Danny Granger

This article is about the American basketball player. For the English footballer, see Danny Grainger.
Danny Granger

Granger with the Pacers in 2005
No. 22 – Phoenix Suns
Position Small forward
League NBA
Personal information
Born April 20, 1983
New Orleans, Louisiana
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight 222 lb (101 kg)
Career information
High school Grace King (Metairie, Louisiana)
College Bradley (2001–2003)
New Mexico (2003–2005)
NBA draft 2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17th overall
Selected by the Indiana Pacers
Pro career 2005–present
Career history
2005–2014 Indiana Pacers
2014 Los Angeles Clippers
2014–2015 Miami Heat
2015–present Phoenix Suns
Career highlights and awards

Danny Granger, Jr. (born April 20, 1983) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is mainly a small forward, though he also logs time at the power forward position.[1] He is able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position.[2] Before his professional career, he went to Grace King High School in Metairie, Louisiana, where he was a McDonald's All-American nominee before his senior year.[3] He was a good student who scored a 30 on the ACT[2] and was offered admission to Yale University.[2] He played for Bradley University and then transferred to University of New Mexico in the middle of his sophomore year.[4]

College career

Granger started his collegiate career at Bradley University where he played the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons.[4] After a lackluster 12–18 season in 2002–03,[5] he transferred to the University of New Mexico, where he began playing during the second semester of his junior season in 2003–04,[4][6] although he wasn't eligible to start playing for the Lobos until January, 2004.[6][7] He said the reason for the transfer was because of Braves head coach Jim Les's intimidating tactics,[8] including being 'verbally abusive'.[9] In 2004–05, he became the first player in school history to get 60 assists, 60 blocks and 60 steals in a season. He won the Mountain West Conference tournament MVP and led the Lobos to the NCAA tournament.

Granger graduated with a degree in civil engineering.

In 2008 Granger made a $500,000 pledge to his alma mater in support of the Lobo Leap to Excellence capital campaign to name the new men's locker room in The Pit.

College career statistics

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001–02 Bradley 21 17 24.6 .446 .176 .790 7.1 .7 1.3 2.4 11.1
2002–03 Bradley 14 13 27.1 .518 .300 .684 7.9 1.1 1.4 1.4 19.2
2003–04 New Mexico 22 22 32.0 .491 .333 .760 9.0 2.1 1.3 1.4 19.5
2004–05 New Mexico 30 30 30.0 .524 .433 .755 8.9 2.4 2.1 2.0 18.8
Career 95 82 28.4 .496 .366 .752 8.2 1.6 1.6 1.9 16.7

NBA career

Indiana Pacers (2005–2014)

Granger shooting a free throw

Granger was selected 17th overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers,[10] as the organization included former Lobo Mel Daniels[11] and Hall of Famer Larry Bird, who was coached in college by the father of New Mexico men's coach Bob King.[12]

In his first NBA season, Granger played in 78 regular season games, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while making the All-NBA Rookie Second Team. He added 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 6 playoff games.[4]

With the departure of Peja Stojaković[13] and arrival of Al Harrington[14] during the 2006 offseason, Granger became the Pacers' starting small forward for 2006–07. After the first 15 games, he became the first man off the bench.

Since a January 17, 2007 eight-player trade with the Golden State Warriors,[15] Granger started at the small forward and shooting guard spots, mainly due to the departure of Harrington. With the second and third scoring options (Harrington and Stephen Jackson, respectively) on the team gone, he was given more chances for scoring and averaged 13.9 points per game in 2006–07.[4]

In 2007–08, Granger led the Pacers in scoring for the first time, averaging 19 points per game, while starting all 80 games he appeared in.[16]

On October 31, 2008, Granger and the Pacers agreed on a 5-year contract extension.[17] The contract paid him $9,930,500 in 2009–10 and escalates ten percent each year, ending after the 2013–14 season.[18] The finalization of the deal was announced that night, mere hours before the midnight deadline which, if passed without any agreement, would have made Granger a restricted free agent the following summer.

In the 2008–09 season, he scored a career high 42 points against the Detroit Pistons on December 12, 2008[19] and again against the Golden State Warriors on January 11, 2009.[20] On January 29, 2009 Granger was announced as an All-Star reserve for the Eastern Conference. On May 12, 2009 Danny Granger was named the Most Improved Player for 2008–09.[21] At the end of the 2008–09 season, Granger had raised his scoring average by at least five points per game each year (7.5, 13.9, 19.6, 25.8) for three consecutive years, becoming the only player in league history to do so.[4]

Following his breakout season in 2008–09, the next season was a bit of a disappointment, marred by injuries and losses. On March 26, 2010, however, Granger scored a new career-high 44 points against the Utah Jazz.[22]

In the summer of 2010, Granger participated in the FIBA World Championship, playing for the US Senior National team. On September 12, the US team won the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, beating host country Turkey 81–64.

In the 2012–13 season, Granger only played 5 games due to patellar tendinosis.[23][24]

On December 20, 2013, Granger made his season debut in a 114-81 home win against the Houston Rockets and received a standing ovation from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse crowd. In 22 minutes, he recorded 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Los Angeles Clippers (2014)

On February 20, 2014, Granger and a second-round draft pick were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen.[25] Six days later, he was bought out by the 76ers.[26][27]

On February 28, 2014, Granger signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.[28] He went on to play twelve regular season and thirteen playoff games for the Clippers.

