Clarence McDonald
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| Position | Guard, Forward |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Born | July 12, 1975 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| College | San Diego State University |
| Draft | Overall Pick No. 24, 1996 Houston Rockets |
| Pro career | 1996–- |
| Former teams | Houston Rockets (1996-1999); Adelaide 69ers (2000-05); Sydney Crows (2005-2008) Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-) |
Clarence Eric McDonald (born 12 July 1975 in Boston, Massachusetts) is a current player in the NBA and Australian International player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He stands at 6 ft 8 in (203 cm), and weighs 220 lb (100 kg).
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[edit] Early life
McDonald was born in the Brooks Hospital in Allston, around 15 miles from Inner-City Boston. His parents moved from Boston after his father, John Cambridge McDonald was arrested and jailed for 15 years, after murdering Italian-American gang member Fernando Isuru Rodriguez, when Clarence was four years old. He, his mother, Florence, and his 8 year-old sibling Marcus, moved to Brooklyn, New York, as Florence wanted her children to be far away from John Cambridge as possible.
[edit] Schooling
Clarence was schooled at Dwight School throughout his elementary years. It was here where he learnt of his excelling basketball skills, where he played Guard, and was the leading point-scorer every season. He then attended Beacon High School due to financial pressures, where he made the basketball team every year since arrival, and was the leading point-scorer in the 1993 State Championship Team. In 1994, he accepted a scholarship to San Diego State University, where he averaged 25.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in his debut season.
[edit] Early basketball career
McDonald's basketball career excelled throughout his schooling years, making every team, and always leading in most stats. He followed in his brother's footsteps, who fell ill and missed his chance to get drafted. However, the younger Clarence was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1996 NBA Draft.
[edit] Early NBA career
McDonald played a total of 49 games for the Rockets between 1996 - 1998. In this time, he averaged 11.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. His best game was in October of the 1997-98 season against The Lakers, where he shot 94% three-pointers, and scored a total of 35 points for the match. In his best defensive game, he kept the then in-form guard Michael Jordan, to just 8 points against The Bulls, in January of the 1996-97 season. He was plagued by injury for most of his NBA career, and was often labeled inconsistent by the media. A perfect example of this was the Saturday evening before the Lakers game, where he managed just 3 points, and 1 rebound against New York. He spent a total of 34 minutes on the court, which is no excuse to produce statistics like so. On 2 August 1999, he was officially cut from the Rockets, making him a free agent.
[edit] Personal life
After failed to be signed by any club during the 1999 Free Agency Period, he got a job working at a Liquor Store. It was here he met Helen Jane Ackland, whom he went on to marry 6 months later, on the 3rd February 2000. Before hand, he had a string of girlfriends, including the then 16 year-old Britney Spears, but the relationship only lasted a few weeks. He now has two children with his current wife, Charles Edmondson (born 23rd December 2000), and Carla May (born 11th March 2003).
[edit] Current basketball career
[edit] Debut Season
In 2000, he continued to play basketball for San Diego State, tallying big numbers. (He was studying Journalism at the time). It was during this period that he was scouted by the Adelaide 69ers, who took him as an import through the 2000-01 NBL Draft. He was a huge hit in his debut season, playing all 33 games, and averaging 28.1 points, an all-time high for the 69ers. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds, which was the highest average achieved by a guard, during the season. He received the NBL Rookie of the Year award, and also placed 4th in the NBL MVP award.
[edit] 2001-02 season
McDonald's second year took a similar jist to his debut one. He averaged 26.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 9.1 assists. In one game, in round 14 against the Tassie Devils, he scored 42 points, including 89% three-point shooting, and pulled down 7 rebounds. He Received the round 14 Player of the Week award, and also was nominated for the best "Slam Dunk", in which he flew over two players, including fellow American and USA International Reyshawn Evans, and slammed the ball in the ring, swinging on the rim for more than 4 seconds. He, once again, played all 33 games, and placed 7th in the MVP award.
[edit] 2002-03 season
Clarence suffered a form slump mid-season, which destroyed his otherwise relatively good season. He managed 23 games, averaging 22.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists. During his 7 game form decrease, he only managed to score an average of 9.9 points, 0.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists. This included a 41% field-goal percentage. Despite that, he had some defining moments. This included starting on the bench for the Western All-Star team, in which they won 111-101. McDonald scored 19 points off the bench, and pulled 4 rebounds. He was awarded the Most Solid Player award, which included a 6 month supply of Gatorade. He finished the season well, scoring 29 points in the semi-final against the Melbourne Chargers, in which they lost 109-106. He had an opportunity to win the game, receiving the ball just outside the three-point line, approximately 45 degrees from the ring, a position where he had the highest success rate from in his NBA Career. (61%) He decided to pass to teammate Andrew Barlow, who missed the shot, and the Chargers rebounded, holding the ball up to secure a historic victory. After that game, he became an Australian Citizen, which enabled him to lose his import status, to make him eligible for the MVP award, and to play in the Australian International Team.
[edit] 2003-04 season
In this season, McDonald was injured for the entire season, as he tore his Achilles Tendon at pre-season training, which unfortunately side-lined him for 6 months. The Niners managed a grand-final berth, but lost the series 7-0.
[edit] 2005-06 season
On the eve of the 2005-06 NBL Draft, Clarence walked out on the 69ers after an altercation with the head coach, James Wilson, involving tampering with McDonald's Contract, in which he cut $40,000 off his salary, and removed all bonuses and luxuries. In the Courier, journalist Sam Stevens quoted McDonald to have said this to Wilson :
Why would you do this, you F***ing idiot, I made myself a technical Australian, I moved from my home country, I sacrificed everything I lived for, just for you, and this f***ing team, and you go and f**k with my contract? I'm packing my bags, you pig, and I can't wait until I score more than 40 points against you and your f***ing team.
