Michael Howard Finley (born March 6, 1973) is an American retired professional basketball player and current film producer and also Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Dallas Mavericks. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a two-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
Finley attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, graduating in 1991. In Finley's senior season, Proviso East won the 1991 IHSA class AA boys basketball tournament,[1] and Finley was named to the all-tournament team. Finley's teammates, known collectively as the "Three Amigos", included future NBA draftees Sherrell Ford and Donnie Boyce.
Finley was named to the 1995–96NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging fifteen points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He became only the third rookie in Suns history to score over 1,000 points in a season. Despite playing all 82 games in his rookie season, Finley was injured on the final day of regular season and did not play in the playoffs. He was traded by the Suns on December 26, 1996[4] to the Dallas Mavericks along with Sam Cassell, A. C. Green and a second-round draft pick for Jason Kidd, Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer.
In his first season with the Mavericks, Finley led the team in scoring, assists and steals. Along with point guard Steve Nash and forward Dirk Nowitzki, he became an integral part of the Mavericks' late '90s "run and gun" offense.
In 2000, he was selected to represent the Western Conference in the 2000 All-Star Game, in which he scored eleven points. On January 23, 2001, Finley tied an NBA record by recording eight steals in one half of a game.[5] In 2001, he was again selected to represent the Western Conference on All-Star weekend. He played for the US national team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship,[6] which lost a record-three games and failed to win a championship for the first time in a major competition since FIBA opened international competitions to NBA players.
While Finley began to play more of a supporting role (small forward) as he aged and teammate Dirk Nowitzki blossomed, he remained a clutch player for the Mavericks. In 2005, he was waived by Dallas to avoid luxury taxes (as part of the league's new labor agreement) on his 51.8 million US$ salary over the next three years. Finley became an unrestricted free agent and after being pursued by Detroit, Miami, Minnesota, and Phoenix, he elected to remain in Texas with the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs (2005–2010; First NBA Finals title)[edit]
In San Antonio he adapted well to a secondary role as Manu Ginóbili's backup, developing and emphasizing his outside shooting. The Spurs were knocked out of the 2006 NBA Playoffs by his former team one year after he made the switch. During the series, Finley was punched below the belt by former teammate Jason Terry during Game 5, which earned Terry a suspension for the next game of the series.
In the fifth and final game of San Antonio's first-round series against Denver in 2007, Finley set the Spurs' record for three-point field goals in a playoff game, making eight of nine attempts. He eclipsed the previous record of seven set by teammate Bruce Bowen in 2003. Finley won his only NBA championship in 2007 with the San Antonio Spurs in his 12th NBA season.
At Finley's request, the Spurs bought out the final year of his contract and waived him on March 1, 2010, freeing him to sign with another team.
On March 4, 2010, Finley reached a verbal agreement with the Boston Celtics to join the team for the remainder of the 2009–10 season.[7] He signed with the Celtics on March 6, 2010.[8] The Celtics would reach the 2010 NBA Finals, but would lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. At the end of the season, Finley announced he would retire.
Finley began playing basketball in elementary school. His favorite player was Michael Jordan and he would occasionally go to Chicago Bulls games.[9] He majored in business management at Wisconsin.[4] Finley attended the same high school as current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers.
The Dallas Mavericks are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center, which it shares with the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars.
Manu Ginóbili
Emanuel David Ginóbili is an Argentine retired professional basketball player. Over a 23-season professional career, he became one of only two players to have won a EuroLeague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. A four-time NBA champion, Ginóbili was a member of the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Along with Spurs teammates Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, he was known as one of the "Big Three."
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German retired professional basketball player. An alumnus of Röntgen Gymnasium and the DJK Würzburg basketball club, Nowitzki was chosen as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he played his entire 21-year National Basketball Association (NBA) career. In the NBA, he won the league Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2007, was an NBA champion in 2011, and was a 14-time All-Star.
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Previously a point guard in the NBA, Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA Championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, and was a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner during his pro career, as part of Team USA in 2000 and 2008. He was inducted as a player into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Eddie Jones (basketball)
Eddie Charles Jones is an American retired professional basketball player who played for 5 teams in his 14-year National Basketball Association (NBA) career. Jones played college basketball at Temple University and was the 1993–94 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and led the Owls to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament. The three-time NBA All-Star was selected 10th overall in the 1994 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ian Mahinmi
Ian Mahinmi is a French professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At 6'11" and 250 lb, he plays the center position. He was selected with the 28th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
Devin Harris
Devin Lamar Harris is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Harris attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Harris was selected with the fifth pick in the 2004 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards.
Rodrigue Beaubois
Rodrigue "Roddy" Beaubois is a French professional basketball player for Anadolu Efes of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague.
Jae Crowder
Corey Jae Crowder is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the son of former NBA player Corey Crowder.
