Tim Thomas (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Timothy Mark "Tim" Thomas (born on February 26, 1977, in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...

) is an American
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, in the small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...

 position.

High school / College

A versatile 6'10" forward with a soft shooting touch, Thomas was tabbed as a future NBA star when he was still in high school, and was selected to the McDonald's All-American team after averaging 25.3 points and 14.5 rebounds per game as a senior at Paterson Catholic High School
Paterson Catholic High School
Paterson Catholic High School was a private four year Catholic high school located in Paterson, New Jersey that served students from 9th through 12th grade. It was under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson...

. Following his freshman year at Villanova University, he was drafted seventh overall by the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 in the 1997 NBA Draft
1997 NBA Draft
The 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early...

 and was immediately traded to 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...

 in exchange for the Sixers' draft pick (Keith Van Horn
Keith Van Horn
Keith Adam Van Horn is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward graduated from Diamond Bar High School in Diamond Bar, California and attended the University of Utah where he went on to be a consensus First Team All-American in 1997...

).

Philadelphia 76ers

Thomas enjoyed a solid rookie season, averaging 11.0 points per game, and was named to the NBA's All-Rookie 2nd Team. The Sixers would grow impatient with a sophomore slump
Sophomore slump
A sophomore slump or sophomore jinx refers to an instance in which a second, or sophomore, effort fails to live up to the standards of the first effort...

 from Thomas, though, and in 1999 he was traded to the 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....

.

Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee was enamored with Thomas' raw talent and versatility, and hoped he could blossom into a star with more seasoning. It looked like things were coming together for Thomas during the 2000–01 season, when he averaged a career-high 13.4 ppg for the Bucks. On January 5, 2001, Thomas connected on eight three-point field goals in the second half of Milwaukee's 119–115 victory over Portland, a record for 3-pointers in a half he shares with current Buck Michael Redd
Michael Redd
Michael Wesley Redd is an American professional basketball player who currently is a free agent. He has most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he attended West High School. He also was a member of the U.S...

. During his time with the Bucks, then-teammate Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...

 was quoted as saying, "If he wanted to, Tim Thomas could be the best player in the league." Nevertheless, after a strong playoff performance that year, Thomas signed a new deal worth roughly $66 million over six years.

New York Knicks

In 2004 he was traded for Van Horn again, this time to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

. Thomas' 1st tour of duty with the Knicks was rather nondescript (his most notable incident was after a playoff game against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

, when he referred to Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Lee Martin is an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "K-Mart", he plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China. He was selected first overall in the 2000 NBA Draft, and has played in the NBA for the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets...

 as "fugazy"), and on the eve of training camp in 2005 he was traded to 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...

 (along with Michael Sweetney
Michael Sweetney
Michael 'Mike' Damien Sweetney is an American professional basketball player, in the power forward/center position.-High school/college career:...

) in a package that brought Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. He was born in Harvey, Illinois...

 to New York.

Chicago Bulls

Rather than dealing with Thomas' questionable conditioning habits and locker-room presence, Chicago chose to send him home for good in late 2005 and officially waived him in March 2006; he would finish that year with Phoenix.

Phoenix Suns

After bouncing around from team to team, Thomas rejuvenated his career in the 2006 playoffs, playing alongside two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...

. On May 4, 2006, at Los Angeles in game 6 of the first round of the Western Conference divisional playoffs, Thomas hit a crucial game-tying three pointer with 6 seconds left in regulation to spare the 2nd seeded 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...

 from elimination against the 7th seeded 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...

. The Suns went on to win that game in the overtime period when Thomas hit another important three-pointer to force a game 7; a game which they won by 31 points to claim the series and complete the 3–1 series comeback. With the Suns, he became known as the one who helped knock both the Lakers and the Clippers out of the playoffs, before the team eventually lost to 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...

 in the Western Conference Finals.

Los Angeles Clippers

After his brilliant playoff performance, Thomas signed a four-year, $24 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers
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...

 on July 13, 2006. He played solid (if unspectacular) basketball for the Clippers, but again failed to live up to his high playoff standards, and was subsequently traded to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 again on November 21, 2008.

New York Knicks

Upon arriving in New York again, Thomas was reunited with Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...

, who coached the Suns in 2006.

Chicago Bulls

On February 19, 2009, Tim was traded yet again to the Bulls along with center Jerome James
Jerome James
Jerome Keith James is an American professional basketball player. James played at Florida A&M University, and was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft. Over the course of his career, he has played for the Kings, Seattle SuperSonics and New York Knicks...

 and guard Anthony Roberson
Anthony Roberson
Anthony Roberson is an American professional basketball player who has played for four National Basketball Association teams and four foreign teams in his six-year pro career...

 in exchange for guard Larry Hughes
Larry Hughes
Larry Darnell Hughes is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Charlotte Bobcats. He is a and shooting guard. Hughes attended Saint Louis University and was the eight pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers...

 just before the trade deadline.

