Maurice Cheeks

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Cheeks as a Sixers guard

Maurice "Mo" Edward Cheeks (born September 8, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former professional basketball player. He is the current head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, having been hired on May 23, 2005. He was head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers from the start of the 2001-02 season until March 2, 2005, when he was fired from the position.

[edit] Biography

Cheeks attended West Texas State University from 1975 to 1978. After college, he was selected as the 36th pick in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Cheeks played 15 years as a point guard in the NBA (11 with the 76ers), earning four trips to the All-Star Game. He helped the 76ers earn three trips to the NBA Finals in a four-year span in the early 1980s (1980, 1982, and 1983), including one NBA championship in 1983.

In NBA history he ranks third all-time in steals and eighth all-time in assists.

On April 25, 2003, during a playoff game between the Trail Blazers and the Dallas Mavericks, Cheeks aided Natalie Gilbert in singing the National Anthem. After Gilbert forgot the words at "At the twilight's last gleaming", Cheeks rushed over to help her. Cheeks received a standing ovation after the song was over.

There is a photo of Cheeks on the last page of the NBA Live 2004 instruction manual for Hardwood Classics jerseys. His jersey is also in the EA Sports Hall Of Fame feature.

Preceded by Mike Dunleavy	Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach 2001–2005	Succeeded by Kevin Pritchard (interim)
Preceded by Jim O'Brien	Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach 2005–	Succeeded by N/A