Fabulous Flournoy

Fabulous Flournoy, 2011

Fabulous Flournoy (born July 31, 1973 in New York City, New York, U.S.) is a player and the head coach for basketball team Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League.^[1]

The 6ft3 Shooting guard/Small forward, noted for his tenacious defence and very high standards, attended Panola Junior College and was a student at NCAA Division 1 college McNeese State University, also the home college of NBA legend Joe Dumars, member of the USA Dream Team, player and now Vice President of the Detroit Pistons.

After finishing college in 1996, Flournoy signed for British Basketball League team, the Birmingham Bullets making his debut against the Greater London Leopards on September 15, 1996. In his first season alone he clocked up 780 minutes averaging 8.50 points-per-game and 7.00 rebounds-per-game. Although his minutes were marginally shaved the following season, Fab still featured in all of the Bullets' 36 games, while helping his team to runners-up sport in the Championship and success in the Play-offs, beating London Towers in the final.

The following two seasons, saw his appearances drop, featuring in only 23 games in the 1999-2000 season, although he still featured in the Play-off final against Manchester Giants where he posted 12 points in the Bullets' 65-74 loss. At the end of the season Flournoy signed for rival franchise Sheffield Sharks where he spent one year playing 34 games. With Flournoy's help, the Sharks won the BBL Northern Conference and again for Fab, finished as runners-up in the post-season Play-off's, this time losing out 75-84 to the Leicester Riders.

Flournoy moved again in 2001 when he signed for the Newcastle Eagles. After two mediocre seasons, Fab achieved two career high records in the 2003-04 season, where he played 1258 minutes with a 10.75 PPG average. This was also the season when his career took a different turn accepting the role of head coach of the Eagles, while still a player, leading the team to a 6th place finish and a Quarter-final Play-off exit with a 94-96 defeat to the Towers.

Not disheartened however, Flournoy returned the following year with a renewed sense of ambition and previous mid-tablers Newcastle took the British Basketball League by storm. Clocking up 1018 minutes, 6.92 PPG and 4.95 RPG in the 2004-05 season, Flournoy had a less than outstanding season on court, but off court he led the Eagles victories in both the Play-offs and the BBL Trophy, while finishing as runners-up to the Chester Jets in the Championship, while Fab himself picked up the BBL Coach of the Season award.

The 2005-06 season would prove to be even more remarkable for Fab, averaging 8.80 PPG and picking up 1121 minutes of action while leading the Eagles to the "Clean Sweep" of victories in the BBL Cup, Trophy, Championship and Play-offs. The incredible season was capped off by winning the bronze medal with the England national team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. He has 16 caps in total for England.

Early Life

Flournoy was brought up in The Bronxs and had no idea how to play basketball. When Flournoy was 15 years old he was introduced to basketball by his friend Kevin and he then joined the basketball team even though he did not have a clue how to play basketball. The first night of practise the coach asked Flournnoy what position he played, Flournoy not having a clue what that ment, he said "All of them" the coach then decided to take Kevin off and put Fab on. Whilst on the court Fab managed to steal the ball (From his own team) and then score in his own goal. At the end of practise Fab asked if he could play, the couch said no but Fab continued to ask the coach until the coach had enough and wanted to go home, the coach gave Fab the worst jobs including cleaning and putting things away, things a boy of 15 would dread doing, but Flournoy loved it, every time he did his jobs he would practise and practise and practise until eventually he got better and better, so much better that he got a scholarship and is now a well known Basketball player/Coach. Flournoy is 40 years old and suffers from Dyslexia although this does not stop him from achieving the best things in life. Flournoy tells his story to young people and inspires them to do good things in there lives. Flournoy has two brothers and one sister,Precious,Devine and Calvin, his oldest brother was murdered and his younger brother was shot dead.

References