It is believed Wilson did this to remove financial pressures, but edited McDonald's contract illegally, and targeted him on purpose. On the 19th August 2005, Clarence signed a 3 year deal with the Sydney Crows, which included all the same terms, conditions and payments his last contract originally had. McDonald had a stellar year, possibly his best yet, in which he averaged 28.4 points, and 5.1 rebounds. This included 9.4 steals, a 83% three-point average and 7.4 assists. There was a lot of Media attention leading to the clash between his former club, in which he was labeled "arrogant" by his former teammates. He delivered perfectly, scoring 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, achieving his 50th double-double in his career. Adelaide Small-Forward and Captain Michael Parsons quoted :
Although McDonald said some things that stirred the pot a bit, at both clubs, he was able to back it up with a good performance, and was hard to stop. I think he will be a huge chance for the MVP.
The Crows won the game comfortably, 123-88. He continued his fine form, and tied for second in the MVP, losing to established centre Andrew Evans.
[edit] 2006-07 season
McDonald continued his roller-coaster NBL season, where he sat most of the season on the sidelines with a chronic knee problem. He played a total of 13 games, averaging 23.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 5.5 steals. He excelled in free throws, making 25-25, to give him a perfect 100%. Although he was fit to play the last 5 games of the season, he chose to rest up for the selection camp of the Australian National Team, which consisted of a 60-man squad, which would be cut down week by week until the last 10 players would remain. He did extremely well throughout the duration of the camp, selected as the starting Shooting Guard over much-decorated Brisbane Captain Shane Wesley. The team that was selected remains so until the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, unless injury or poor performance occurs. However, McDonald played in the playoffs, in which they won the title, 4-3. In one game, he scored 34 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, achieving his 5th triple-double in his career. At the end of the season, he was elected captain by his fellow players and staff after veteran point guard Mickey McLeod retired from captaincy.
[edit] 2007-08 season
The 2007-08 season was the last he had with the NBL. He had been likened Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson of the NBA, and had been said to be the greatest player to ever grace a basketball court in Australia. In an exhibition match against last years NBA champions San Antonio, he scored an amazing 46 points, along with 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Up until his move to Oklahoma, he average 27.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.9 rebounds.
Move back to the NBA
On the 24th January 2008, Clarence signed a 1 year, 1.55 million contract with the Oklahoma Thunder. In a press conference, McDonald stated he wanted to move back to the US, after learning his mother had become terminally ill. He broke down in tears as he tried to explain his love for Australia and the NBL. The Thunder needed a replacement for injured reserve Jamal Crawford, as they fell below the minimum level of players required. McDonald did not disappoint in his debut against Chicago, scoring 20 points, and saying to have "Schooled" Luol Deng. Since his debut, he has played a total of 15 games, starting in every one of them. ESPN Commentator Kenny Smith said:
I Cannot believe this guy actually was cut from the Rockets. He's a dynamo!
He currently averages 15.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists so far, and is the third-highest scorer for the Thunder, behind Stephen Jackson and Marvin Lee.
[edit] International career
McDonald has achieved a total of 26 international caps (15 in USA, 11 in AUS). He currently averages 19.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.4 assists. His best performance was in the Athens 2004 Olympics, in which he scored 35 points against Croatia, a game in which Australia won comfortably, 169-30. This was his first game back since injuring his achilles a year before. After the injury of Aussie Captain Andrew Evans, McDonald was a chance to obtain the helm, but everyone was sure Papua New Guinea Small Forward Jimmy Goldsworthy would win out. On the eve of the last Olympic qualifier against the USA, Clarence was officially named captain, in a press conference held in Sydney. This mounted speculation throughout the media, as people did not think an American Player would fit as a good captain. McDonald replied, saying :
I am shocked at the publics reaction to this. I am an Australian Citizen. I am as Australian as (Andrew) Evans. He came to Australia from New Zealand when he was my age! I can't believe such things could happen.
Australia lost that game, 109-100. Tall Forward Andrew Jamson missed 3 three-pointers in a row, allowing the USA to score fast-break points.
[edit] Player Profile
McDonald is classified as a Swingman, who can play both Shooting Guard and Small Forward. With his height, he can also play Power Forward, and in some situations, Center. He is known Mostly for his athletic style of play. He is able to find easy buckets by usually leaping over the defense, and sometimes dunking it. He also has a great three-point shot, and hardly lifts his feet off the ground when he shoots. His low-post game is often forgotten about, and usually makes defenders pay when he gets down there. He does, however, lack a mid-range shot, and often gets impatient on defense, usually getting called for reaching in fouls. He is also known to lose his temper, and on one occasion in a Rockets-Clippers game in 1998, he threatened to choke an official after he was called for a loose-ball foul. Apart from that, he is known as good all-rounded player, with offensive and defensive skills.
[edit] References
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mickey McLeod |
Sydney Crows Captain 2007 |
Succeeded by Nick Jamison |
| Preceded by Andrew Evans |
Australian International Captain 2007 |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Awards | ||
| Preceded by Garrant Harbrow |
2001-02 Rookie Of the Year Award list 2000 - 2002 |
Succeeded by Slhegi H'Aan |
| Preceded by Sean Gooding |
2004-05 Runner Up MVP Award list 2002 |
Succeeded by Mickey McLeod |