On July 14, 2009, the Bulls negotiated a buyout of Thomas' $6.5 million contract.

Dallas Mavericks

On July 28, 2009, 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...

 signed free agent Thomas. In late January, however, he left the team temporarily to take care of his wife, who had an undisclosed illness.

In August 2010 Thomas agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks worth the veteran minimum. In September of that year, however, he told the club that he would not report to the team so that he could care for his sick wife.

Awards

  • Thomas was on the Second NBA All-Rookie Team in 1997–98 season.
  • He won the The Sporting News
    The Sporting News
    Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...

    Freshman
    Freshman
    A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...

     of the Year during the 1996–97 season.
  • Was three-time All American at Paterson Catholic High School
    Paterson Catholic High School
    Paterson Catholic High School was a private four year Catholic high school located in Paterson, New Jersey that served students from 9th through 12th grade. It was under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson...

     in Paterson, New Jersey
    Paterson, New Jersey
    Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...

    .

Regular season

Stats through May 14, 2010


|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| 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...


| 77 || 48 || 23.1 || .447 || .363 || .740 || 3.7 || 1.2 || .7 || .2 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 17 || 0 || 11.1 || .403 || .263 || .792 || 1.9 || .9 || .2 || .2 || 4.6
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Milwaukee
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....


| 33 || 26 || 18.9 || .495 || .327 || .614 || 2.8 || .9 || .7 || .3 || 8.5
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 80 || 1 || 26.2 || .461 || .346 || .774 || 4.2 || 1.4 || .7 || .4 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 76 || 16 || 27.4 || .430 || .412 || .771 || 4.1 || 1.8 || 1.0 || .6 || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 74 || 22 || 26.9 || .420 || .326 || .793 || 4.1 || 1.4 || .9 || .4 || 11.7
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 80 || 70 || 29.5 || .443 || .366 || .780 || 4.9 || 1.3 || .9 || .6 || 13.3
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 42 || 42 || 32.0 || .443 || .362 || .762 || 4.9 || 2.1 || .9 || .4 || 14.1
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...


| 24 || 23 || 31.1 || .452 || .406 || .813 || 4.8 || 1.4 || 1.0 || .2 || 15.8
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | New York
| 71 || 68 || 27.3 || .439 || .409 || .786 || 3.3 || 1.5 || .6 || .2 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Chicago
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...


| 3 || 0 || 10.7 || .375 || .167 || .000 || 1.3 || .7 || .0 || .3 || 4.3
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Phoenix
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...


| 26 || 10 || 24.4 || .435 || .429 || .667 || 4.9 || .7 || .6 || .2 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | L.A. Clippers
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...


| 76 || 24 || 27.0 || .414 || .382 || .708 || 5.0 || 2.3 || .7 || .4 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | L.A. Clippers
| 63 || 51 || 30.8 || .413 || .306 || .752 || 5.1 || 2.7 || .6 || .5 || 12.4
|-
| 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" | L.A. Clippers
| 10 || 5 || 22.0 || .378 || .300 || .618 || 4.6 || 1.0 || .3 || .1 || 9.5
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | New York
| 36 || 1 || 21.5 || .461 || .421 || .806 || 3.1 || 1.3 || .6 || .3 || 9.6
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Chicago
| 18 || 0 || 14.1 || .400 || .442 || .700 || 2.3 || .7 || .3 || .0 || 5.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Dallas
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...


| 18 || 1 || 15.8 || .462 || .372 || .875 || 2.3 || .8 || .6 || .1 || 7.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 824 || 408 || 25.9 || .437 || .369 || .758 || 4.1 || 1.5 || .7 || .4 || 11.5

Playoffs

|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...


| align="left" | Milwaukee
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....


| 3 || 3 || 20.0 || .444 || .000 || .583 || 4.0 || .3 || .3 || .3 || 7.7
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...


| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 5 || 0 || 28.4 || .492 || .333 || .824 || 4.8 || 2.0 || .2 || .8 || 15.4
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
2001 NBA Playoffs
The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...


| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 18 || 0 || 26.6 || .448 || .431 || .815 || 4.5 || 1.6 || .5 || .6 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....


| align="left" | Milwaukee
| 6 || 5 || 31.8 || .462 || .571 || .719 || 4.8 || 1.3 || .5 || 1.0 || 17.8
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...


| align="left" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...


| 1 || 1 || 22.0 || .400 || .000 || .800 || 5.0 || 3.0 || .0 || .0 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...


| align="left" | Phoenix
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...


| 20 || 14 || 31.8 || .491 || .444 || .776 || 6.3 || 1.3 || .9 || .4 || 15.1
|-
| 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" | Chicago
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...


| 2 || 0 || 7.5 || .300 || .250 || .000 || 1.5 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 55 || 23 || 28.1 || .468 || .436 || .772 || 5.1 || 1.4 || .6 || .5 || 13.3

External links

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