| Nickname(s) | Mini T-Mac T-Mac |
|---|---|
| Position | Point Guard |
| Height | 5 ft 9.25 in (1.76 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| League | Lega Serie A |
| Team | Virtus Bologna |
| Born | October 18, 1977 Fayetteville, North Carolina |
| Nationality | USA |
| High school | Hoke County High School, Raeford, North Carolina |
| College | Clemson |
| Draft | Undrafted, 1999 |
| Pro career | 1999–present |
| Career history | BCM Gravelines (1999–00) Braunschweig Metabox (2000–01) Fayetteville Patriots (2001–03) Carife Ferrara (2003–04) Upea Capo d'Orlando (2004–05) Reggio Emilia (2005–06) Montepaschi Siena (2006–10) Unicaja Málaga (2010-11) |
| Awards | Italian League MVP: 2007 3x Italian League Finals MVP: 2008, 2009, 2010 Italian SuperCup MVP: 2008 2x All-Euroleague First Team: 2008, 2009 |
Lance Terrell McIntyre (born October 18, 1977 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Virtus Bologna in Italy. He is 5'9¼" (1.76 m) tall and plays at the point guard position.
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McIntyre played college basketball for Clemson University's basketball team the Clemson Tigers. The diminutive guard left his mark on the history books of the college and is still considered one of its best players of all-time. McIntyre is the second leading scorer in the history of Clemson basketball. As a freshman, the young guard averaged 12.7 points and 3 assists per game. As a Sophomore, McIntyre became the leading guard for Clemson, averaging 16.4 points and 4.4 assists per game. The next year, as a Junior, McIntyre averaged 14 points per game and he improved his shooting percentage dramatically, jumping from 42% from the field to 50% from the field. He also improved his defense by adding some weight, which helped him to get more steals (2 per game) and rebounds (3 per game). McIntyre had his best year at Clemson as a senior. He was able to lead Clemson to the final game of the 1999 National Invitation Tournament and he also performed excellently on the stat sheets. McIntyre scored 18 points, dished 5.3 assists and made almost three 3 pointers per game (40%) in his senior season.
After he went undrafted into the NBA, McIntyre decided to play overseas. His first stop was the French Pro A club of Gravelines. McIntyre played in only 14 games for the French ball club. His averages were 19 points (53% field goals, 2.2 made 3s), 5.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game. After that year, McIntyre moved to the German League in order to play for the small club of Braunschweig. McIntyre played in only 15 games with Braunschweig, averaging 18.5 points and 7 assists per game.
After playing in Germany, McIntyre decided to move back to the United States, and he signed with the NBA D-League club the Fayetteville Patriots. His performance that year in the D-League, 15.3 points and 4.9 assists per game, helped McIntyre to get into the NBA Summer League and to then sign a contract with the NBA club the New Orleans Hornets. Although he was waived before the regular season started and came back to Fayetteville. McIntyre averaged 12.3 points, 5.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game that year with Fayetteville. That performance however was not enough for him to earn another NBA contract and McIntyre decided to go back to Europe and play in Italy.
McIntyre's career in Italy started in the Italian Second Division. He signed a contract with Carife Ferrera for the 2003-04 season. He averaged 17.5 points (54.6% 2FG, 46% on 3.3 made 3 pointers per game) and 3.6 assists per game. He then signed with Capo d'Orlando the next year and he averaged 18.7 points and 4.7 assists per game with them. He then moved to Reggio Emilia, and played in the Italian First Division in the 2005-06 season. He had his first chance to compete in the second highest level of Europe, by playing with the team in the ULEB Cup competition. McIntyre averaged 16.9 points (46% 2FG and 43% from 3, including 3 made 3 pointers per game) and 4.2 assists in the Italian League, and 15.1 points and 4.2 assists in the ULEB Cup. The next year, McIntyre joined Montepaschi Siena.
In his first year in Siena, he began the year coming off the bench and played in the club's 6th-man role, backing up both Joseph Forte and Rimantas Kaukėnas. During the season, McIntyre became the club's starting point guard. His shooting touch and excellent defense played a major key, alongside his great leadership skills, in helping Siena win the Italian Championship. He averaged 11 points and 2.8 assists with Montepaschi in the ULEB Cup. The next season, he averaged 13.8 points (3 made 3 pointers per game), 4.9 assists and 2.5 steals in the Euroleague, and he helped Siena make it to the Euroleague Final Four, where they lost in the semifinals to Maccabi Tel Aviv. McIntyre was then sought after by several Euroleague clubs, but a huge buy-out mark in his contract kept him in Siena for the 2008-09 season. In the Euroleague 2008-09 season, McIntyre averaged 17.3 points (69% 2FG, 40% on 3 PT FG), 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
He signed a 2 year contract with the Spanish ACB League club Unicaja Málaga in 2010.[1]
In July 2011 he returned to Italy by signing a two-year contract with Virtus Bologna.[2]
At only 5'9¼" (1.76 m), McIntyre brings amazing energy and feel for the game, a fact that helped Montepaschi Siena win titles in Italy, like the Italian Championship in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010. The dynamic player came onto the European basketball scene out of nowhere. McIntyre earned All-Euroleague First Team selections for the Euroleague 2007-08 and Euroleague 2008-09 seasons and he is considered to be one of the best point guards in Europe.
Generally, McIntyre is considered to be an excellent offensive point guard. He is a pesky defender on the ball and is one of quicker players in European basketball. However, his decision making is not at the top of European standards. McIntyre also tends to shoot the ball too often from down town, and cannot really guard bigger (as in average size) point guards. He's still doing his best in scoring and playing the pick-and-roll game, and even though his size hurts him, he is still a decent defender overall. The leadership skills and heart he brings to the game make him a competent floor general.