Voshon Lenard

Voshon Lenard

Personal information
Born	(1973-05-14)May 14, 1973 Detroit, Michigan,U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school	Southwestern(Detroit, Michigan)
College	Minnesota(1991–1995)
NBA draft	1994:2nd round, 46th overall pick
Selected by theMilwaukee Bucks
Playing career	1995–2006
Position	Shooting guard
Number	22, 21, 5, 2, 1, 0
Career history
1995–1996	Oklahoma City Cavalry
1995–2000	Miami Heat
2000–2002	Denver Nuggets
2002–2003	Toronto Raptors
2003–2006	Denver Nuggets
2006	Portland Trail Blazers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Three-Point Contestchampion (2004) Second-teamParadeAll-American(1991)
Career NBA statistics
Points	6,745 (11.9 ppg)
3PFG	936
3P%	.384
Statsat NBA
Statsat Basketball Reference

Voshon Kelan Lenard(born May 14, 1973) is an American former professionalbasketballplayer who played 11 seasons in theNational Basketball Association( NBA ). He was listed as 6' 4 "(1.93 m) and 215 lbs, and was born inDetroit, Michigan.

College career

Lenard playedcollege basketballat theUniversity of Minnesota.After his junior season, he decided to test the waters of theNBA,and declared himself eligible for the draft. TheMilwaukee Bucksselected Lenard in the second round of the1994 NBA draft.Lenard subsequently opted instead to return to Minnesota to play out his senior season. He finished his career with theGolden Gophersas the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,103 points.

Professional career

After graduating, Lenard went on to play in the minor-leagueContinental Basketball Association(CBA). He averaged 30.1 points per game in 18 games for theOklahoma City Cavalryduring the 1995–96 season.He left in mid-season when he signed a contract with theMiami Heatof the NBA.

Miami Heat (1995–2000)

Lenard played in 30 games for Miami to finish the 1996 season, averaging 5.9 points a game off the bench. The franchise had recently been rebuilt led by head coachPat Rileyand featured all-starsAlonzo Mourning,Tim Hardawayand another shooting guard who would split minutes with Lenard,Dan Majerle.

Lenard increased his scoring to 12.3 points a game in the 1996–1997 season, as he started in 47 of 73 games for a Heat team that posted its then best season in franchise history with 61 regular-season wins, and a playoff run that included a first ever trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Lenard was particularly effective at shooting from beyond the three-point line, placing 7th in the league in three-point shots made and 10th in the league in three-point shooting percentage. The season also featured a memorable moment for Lenard and the Heat, when on December 11 in a road game against theCleveland Cavaliershe scrambled for a loose ball rebound with 3 seconds left and the game tied, managing to launch and make a double-pump leaning shot to give Miami the big road win and one of the most memorable game winners in Miami Heat history. In the playoffs Lenard started in all 17 games for the Heat, averaging 11.4 points a game including a 24-point playoff debut against theOrlando Magicin the first round and 19 points in the series clinching 5th game. Miami would face theNew York Knicksin the semifinals, a series that would go to 7 games in which Lenard scored 22 points in game 3 and 21 in game 5. Miami would go on to lose in 5 games to the defending championChicago Bullsin the East Finals.

The now proven and popular Lenard would then start in 81 games in the 1997–1998 season, averaging 12.6 points a game while continuing to shoot 40 percent from three-point range. The Heat would make the playoffs but would lose in the first round to New York in 5 games in the first round, with Lenard averaging 14.4 points during the series. An injury would force Lenard to play in just 12 games in the lockout shortened 1998–1999 season, in which Miami again fell to the Knicks in the first round.

In the 1999–2000 season Lenard played mostly off the bench, but averaged double-figure scoring with 11.9 points a game while shooting 39 percent from three-point range. Injuries would keep him out of the tail end of the season as well as the playoffs in which the Heat defeated theDetroit Pistonsbefore once again falling to New York in a seven-game series. Following the season the Heat traded Lenard andMark Stricklandto theDenver NuggetsforChris Gatling.

Denver Nuggets (2000–2002)

In his first season with the Nuggets, Lenard started in 58 of 80 regular-season games and averaged 12.2 points for a team that failed to make the playoffs, but he placed 10th in the league in total three-point field goals made. The following year featured lineup and rotation changes and he started in 19 of the 71 games he appeared in, but still averaged over 11 points a game. Following the season he signed with theToronto Raptors.

Toronto Raptors (2002-2003)

The Raptors had made the playoffs for three straight seasons and featured superstarVince Carter,all-starAntonio Davisand coachLenny Wilkens.Lenard started in 24 games of the 63 in which he appeared, but averaged 30 minutes a game, his most on the floor since the 1998 season. As a result, he averaged a career-high 14.3 points a game and was second on the team in three-point field goals. Despite this, Carter's injuries and other problems with the team led them to miss the playoffs, and Lenard returned to Denver in the off-season.

Return to Denver and the playoffs (2003–2006)

The Nuggets had continued their playoff drought, but had managed to secure the 3rd pick in the2003 NBA draftand selected college star and NCAA ChampionCarmelo Anthony.The 2003–2004 season would then prove to be a personal best for Lenard, as he started in 70 games and averaged 14.2 points a game as the Nuggets, led by the play of Anthony,Andre MillerandMarcus Camby,returned to the postseason. Lenard was also the winner of the2004NBA All-Star WeekendThree-point Shootoutwhich took place in Los Angeles, and would see his first postseason action since 1999, averaging a personal best 17 points a game in a five-game series loss against the top-seededMinnesota Timberwolves.

The Nuggets looked forward to the 2004–2005 season with optimism following the off-season acquisition of all-star forwardKenyon Martin,but in the season opener against theLos Angeles LakersLenard suffered an Achilles tendon injury that forced him out of nearly the entire season, only managing to play in two other games. Despite his limited mobility Lenard was able to participate in the 2005 three-point shootout during All-Star weekend, which was won byQuentin Richardson.Despite returning to action in the 2005–2006 season, Lenard suffered more injuries and was packaged to thePortland Trail Blazersin a four-team trade at the time of season trade deadline in February.

Portland Trail Blazers (2006)

Lenard would only play in 14 games to finish the season in Portland, and retired at the conclusion of 2006 season.

External links

• NBA Official Profile
• Career statistics and player information fromNBAandBasketball-Reference