Miami Heat (2014–2015)

On July 14, 2014, Granger signed with the Miami Heat.[29] On December 29, 2014, he scored a season-high 21 points in a 101-102 loss to the Orlando Magic.[30]

Phoenix Suns (2015–present)

On February 19, 2015, Granger was traded to the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade involving the New Orleans Pelicans.[31]

NBA career statistics

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

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2005–06 Indiana 78 17 22.6 .462 .323 .777 4.9 1.2 .7 .8 7.5
2006–07 Indiana 82 57 34.0 .459 .382 .803 4.6 1.4 .8 .7 13.9
2007–08 Indiana 80 80 36.0 .446 .404 .852 6.1 2.1 1.2 1.1 19.6
2008–09 Indiana 67 66 36.2 .447 .404 .878 5.1 2.7 1.0 1.4 25.8
2009–10 Indiana 62 62 36.7 .428 .361 .848 5.5 2.8 1.5 .8 24.1
2010–11 Indiana 79 79 35.0 .425 .386 .848 5.4 2.6 1.1 .8 20.5
2011–12 Indiana 62 62 33.3 .416 .381 .873 5.0 1.8 1.0 .6 18.7
2012–13 Indiana 5 0 14.8 .286 .200 .625 1.8 .6 .4 .2 5.4
2013–14 Indiana 29 2 22.5 .359 .330 .962 3.6 1.1 .3 .4 8.3
2013–14 L.A. Clippers 12 0 16.2 .429 .353 .857 2.3 .7 .3 .3 8.0
2014–15 Miami 30 6 20.4 .401 .357 .757 2.7 .6 .4 .2 6.3
Career 586 431 31.5 .434 .380 .848 4.9 1.9 1.0 .8 16.8
All-Star 1 0 11.0 1.000 .000 .000 1.0 .0 2.0 .0 2.0

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2006 Indiana 6 3 27.0 .529 .563 1.000 5.2 1.7 .7 1.2 8.2
2011 Indiana 5 5 36.6 .478 .348 .875 5.6 3.2 1.2 .2 21.6
2012 Indiana 11 11 38.2 .397 .356 .821 5.6 2.5 .5 .4 17.0
2014 L.A. Clippers 13 0 10.3 .275 .227 .778 1.5 .2 .5 .1 2.6
Career 35 19 25.7 .417 .358 .842 4.0 1.6 .6 .4 10.8

Personal life

Granger's younger brother, Scotty Granger, is a musical artist and songwriter who appeared on a reality TV show titled The One: Making a Music Star on ABC, in the summer of 2006 and in ABC's Wipeout game show in 2008. In 2011, Scotty took part in the singing songwriting competition series Platinum Hit on Bravo finishing third overall in the competition after singing his composition "Beautiful You".[32] He has continued a musical career and starting in 2013, he adopted the artistic name Scotty Grand[33]

Granger is also the great-nephew of the "Queen of Gospel", Mahalia Jackson.[34]

Granger is actively involved in the "Dribble to Stop Diabetes" campaign due to his family history with diabetes.[35]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers, NBA player stats
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chris Broussard. "Danny Granger is an elite player on a bad team. How good is he really, though?". ESPN The Magazine. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Nice Article on Danny Granger [Archive] - Pacers Digest
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 NBA.com : Danny Granger Bio Page
  5. ↑ 2002-03 Bradley Men's Basketball Statistics - BRADLEYBRAVES.COM—Official Web Site of Bradley University Athletics
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bradley contends tampering involved in transfer - Men's College Basketball - ESPN
  7. ↑ Forward won't be eligible until second semester - Men's College Basketball - ESPN
  8. ↑ Bradley University committee rejects Granger's appeal - Men's College Basketball - ESPN
  9. ↑ Granger says New Mexico didn't recruit him - Men's College Basketball - ESPN
  10. ↑ 2005 NBA Draft | NBADraft.net
  11. ↑ Player Bio: Mel Daniels - University of New Mexico Official Athletic Site
  12. ↑ CNN/SI - 33: Larry Bird enters the Hall of Fame
  13. ↑ HORNETS: Hornets Acquire Peja Stojakovic
  14. ↑ Pacers get Harrington from Hawks for first-round pick - NBA - ESPN
  15. ↑ Harrington, Jackson at heart of Pacers-Warriors deal - NBA - ESPN
  16. ↑ PACERS: 2007-08 Pacers Regular Statistics
  17. ↑ PACERS: Granger signs contract extension
  18. ↑ HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Indiana Pacers
  19. ↑ NBA - CBSSports.com Basketball
  20. ↑ Granger scores 42, Pacers still fall to Warriors
  21. ↑ All-Star Reserves Announced - Basketball News & NBA Rumors
  22. ↑ Granger's 44 lifts Pacers to 5th in row
  23. ↑ Danny Granger out for season
  24. ↑ Season over for Granger; Pacers star to have another surgery
  25. ↑ Sixers Trade Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen to Indiana for Danny Granger and Future Second-round Pick
  26. ↑ Sixers buy out Danny Granger
  27. ↑ Granger, Sixers reach buyout agreement
  28. ↑ CLIPPERS SIGN FORMER ALL-STAR DANNY GRANGER
  29. ↑ HEAT Signs Danny Granger
  30. ↑ Magic hold off Heat at end, 102-101
  31. ↑ "Suns Stockpile Draft Picks in Trade with Heat". NBA.com. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  32. ↑ Michael Jensen on After Elton: Interview - Scotty Granger Writes the "(Platinum) Hits"
  33. ↑ Scotty Grand official website
  34. ↑ One-on-One: Danny Granger talks superheroes, pudding, movies - Ball Don't Lie - NBA Blog - Yahoo! Sports
  35. ↑ Dribble to stop Diabetes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Danny Granger.