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Ed O'Bannon

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Ed O'Bannon
O'Bannon in 2008
Personal information
Born(1972-08-14)August 14, 1972(age 51)
Los Angeles, California,U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight222 lb (101 kg)
Career information
High schoolArtesia(Lakewood, California)
CollegeUCLA(1991–1995)
NBA draft1995:1st round, 9th overall pick
Selected by theNew Jersey Nets
Playing career1995–2004
PositionPower forward
Number31
Career history
1995–1997New Jersey Nets
1997Dallas Mavericks
1998La Crosse Bobcats
1998Acegas A.P.S. Trieste
1998–1999CB Valladolid
1999–2000Rethymno Aegean
1999–2000Boca Juniors
2000–2001Los Angeles Stars
2001–2002Anwil Włocławek
2002–2003Polonia Warszawa
2003–2004Ostromecko Astoria Bydgoszcz
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points634 (5.0 ppg)
Rebounds316 (2.5 rpg)
Assists102 (0.8 apg)
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat NBA.com
Statsat Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men’sbasketball
RepresentingUnited States
FIBA Americas U18 Championship
Gold medal – first place 1990 Montevideo National team
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1993 Buffalo National team

Edward Charles O'Bannon Jr.(born August 14, 1972) is an American former professionalbasketballplayer in theNational Basketball Association(NBA). He was apower forwardfor theUCLA Bruinson their1995 NCAA championship team.He was selected by theNew Jersey Netswith the ninth overall pick of the1995 NBA draft.After two seasons in the NBA, he continued his professional career for another eight years, mainly playing in Europe.

O'Bannon was thelead plaintiffinO'Bannon v. NCAA,anantitrustclass actionlawsuit against theNational Collegiate Athletic Associationwhich resulted in the discontinuation of NCAA video games.[1]

Early life

[edit]

O'Bannon grew up inSouth Los Angelesand attendedVerbum Dei High Schoolbefore graduating fromArtesia High School.[2]He averaged 24.6 points, 9.7 rebounds in his senior year at Artesia. He led the school to a 29–2 record that year, and they won theCalifornia Interscholastic Federation(CIF) Division II state championship. He was the most valuable player (MVP) at theDapper Dan Classic,a high schoolAll-Star game,and he was named aMcDonald's High School All-Americanas well as honored byBasketball Timesas its national high school player of the year.[3][4]

College career

[edit]

O'Bannon originally planned to attend theUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas(UNLV), but he did not sign a letter of intent with the university at the suggestion of UNLV head coachJerry Tarkanian.However, whenUNLV's men's basketball programwas placed on probation due to recruiting improprieties, O'Bannon rescinded his commitment and instead attended UCLA.[5]

Six days before the official start of practice at UCLA, O'Bannon tore hisanterior cruciate ligamentas he landed awkwardly on a dunk during apickup gamewith other Bruins.[3][5]He was told he might not be able to walk properly again, but eighteen months later, after receiving a graft from a cadaver, he returned to playing basketball.[5][6]In his first year, he came off the bench in 23 games and averaged fewer than four points while never starting.[7]In his second season in 1993, O'Bannon was named to the first teamAll-Pacific-10 (Pac-10) Conference team.[8]In his junior year, he was named the team's MVP[9]and was again first team All-Pac-10.[8]In his senior year in1994–95,O'Bannon was the key to UCLA's1995 NCAA Basketball Championship,scoring 30 points and taking 17 rebounds and was named theNCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.[7]For the season, he averaged 20.4 points (.533 field-goal percentage,.433 3-point percentage) and 8.3 rebounds, earning him theJohn R. Wooden Award,USBWA College Player of the Year(now Oscar Robertson Trophy), and theCBS/ChevroletPlayer of the Year. He was aconsensus first team All-American,Pac-10 co-Player of the Yearalong withDamon Stoudamire,[10]first team All-Pac-10 for the third consecutive year,[8]and UCLA's co-MVP along withTyus Edney.[9]

His number 31 wasretired by UCLAin 1996. He was also inducted intoUCLA Athletics Hall of Famein 2005,[10]and thePac-12 Basketball Hall of Honorin 2012.[11]

