Kirk Hinrich

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Kirk Hinrich
Position Point guard/Shooting guard
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg)
Team Chicago Bulls
Nationality Flag of United States United States
Born January 2, 1981
Sioux City, Iowa
College Kansas
Draft 7th overall, 2003
Chicago Bulls
Pro career 2003 – present
Awards All-Rookie First Team (2004)

Kirk James Hinrich (help·info) (born January 2, 1981 in Sioux City, Iowa) is an NBA basketball player, currently starting at point guard for the Chicago Bulls. He is also a member of the USA National Team.

Hinrich was exposed to basketball at an early age, due to his father being a high school basketball coach in Sioux City, Hinrich's father coached him from the third grade through high school.[1] As a high school senior, Hinrich was named the 1999 Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball, along with future college teammate and roomate, Nick Collison.[1] Hinrich originally committed to play basketball at Iowa State but when the coach at the time Tim Floyd took the head coaching position for the NBA's Chicago Bulls, Hinrich changed his mind and decided to attend the University of Kansas.[2] While playing college basketball for Kansas, Hinrich helped his team reach the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament in 2002 and the championship game against the Carmelo Anthony led Syracuse University in 2003.[3] Hinrich played all four years at Kansas before being drafted to the NBA.

Contents

[edit] College career

As a freshman at Kansas, Hinrich led the team in assists with the single-season sum of 123, which was the fourth most ever by a Kansas freshman.[4] In his sophomore year at Kansas, Hinrich totaled 229 assists, which was the fourth-best single-season mark in Kansas Jayhawk history.[4] He averaged 6.9 assists (8th in nation) and established a school record with a .505 three-point shooting mark (which is the percentage of shots that have gone in from behind the three point line), leading the Big 12. Hinrich also led the team in steals.

Hinrich was voted onto the "All-Big 12 Second Team" (by the Associated Press) and awarded the " All Third Team" status (coaches).[4] He was also named to the "Big 12 All-Improved Team" and won the "Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award". In his junior year with Kansas, he helped lead the Jayhawks to the Final Four, and was voted onto the "All-Big 12 Second Team" (for both coaches and media). He also earned Kansas’ "Ted Owens Defensive Player Award". He topped the team in free throw shooting and three-point shooting (also led Big 12 in the latter), while ranking second in assists (5.0 apg), minutes played (30.9 mpg) and third in scoring and steals.[4] In his senior year with the Jayhawks, Hinrich helped guide Kansas get to the NCAA Championship Game and was named the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region's "Most Outstanding Player". He ranked second on the team in scoring (fourth in the Big 12), led team in three-pointers made, along with 3.5 assists (second on team), 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals a game.[4]

[edit] NBA career

Hinrich was selected by Chicago in the 2003 NBA Draft with the seventh overall pick, resulting in mild surprise because he had been expected to be picked lower. Some doubted that his college game would translate successfully to the professional league, in part because he played shooting guard for his final two years in college, but is considered too small to play that position competitively. Being picked that high in the draft is credited to a good workout in front of NBA team scouts. [5] The Chicago Bulls also developed a sudden need for another point guard, as Jay Williams was severely injured in a motorcycle accident - as it forced the Bulls to consider the best point guard available, not the best player available.

Hinrich met with misfortune when he suffered an acute viral infection shortly before the beginning of his first season, requiring months to fully recover.[6] However, he played well after his recovery[6], showing a continued good grasp of fundamental skills, solid playmaking, leadership, and a surprising defensive intensity. He solidified his position as the Bulls' starting point guard and was named to the NBA's 2004 All-Rookie first team. He held the distinction for being the only rookie during that season to record a triple-double, with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists versus the Golden State Warriors on February 28, 2004.[7] During this same season, Hinrich's shot accuracy inside the three-point line (38.6 percent on field goals) was actually poorer than from behind it (39.0 percent on three-pointers). Hinrich was named to the NBA's "Got Milk? All-Rookie First Team" along with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh.[8] He was also awarded the Bulls' Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award or Player of the Year award (POY) for the 03-04 season.[9]

Hinrich was involved in a minor scuffle between the Bulls and Wizards in the preseason of his second year in the league, for which he was fined $10,000. On a drive to the basket, then Wizard’s player Larry Hughes head butted Hinrich out of bounds, which prompted former team mates Antonio Davis and Eddy Curry to get into a small fight with Wizards center Brendan Haywood. Hughes, Haywood, Curry and Davis were all suspended at least one game by the NBA.[10] The Bulls later met the Wizards in the first round of the playoffs and the possible start of a rivalry was born.[11]

In his second year, Hinrich's field goal percentage went up to .397 a marginal improvement. Though he started his second year as the teams starting point guard, he was moved to the shooting guard spot nine games into the season, due to the teams 0-9 start. Ben Gordon was moved to the bench, as the Bulls 6th man. The player who took over the starting point guard spot was rookie Chris Duhon. After this move was made, the Bulls started to gain team chemistry and the starting line up was geared more towards defense, with Gordon coming off the bench to spark the teams' scoring. The Bulls then made a run throughout the rest of the season to finish 47-35, becoming the first team ever to start off 0-9 and reach the playoffs, where they earned the 4th seed in the eastern conference. After winning the first two games of their series with the Washington Wizards, they lost the next four, including a last second loss at home in game 5, and were eliminated.[12] During the off-season (the period of time between seasons) of Hinrichs second year the Bulls exercised the fourth-year option on his contract, meaning he is now signed through the 2006-07 NBA season. [13]

In his third year in the NBA, Hinrich's field-goal percentage went up to 41%; although his three point shooting went down to 35%. Hinrich has been a good free throw shooter as well, shooting at 80.5 percent for his career average thus far. The team traded away Antonio Davis and Eddy Curry in the off season and the team struggled until making a late season run to gain the 7th seed in the play-offs where they faced the eventual champs Miami Heat, in the first round. It was in the third game of the series the Heat's James Posey shoulder tackled Hinrich, as he ran the fastbreak.[14]

Hinrich ended the 2005-2006 season averaging a career high: 15.9 ppg (points per game), a team-high 6.4 apg (assists per game), and 3.6 rpg (rebounds per game), while shooting a career high 41.8% from the field and a career high 81.5% from the free throw line. He was the only member of the Chicago Bulls to average more than one steal per game in the 2005-2006 campaign.

