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Ricky Grace

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Ricky Grace
Grace in 2017
Personal information
Born(1967-08-20)20 August 1967(age 57)
Dallas, Texas,U.S.
NationalityAmerican / Australian
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight174 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolWilmer-Hutchins(Dallas, Texas)
College
NBA draft1988:3rd round, 67th overall pick
Selected by theUtah Jazz
Playing career1988–2005
PositionPoint guard
Number15
Career history
1988–1989Topeka Sizzlers
1990–2005Perth Wildcats
1993Atlanta Hawks
Career highlights and awards
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat NBA.com
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat Basketball-Reference.com

Ricky Ray GraceAM(born 20 August 1967)[1]is an American-Australian former professionalbasketballplayer who spent the majority of his career in the AustralianNational Basketball Leaguewith thePerth Wildcats.

Playing career

[edit]

Ricky "Amazing" Grace first played college basketball atMidland College,transferring after two years to theUniversity of Oklahomaalongside future NBA playerMookie Blaylock.[2]In 1988, his last year at Oklahoma, Grace helped theOklahoma Soonersreach the championship game of theNCAA men's basketball tournament,where they were defeated by theKansas Jayhawks.[3]

Selected in the1988 NBA draftby theUtah Jazzin the third round (67th overall), he failed to make the active roster of an NBA team. Soon after, Grace was invited by thenPerth Wildcatsgeneral manager (and 1990 head coach)Cal Brutonto play for the Australian club, where he played his entire professional career, and captained the club from 2002/03 until his retirement. During his time with the club Grace played an integral part in six grand finals appearances and four championships, twice being award Grand Final MVP; first in 1990 when the Wildcats defeated theBrisbane Bulletsto claim their first championship, and again in 1993 when the Wildcats were defeated by theMelbourne Tigers.

1991 was filled with more success for Grace, as the Wildcats won back-to-back championships, defeating theEastside Spectres,and Grace was selected to theAll-NBL First Team.

In1993,Grace had a three-game stint with theAtlanta Hawks,where he was reunited with college teammate Mookie Blaylock.

Grace (#15) holding up the 1995 NBL Championship trophy

In late 1994, Grace becamenaturalisedas an Australian citizen and in March 1995 made his international debut when he was selected for theAustralian Boomersin their 5-game series against the touringMagic Johnson All-Stars.1995 also saw the Wildcats win their 3rd NBL crown, defeating thedefending championNorth Melbourne Giantsin the Grand Final series. As Champions, the Wildcats were invited to participate in the 1995McDonald's ChampionshipinLondon.The Wildcats lost toNBAchampions theHouston Rocketsbefore defeatingReal Madridin their second match.

In 1996, Grace signed a 6-year contract with the Wildcats and was considered unlucky not to gain a place in the Boomers squad for the1996 OlympicsinAtlanta.Four years later he did make it to theOlympicswhen he was a member of the Boomers squad at theSydney Olympic Gamesin2000,helping the home country to 4th place. This capped off another successful year for Grace, who won his fourth championship when the Wildcats defeated theVictoria Titans.

In the second half of his career, Grace adjusted his game to become more of an offensive threat, and he was rewarded with another All-NBL First Team selection in 2001, 10 years after the first, and again in 2002 and 2003. Despite playing arguably the best basketball of his career, the Wildcats would only make one more grand final series, in 2002/2003, when they were defeated by theSydney Kings,meaning Grace would fail to equal the then record ofLarry Sengstockwho won five NBL championships.[citation needed]

In 2003 Grace was selected to theNBL's 25th Anniversary Team.He would play for two more seasons, with his last game a loss in an elimination final against the Melbourne Tigers on 24 February 2005.[citation needed]

In August 2010, Grace was inducted into theAustralian Basketball Hall of Fame.[4][5]He was named to the Perth Wildcats' 30th Anniversary All-Star team[6][7]and 40th Anniversary All-Star team.[8]In July 2024, he was inducted into theBasketball WAHall of Fame.[9][10]

Post playing career

[edit]

Grace was previously thedirectorfor the Role Models WA organisation. Role Models WA offers sport and development programs for indigenous communities inWestern Australia.[11]Other role models that work alongside Grace include numerous football players from theFremantle DockersandWest Coast EaglesincludingChris Lewis,David Wirrpanda,Des HeadlandandDaniel Kerr.[12][13]

Grace coached theCurtin Universitymen's team in theUniversity Basketball League(UBL) in 2022[14]and 2023, returning again in 2024.[15]

Oklahoma Sooners Team records

[edit]
  • First in three-point field goal percentage in a season - 1986/87 (.441)
  • First in assists in a season - 1987/88 (280)
  • Equal First in steals in an NCAA Tournament game - vs Iowa, 20 March 1987 (7)[16]

Perth Wildcats Team records

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  • First in games played (482)
  • First in points (8802)
  • First in assists (3470)
  • First in steals (734)

NBL records

[edit]
  • First in assists per game in 2003 (8.0/27 games)
  • First in assists per game in 2004 (7.3/23 games)

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Ricky Grace".NBA.com.Retrieved30 May2023.
  2. ^Goodwin, Michael; Curry, Jack (4 January 1988)."SPORTS WORLD SPECIALS; Running It Up".New York Times.Retrieved1 March2009.
  3. ^"Oklahoma's 1988 NCAA runner-up team gathers for reunion".ESPN. 2008.Retrieved1 March2009.
  4. ^"Ricky Grace into basketball Hall of Fame".The Sydney Morning Herald.4 August 2010.
  5. ^"Ricky Grace (Perth Wildcats Legend) Podcast".Aussie Hoopla. 2015.Retrieved1 June2015.
  6. ^30th Anniversary All-Star TeamArchived11 December 2013 at theWayback Machine
  7. ^Americans dominate Wildcats All-Star team
  8. ^"Perth Wildcats 40th Anniversary Team Revealed".Wildcats.com.au.3 February 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2022.Retrieved4 February2022.
  9. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (20 July 2024)."Former Perth Wildcats star Ricky Grace adds Basketball WA Hall of Fame nod to extraordinary resume".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2024.
  10. ^"Grace inducted into Basketball WA Hall of Fame".Wildcats.com.au.21 July 2024.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2024.
  11. ^"Role Models WA - About Us".Role Models WA, Inc. 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 8 October 2007.Retrieved15 July2007.
  12. ^"Role Models WA - Role Models".Role Models WA, Inc. 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 8 October 2007.Retrieved15 July2007.
  13. ^Briggs, Sian (14 July 2007)."Amazing Grace".The Sunday Times.Retrieved3 March2009.
  14. ^"We are thrilled to announce Ricky Grace as our new official Head of Basketball Operations & Men's Head coach of the Curtin University Carnabys UBL team for 2022!".facebook.com/CurtinSports.3 March 2022.Retrieved13 December2023.
  15. ^"GUESS WHO'S BACK".facebook.com/CurtinSports.11 December 2023.Retrieved13 December2023.
  16. ^"2008-09 Men's Basketball Media Guide".Soonersports. 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 6 March 2009.Retrieved1 March2009.
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