| No. 32 New York Knicks | |
|---|---|
| Small forward/Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Date of birth | July 14, 1984 |
| Place of birth | Staten Island, New York |
| Nationality | American / Puerto Rican |
| High school | Laurinburg Institute |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | South Carolina |
| NBA Draft | 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 2006–present |
| Career history | |
| 2006–2008 | New York Knicks |
| 2008–2011 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2011–present | New York Knicks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at NBA.com | |
Renaldo Balkman (born July 14, 1984 in Staten Island, New York) is an American professional basketball player, formerly of the University of South Carolina. He currently plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has represented the Puerto Rico national team in international competition.[1][2] His nickname is "Taz".[3]
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Prior to attending Laurinburg Institute, he was at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. At Laurinburg, he led his team to 40-2 record and No. 1 national prep school ranking.
Balkman was a little known player in high school at the Laurinburg Institute, but he was discovered in 2002 by University of South Carolina coach Dave Odom, who instantly saw his potential. According to Odom, "I remember the first time I saw Renaldo Balkman. I was sitting in Orlando in a gym with (South Carolina assistant coach) Barry Sanderson and I asked him 'who is that kid with the dreadlocks? That's the guy we need'. He came back and said nobody knows his name."[4] Balkman was recruited and signed by Carolina, having received little to no interest from any other major basketball programs.
Balkman played an integral role in South Carolina's two wins over eventual national champion Florida during the 2005-2006 college basketball season. He was also the 2006 NIT Most Valuable Player, averaging 9.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.[5] Balkman's highlight for the season was a team-leading 28-point, 16-rebound, 4-steal performance in a 67-56 win over Alabama on February 14, 2006. He was 11 of 15 from the field and also had a team-high 2 blocks.[6]
For the 6-foot-8 Balkman, a defensive banger whose style Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas had likened to Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest, the 2006 NIT MVP award was a fitting capper to a three-year college career that produced 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and a .553 shooting average.
The Knicks' choice of Balkman in the first round surprised many, notably ESPN's Jay Bilas, who noted that projected lottery pick Marcus Williams was still available as well as future All-Star guard Rajon Rondo. ESPN columnist Bill Simmons, among others, joked that perhaps Isiah Thomas thought he was drafting Rolando Blackman, a former Knicks player and NBA All-Star.[7] However, other analysts praised Balkman's work ethic and attitude, as he had transformed himself from a relative unknown into a first round NBA draft pick over the course of a few months.[8] There was further controversy when the Knicks' general manager, Isiah Thomas, claimed that the Phoenix Suns were prepared to take him; the Suns claimed that he was not even "on [their] radar". In the NBA's official draft guide, which was released to all reporters covering the draft, Balkman was not included in the list of the 300 top players eligible to be drafted in the 2006-07 rookie class. However, the Knicks selected Balkman with their first of two draft picks, which was 20th overall. The Knicks later selected Mardy Collins with the 29th pick. It has also been speculated that Thomas and the Knicks selected Balkman because his agent, Leon Rose, was also the agent of then soon-to-be free agent LeBron James.[9]
In the Las Vegas Summer League before the 2006-2007 season, Balkman averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 1 block and 2.4 turnovers during the span of 5 games.[10] He played along Knick teammates Channing Frye, David Lee, Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins.
Balkman played in 68 games during the 2006–07 NBA season, averaging 15.6 minutes, 4.9 points, and 4.3 rebounds. He logged four double-doubles and showed promise, particularly on the defensive end where he was called upon to guard multiple positions, from shooting guard to center. The press praised Balkman, describing him as a "sparkplug off the bench" and a "crowd favorite for his hustle and enthusiastic defense," though he was criticized for his poor outside shooting.[11] Balkman also led the league's rookies in steals plus blocks per 48 minutes.
Balkman played in 65 games during the 2007-2008 NBA season, averaging fewer minutes, points, and rebounds than the year before.
On July 28, 2008, Balkman was traded to the Denver Nuggets along with cash considerations in exchange for Taurean Green, Bobby Jones, and a second round pick in the 2010 draft.[12] The Knicks quickly waived both Green and Jones, solidifying the fact that the deal was a salary dump.[13] Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni stated, "Renaldo really had no role after we drafted (Danilo) Gallinari, and with the emergence of Wilson Chandler his minutes would be nonexistent, so it really wasn’t fair to him to keep him in a spot that he wouldn’t play and also gives us an opportunity to clear up a roster spot and move on."[14] Said Balkman, "I'm going to make the best of my opportunity. New York was great, but that's in my past now. Denver is my future."[15] Balkman soon carved out an important role in Denver's new defensive-minded gameplan and has solidified his reputation as a high-energy contributor off the bench.
On February 22, 2011, Balkman was reacquired by the New York Knicks in a blockbuster trade which also brought Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, and Anthony Carter to New York.[16]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s basketball | ||
| Competitor for Puerto Rico | ||
| Pan American Games | ||
| Gold | 2011 Mexico | Team competition |
| Centrobasket | ||
| Gold | 2010 Dominican Republic | Team competition |
| Central American and Caribbean Games | ||
| Gold | 2010 Puerto Rico | Team competition |
In the 2010 Centrobasket held in the Dominican Republic, Balkman played with the Puerto Rico national basketball team. Puerto Rico won the gold medal.
In the 2010 Central American games held in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Balkman played with the Puerto Rico national basketball team. Puerto Rico won the gold medal.
In the 2011 Pan American games held in Guadalajara, Mexico, Balkman played with the Puerto Rico national basketball team. Puerto Rico won the gold medal.
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | New York | 68 | 1 | 15.6 | .505 | .185 | .567 | 4.3 | .6 | .8 | .6 | 4.9 |
| 2007–08 | New York | 65 | 0 | 14.6 | .489 | .083 | .432 | 3.3 | .6 | .7 | .5 | 3.4 |
| 2008–09 | Denver | 53 | 10 | 14.7 | .558 | .286 | .646 | 3.8 | .6 | .9 | .4 | 5.0 |
| 2009–10 | Denver | 13 | 1 | 7.0 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 1.8 | .5 | .6 | .2 | 1.1 |
| 2010–11 | Denver | 5 | 0 | 8.8 | .556 | .000 | .750 | .8 | .4 | .6 | .4 | 2.6 |
| 2010–11 | New York | 3 | 0 | 6.0 | .250 | .500 | .000 | 1.0 | .0 | .3 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Career | 207 | 12 | 14.2 | .511 | .164 | .535 | 3.6 | .6 | .8 | .5 | 4.1 |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Denver | 8 | 0 | 2.5 | .333 | .000 | .000 | .5 | .1 | .5 | 0 | .5 |
| Career | 8 | 0 | 2.5 | .333 | .000 | .000 | .5 | .1 | .5 | 0 | .5 |
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