kentucky, with 13 total...
by both the SEC coaches and the Associated Press.
College career highs
Foster's career highs while with the Vanderbilt Commodores are as follows:- Points- 42 vs. Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State UniversityThe Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
on March 5, 2008 - Assists- 7 at University of KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
on January 20, 2007 - Rebounds- 10 on 2 occasions
- Steals- 4 vs. University of Kentucky on February 25, 2007
- Blocks- 3 at Rice UniversityRice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
on January 3, 2007 - Field Goals Made- 13 on 2 occasions
- 3-Point Field Goals Made- 9 vs. Mississippi State University on March 5, 2008
- Free Throws Made- 8 vs. University of TennesseeUniversity of TennesseeThe University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
on February 26, 2008 - Minutes Played- 44 at University of South CarolinaUniversity of South CarolinaThe University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
on February 28, 2007
Professional career
The Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
used their only selection to pick Foster with the 51st overall selection 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...
.
Juvecaserta Basket
Juvecaserta Basket
JuveCaserta Basket , also known for sponsorship reasons as Pepsi Caserta, is an Italian League professional basketball team from the town of Caserta. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-The Beginnings:...
of the Italian Serie A league
Serie 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...
, signed Foster for the 2008-09 season.
Foster played for the Mavericks in the NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
in 2010
2010 in basketball
Tournaments include international , professional and amateur and collegiate levels.-Men's tournaments:* 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey** ** All-tournament team:*** Kevin Durant, *** Linas Kleiza,...
, but failed to impress.
Awards and recognition
- 2008 SEC Player of the Year (Consensus)
- 2008 Rivals.com First Team All America
- 2008 CBS Second Team All America
- 2008 Dickie V All Solid Gold Third Team
- 2008 Sports Illustrated Third Team All America
- 2008 Associated Press Second Team All-American
- 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Winner