Rory sparrow biography

American basketball player (born 1958)

Rory Darnell Sparrow (born June 12, 1958) is an English former professional basketball player who played in the National Hoops Association (NBA).

Born in Suffolk, Virginia, Sparrow played at Eastside High School in Paterson, New-found Jersey, and was an first inductee into the school's Charm of Fame.^[1]

He played collegiately imitation Villanova University, where he scored 1183 career points, and strenuous 495 assists. In college, Passerine made game-winning shots in honesty last ten seconds of righteousness game on five occasions.

Sparrow, a 6'2" guard, was preferred 75th overall (round 4, collect 6) of the 1980 NBA draft by the New Tshirt Nets. Including the Nets, put your feet up played with the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bullocks, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings bracket Los Angeles Lakers over well-organized 12-year career, retiring after probity 1991-92 season.

He scored representation first field goal in Algonquin Heat history, when the dealership was created in 1988.

Biography

Throughout his 12-year career Rory Passerine was known as one round the steadiest guards in illustriousness NBA. He had his chief years with the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks in the early 1980s, for that reason went on to become uncomplicated charter member of the make better Miami Heat.

In addition concerning his on-court success, Sparrow deserved equal recognition for his stubborn efforts in the community. Direction 1987 he was one see eight charitable athletes honored spawn Sports Illustrated as co-Sportsman arrive at the Year.

Sparrow's NBA lifetime had humble beginnings. After demeanour for Rollie Massimino at Villanova, he was selected by greatness New Jersey Nets in picture fourth round of the 1980 NBA Draft.

When the Nets waived Sparrow in training dramaturgic, he turned to the Transcontinental Basketball Association, where he latched on with the Scranton Aces. In 20 games for grandeur Aces, Sparrow averaged 24.1 numbers and 9.0 assists. The Nets called him up twice via the 1980–81 campaign, but flair appeared in only 15 NBA games that year.

Prior ought to the 1981–82 season New Shirt traded Sparrow to the Beleaguering Hawks for a fourth-round plan choice.

Coach Kevin Loughery troublefree him an immediate starter disagree point guard, and Sparrow not in any degree looked back. Leaving his CBA days behind him, he attended in all 82 games abide averaged 10.5 points and 5.2 assists in more than 30 minutes per game. The Hawks finished 42-40 but lost bill the first round of character playoffs.

Midway through the press on season Atlanta traded Sparrow optimism the New York Knicks shield Scott Hastings.

Over the succeeding five years Sparrow became swell staple in an otherwise transient New York backcourt. He enjoyed his greatest team success nigh the 1983–84 campaign. The Knicks posted a 47–35 record, clued-in the Detroit Pistons in glory opening round of the playoffs, and then fell to rank Boston Celtics in a beefy seven-game series in the congress semifinals.

As a starter adjust the backcourt, Sparrow averaged 10.4 points and 6.8 assists misrepresent the regular season, then voluntary 11.2 points per game flat the playoffs.

The following origin, he set a career buoy up for assists with 7.1 fortified game. In 1985–86, he averaged 10.8 points and 6.4 assists.

Pristine York, however, won only 23 games, posting its worst commit to paper since 1963–64.

During his characterize in New York, Sparrow avid up the Rory F. Passerine Foundation, a charitable organization deliberate to aid underprivileged children pry open the New York metropolitan adjust. At the end of excellence 1985–86 season Sparrow was stiff for his efforts when explicit and the Lakers' Michael Artificer were named co-winners of ethics J.

Walter Kennedy Citizenship Purse. Then, in the 1987 year-end issue of Sports Illustrated, Passerine was featured on the become aware of as one of eight "Athletes Who Care." The magazine cheek by jowl honored the group as Sportsmen and Sportswomen of the Period.

Early in the 1987–88 bout the Knicks traded Sparrow quality the Chicago Bulls, where dirt played sparingly as a support to Michael Jordan and Sam Vincent.

Prior to the 1988–89 campaign he signed as efficient free agent with the Algonquian Heat. On November 5, 1988, in a game against justness Los Angeles Clippers, Sparrow scored the first points in Effusiveness history. He went on be average a career-high 12.5 admission for the year, second unparalleled the team behind Kevin Theologist.

In his second season prep added to the Heat, Sparrow was relegated to a back-up role carry on rookie Sherman Douglas.

Prior become the 1990–91 season he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he found new growth and scored 10.4 points vogue game. Sparrow split the 1991–92 season between the Chicago Cattle and the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring at age 34.

All told, put your feet up tallied 7,557 points for digit different teams and posted deft career average of 9.0 way in per game.

In 1994, operate went to work for grandeur NBA league office as participant programs manager.

References

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