Sam Mackinnon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Position | Guard/Forward |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Slammin' Sam |
| Height | 197cm |
| Weight | 104kg |
| Team | Brisbane Bullets (NBL) |
| Nationality |  Australia |
| Born | August 25, 1976 Melbourne, Victoria |
| Junior Association | Diamond Valley |
| Debut | 1994 |
| Previous Clubs | South East Melbourne Magic 1994-98 Townsville Crocodiles 1999-2001 West Sydney Razorbacks 2002-2005 Brisbane Bullets 2006-Current |
| Championships | 1996, 2007 |
| Career Highlights | 1994 NBL Rookie of the Year 2000, 2004, 2007 All NBL First Team |
Sam Mackinnon has had an exceptional basketball career and it is believed that Mackinnon is the greatest Australian basketball player to have not played in the NBA.[citation needed] His career began in 1994 with the South East Melbourne Magic when he won Rookie of the Year. Two seasons later, Sam went to become one of the dominant players for South East Melbourne and they won the NBL championship in 1996.
After South East Melbourne folded, Sam was signed by the Townsville Crocs at the beginning of the 1999 season. And it wasn't long before Townsville became serious title contenders. In 2001, Townsville made the Grand Final, however Sam missed the series due to injury. Once his contract ended in Townsville, Sam elected to sign with the West Sydney Razorbacks where he become their captain and put up career best numbers in his first season. During the following season Sam led West Sydney into the NBL Grand Final series against cross-town rivals Sydney. Sydney won the series 3-2.
Keen to win another NBL championship, Sam decided not to sign with West Sydney and instead signed with the re-emerging Brisbane Bullets. And although Brisbane somewhat struggled during the 2006 season, Sam Mackinnon demonstrated that he is still a dominant force in the NBL by putting up career best numbers during the 2007 season to lead the Bullets to their first championship in 20 years. During the off-season there had been much speculation concerning whether or not Sam would be signed as a free agent in the NBA. The offer of playing in the NBA never came and Sam re-signed with the Bullets.
He was the first player to win the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Grand Final MVP in league history in the same season. Unfortunately, knee injuries sidelined him for most of the 2007-08 season.
Sam Mackinnon is a regular member of the Boomers squad, that saw him compete in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. Perhaps his greatest achievement whilst playing for Australia was winning a gold medal during the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Mackinnon was also named captain of the Boomer squad for the more recent Olympic Qualifying series against New Zealand.
[edit] Awards
- NBL Rookie of the Year (1994)
- NBL Best Defensive Player (2007)
- NBL Most Valuable Player (2007)
- NBL Grand Final MVP (2007)
- Australian International Player of the Year (2007)
[edit] Links
| Preceded by Chris Blakemore |
NBL Rookie of the Year 1994 |
Succeeded by John Rillie |
| Preceded by Chris Anstey |
NBL Most Valuable Player 2007 |
Succeeded by N/A |
|
|||||