Hinrich received a multi-year contract extension on October 31, which was the deadline for the deal, otherwise Hinrich would have become a restricted free agent. Bulls GM John Paxson was quoted as saying, "Kirk Hinrich is imperative to the foundation of our organization and we are extremely pleased to have him with us long term. We are attempting to build a team based on character and commitment and these are both traits that Kirk possesses at a very high level. This is a very good day for the Chicago Bulls organization." [15]

[edit] International career

In July 2006, Hinrich was officially named to the "United States national basketball team", that hope to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.[16] He was initially invited to participate in February 2006, but declined due to the pressure of making a decision in the midst of a competitive NBA season with the Chicago Bulls: "When I initially turned it down, I don't know if I really knew what I was doing," Hinrich said. "It was in the middle of a long season. I was focused on what we were doing. After the season was over, I was thinking that I someday might regret it. To get another chance to reconsider, I feel lucky." [17] After his 2005-2006 NBA season ended, Hinrich changed his mind and accepted a spot on the team's roster.

The roster first fielded more than 20 players and was then cut down to 15 players, among which is Hinrich. The final roster will have 12 players.[18] Hinrich was chosen as one of the 12 players that are competing in the FIBA World Championship in Japan.[19]

Hinrich learned of the death of his grandfather, and left the US training camp in Las Vegas early in the morning of July 25 to return to his hometown of Sioux City, Iowa. Before leaving Hinrich met with the USA basketball media and commented on traveling overseas with the US national team. “I’m just really excited to have an opportunity to represent the country and go after a world championship,” he said. “That’s a big deal. I’m excited to be a part of it. It’s really a huge step in my career, and I’m excited to represent my country. It was great to get out here and compete with these guys [the US national team] and get to know them. Slowly we’re becoming a team, and it’s great to see and great to take part in it.” [20]

Hinrich started the United States' exhibition game against Lithuania, in which he scored 10 points, had 2 steals, and shot 80% from the field in a US win. After the game Hinrich was asked about starting the game, "We're playing in groups right now. I know when I get my time, I just try to make the best of it, make sure our team is successful. It's one of those deals when you play in groups in spurts like that, it's a little bit tougher. But, you don't hold back and give it everything you got because you know you'll be rested a lot."[21]

The US team played the Greece national team in the FIBA world Championship semi final, which they lost 101-95. Hinrich connected on a three point shot with 2:41 to play in the game to bring the US within 5 points, but was then called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Greece center Sofoklis Schortsanitis.[22] The US team then played against the Argentine team for the bronze medal in the FIBA World Championship. In this game Hinrich played against NBA team mate Andrés Nocioni. The US won the game 96-81, to take the bronze medal in the tournament.[23]

[edit] References and notes

  1. ^ a b - NBA official biography URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  2. ^ - Hinrich changes mind about Iowa State, because Tim Floyd accepts job in NBA URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  3. ^ - 2003 NCAA Mens' Division I Basketball Championship game URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  4. ^ a b c d e - NBA Prospect stats URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  5. ^ - 2003 NBA Mock draft and scouting report for Kirk Hinrich URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  6. ^ a b - Hinrich makes his point URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  7. ^ - Hinrich only rookie to record a triple double in the 2003-04 season URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  8. ^ - Hinrich named among the NBA's 2003-04 All Rookie First Team URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  9. ^ - Hinrich named Bulls POY URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  10. ^ - Hinrich fined, other players suspended URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  11. ^ - Rivalry between Washington and Chicago URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  12. ^ - Wizard beat Bulls URL last accessed on 2006-07-27
  13. ^ - Hinrich's option picked up by the Bulls URL last accessed on 2006-07-27
  14. ^ - Heat‘s Posey hits Hinrich with shoulder URL last accessed on 2006-07-27
  15. ^ - Bulls.com article on Hinrich's contract extension URL last accesed on 2006-11-01
  16. ^ - Hinrich Named To USA Basketball Men's National Team URL last accessed on 2006-07-26.
  17. ^ - Hinrich waits for contract extension, talks about Team USA URL last accessed on 2006-08-07
  18. ^ - Hinrich among 15 left on the USA Basketball team URL last accessed on 2006-07-26
  19. ^ - Daily Southtown article on the FIBA World Championship URL last accessed 2006-08-19
  20. ^ - Hinrich learns of grandfathers death, and comments on being on the US national team URL last accessed on 2006-07-27
  21. ^ - Interview from InsideHoops, with Kirk Hinrich and Chris Paul URL last accessed 2006-08-15
  22. ^ - Game Report, Greece vs United States, 101-95, Semi-final URL last accessed 2006-09-02
  23. ^ - Game Report, United States vs Argentina, Bronze Medal Game 96-81 URL last accessed 2006-09-02

[edit] External links

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