NBA career

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Leading up to the1995 NBA draft,O'Bannon hoped to be drafted by a team on the west coast. Selected ninth overall by theNew Jersey Nets,he signed a three-year, $3.9 million contract. However, he became homesick.[12]In his two professional seasons, he was unable to find a place in the NBA, being too lean to play down low and not quick enough with his rebuilt knees to guard the perimeter.[5]His knee also started to break down.[12]He averaged 6.2 and 4.2 points per game respectively with the Nets and was traded to theDallas Maverickslater in his second and final NBA season, where he had even less of an impact. In September 1997 he was traded along withDerek Harperto theOrlando MagicforDennis Scott,and was waived by the Magic afterwards. "It wasn't injury, it was confidence," O'Bannon said about his NBA career. "I missed shots, got pulled from games, it affected my defense, and I lost all my confidence."[13]Former Nets teammateArmon Gilliamsaid, "He's a guy who didn't find his niche in the NBA. He wasn't in the right situation to grow and develop. He never got the opportunity to prove what he could do."[5]

Career in Europe and the ABA

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After his NBA career, O'Bannon played professional basketball seven years overseas inItaly,Spain,Greece,ArgentinaandPoland(inAnwil Włocławek,Polonia WarsawandAstoria Bydgoszcz).[5]He also played one year for the startupAmerican Basketball Association(ABA) with theLos Angeles Stars.[12]After the NBA, he only had one-year contracts and never made more than $400,000 in a season.[12]He decided to retire at age 32 after undergoingarthroscopicknee surgery.[citation needed]When he made his decision, he was in the process of trying out for a team inChinabut realized he had no more motivation to play the game.[5]Furthermore, the people holding the tryouts had never even heard of him.[13]

In his professional career, O'Bannon said he "played for 12 different teams in at least six countries and for 15 different coaches."[14]

Subsequent career

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As of 2009, O'Bannon was employed as a marketing director for a Las Vegas auto dealership.[15]In 2006, while employed as a salesman at the dealership, O'Bannon told theLos Angeles Times,"People see me and remember me and I'm proud to tell them—'No, I don't play. No, I don't coach. Yes, I sell cars.'"[13]By 2020, he had become aprobation officerin Las Vegas.[16]

O'Bannon was a volunteer coach atGreen Valley High SchoolinHenderson, Nevada.[14]In 2009, citing a renewed interest in basketball due to his children, O'Bannon accepted an offer to become the head coach of the boys' basketball team atHenderson International School.[17]

Class action against NCAA

[edit]

O'Bannon was the lead plaintiff inO'Bannon v. NCAA,anantitrustclass actionlawsuit filed against theNational Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA) on behalf of itsDivision Ifootball and men's basketball players over the organization's use for commercial purposes of the images of its former student athletes. The suit argued that upon graduation, a formerstudent athleteshould become entitled to financial compensation for future commercial uses of his or her image by the NCAA.[18][19]In January 2011,Oscar Robertson,considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, joined O'Bannon in the class action suit.[20]On August 8, 2014, JudgeClaudia Wilkenruled that the NCAA's long-held practice of barring payments to athletes violatedanti-trust laws.[21]

In March 2015, O'Bannon appeared in a faux commercial onLast Week Tonight with John OliveronHBOthat criticized the NCAA's payment practices regarding student athletes. WithMarch Madnessapproaching, the commercial featured a fake video game namedMarch Sadness 2015that mocked the experiences of college basketball players in relation to the NCAA. "This game is every bit as fucked up as the real thing,” stated O'Bannon in the segment.[22]In 2018, he published a book about his fight with the NCAA,Court Justice: The Inside Story of My Battle Against the NCAA.[2]O'Bannon supported theFair Pay to Play Act,a California law that allows college athletes to receive endorsement deals.[16]

After the Supreme Court ruled inNational Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alstonthat the NCAA restricted trade in violation of theSherman Antitrust Act,the NCAA allowed athletes to be compensated for theirname, image and likeness.[23]

Personal life

[edit]

O'Bannon attended UNLV to continue earning hisbachelor's degree.[6]In the summer of 2011, O'Bannon returned to UCLA to complete his studies, and he graduated in the fall that year with a degree in history.[24][25]

O'Bannon is the older brother ofCharles,who won the championship with him at UCLA and went on to play for theDetroit Pistons.[26]His half-brotherTurhon O'Bannon[27]playedcollege footballfor theNew Mexico Lobos[28]and professionally for theWinnipeg Blue Bombersin theCanadian Football League.[29]

O'Bannon lives inHenderson, Nevada,with his wife, Rosa, and their three children.[12][17]His daughter Jazmin played college basketball atUNLV.[30]

NBA career statistics

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1995–96 New Jersey 64 29 19.6 .390 .179 .713 2.6 1.0 0.7 0.2 6.2
1996–97 New Jersey 45 5 14.1 .367 .283 .870 2.5 0.6 0.5 0.2 4.2
Dallas 19 0 9.2 .236 .100 .917 1.9 0.6 0.3 0.1 2.4
Career 128 34 16.1 .367 .222 .755 2.5 0.8 0.6 0.2 5.0

Publications

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  • O'Bannon, Ed; McCann, Michael (2018).Court Justice: The Inside Story of My Battle Against the NCAA.Diversion Books.ISBN978-1635762624.

References

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General
Specific
  1. ^Bailey, Kat (February 5, 2021)."How EA Is Bringing Back College Football and Sidestepping the NCAA's Biggest Problems".Vice.RetrievedFebruary 5,2021.
  2. ^abHoffarth, Tom (March 10, 2018)."Hoffarth on the Media: Q&A with Ed O'Bannon".Los Angeles Daily News.Archivedfrom the original on March 10, 2018.
  3. ^abBonk, Thomas (October 11, 1990)."O'Bannon of UCLA Suffers Knee Injury".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon June 22, 2022.
  4. ^Crowe, Jerry (July 20, 1991)."O'Bannon Goes Full Speed Ahead".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon July 7, 2012.
  5. ^abcdefgGutierrez, Paul (March 18, 2009)."UCLA hero Ed O'Bannon".Sports Illustrated.Archived fromthe originalon January 2, 2013.RetrievedMarch 12,2011.
  6. ^abMiech, Rob (December 10, 2004)."The GIFT".Las Vegas Sun.Archived fromthe originalon September 24, 2012.RetrievedMarch 12,2011.
  7. ^abPenner, Mike (April 4, 1995)."Sweetness in Seattle".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon August 31, 2020.
  8. ^abcFinney, Ryan (2010)."2010–11 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide"(PDF).UCLA Athletic Department. p. 105. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 8, 2011.
  9. ^abFinney 2010,p.110
  10. ^abFinney 2010,p.102
  11. ^2011-12 Hall of Honor Class AnnouncedArchived2012-02-12 at theWayback Machine,Pac-12 Conference, February 7, 2012
  12. ^abcdeSheinin, Dave (June 14, 2009)."From the Court to the Sales Floor".The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon June 29, 2011.
  13. ^abcPlaschke, Bill(April 3, 2006)."Shine Wore Off, but He Wasn't Lost in Moment".Los Angeles Times.p. D1.RetrievedOctober 5,2023.
  14. ^abPucin, Diane (March 15, 2005)."As Good as It Got".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon April 6, 2022.
  15. ^Miech, Rob. (2009, January 4). "UNLV hoops notebook: A rude welcome to the MWC",Las Vegas Sun
  16. ^abBolch, Ben; Maddy, Eric (March 21, 2020)."Where are they now? A look at UCLA's 1995 NCAA men's basketball championship team".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMarch 22,2020.
  17. ^abMiech, Rob (June 17, 2009)."UCLA great to coach local high school basketball team".Las Vegas Sun.Archived fromthe originalon June 13, 2011.
  18. ^Streeter, Kurt. (2009, July 22). "Former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon leads suit against NCAA over use of images",Los Angeles Times
  19. ^(2009, July 21). "Former Bruin O'Bannon sues NCAA",Associated Press
  20. ^Wetzel, Dan(January 26, 2011)."Robertson joins suit vs. NCAA".Yahoo! Sports.
  21. ^Strauss, Ben; Tracy, Marc (August 8, 2014)."N.C.A.A. Must Allow Colleges to Pay Athletes, Judge Rules".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on November 26, 2016.
  22. ^Leeds, Sarene (March 16, 2015)."Watch John Oliver Take Down the NCAA With an 'Authentic' March Madness Video Game".The Wall Street Journal.Archivedfrom the original on March 16, 2015.
  23. ^Palmer, Nikki (October 21, 2022)."What Is Happening In College Athletics?".Omaha Daily Record.RetrievedApril 28,2023.
  24. ^Guererro, Dan (January 24, 2012)."Word From Westwood - January 24, 2012".uclabruins.com.Archived fromthe originalon December 8, 2012.
  25. ^"Ed O'Bannon Returns To Westwood".UCLA Athletics. June 21, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon August 29, 2012.RetrievedJuly 6,2011.
  26. ^Miller, Scott (March 20, 2022)."A Younger O'Bannon Plays in a New College Sports Landscape".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 27,2022.
  27. ^"Rams Expect to Sign 10 Rookie Free Agents Today".Los Angeles Times.April 28, 1994.RetrievedNovember 12,2022.
  28. ^"Turhon O'Bannon College Stats".College Football at Sports-Reference.com.RetrievedNovember 12,2022.
  29. ^"Turhon O'Bannon CFL Stats".www.profootballarchives.com.RetrievedNovember 12,2022.
  30. ^"Jazmin O'Bannon - Women's Basketball".University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics.RetrievedNovember 12,2022.
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