Mario Chalmers

Mario Chalmers
College	Kansas
Conference	Big 12
Sport	Basketball
Position	Point guard
Class	Junior
Career	2005–present
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Nationality	USA
Born	(1986-05-19) May 19, 1986 Anchorage, Alaska
High school	Bartlett High School

Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers (born May 19, 1986 in Anchorage, Alaska) nicknamed Super Mario, is a guard for the Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team.

In the 2007 Big 12 Coaches Awards, Mario Chalmers was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Marcus Dove of Oklahoma State. Chalmers was also voted on the All Big 12 Third Team, and the All Big 12 Defensive Team.

In the 2007-2008 season, Chalmers was named Big 12 All-Defensive First Team and All Big 12 Second Team. He was also named Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Championship.

Mario is the cousin of former Los Angeles Clipper guard and Xavier standout Lionel Chalmers, who hails from Albany, NY.

High school

Chalmers attended Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. Chalmers was named 4A State Player of the Year three times in a row, joining Trajan Langdon as the only other player to do so. Chalmers also led his school to two state championships in 2002, 2003, and two runner up finishes in 2004, 2005. Chalmers' team was coached by Ronnie Chalmers, Mario's father.

College

Mario was rated the #1 overall point guard in the 2005 recruiting class. Chalmers' choices were narrowed to Arizona and Kansas, before finally committing to KU on May 20, 2005.

Freshman year

Chalmers began his college career on the bench behind guard Jeff Hawkins, but worked his way into the starting rotation in January 2006. He finished the season starting 21 of the final 22 games (missing only senior night). He finished his freshman year at 11.5 points per game, second on the team. His 15 points against Bradley in the NCAA tournament totaled four straight 15 point games. He became the second freshman in Big 12 History to win Conference Player of the Week honors and was named National Freshman of the Week twice. He also set the KU and Big 12 record for most steals in a season by a freshman with 89. Chalmers won KU's Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award (co- with Julian Wright), and the Dutch Lonborg Free Throw Percentage Award (78.8%).

Sophomore year

Chalmers was second in the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, recording four 20 point games during the 06-07 season. In the Big 12 Coaches Awards, Mario Chalmers was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Marcus Dove of Oklahoma State. Chalmers was also voted on the All Big 12 Third Team, and the All Big 12 Defensive Team.

Junior year

Chalmers averaged 12.8 points per game during his junior year. He also led the team in assists per game, with 4.3; 3-point shooting percentage, at 46.8%; and steals, with 97. He scored 30 points in Kansas' win in the Big 12 Conference tournament title game against Texas.

He was named Big 12 All-Defensive First Team and All Big 12 Second Team.

Chalmers helped his team win the 2008 NCAA Championship with a three-point shot with 2.1 seconds left in the final game. His three at the end of regulation brought the game into overtime, when Kansas would take over and beat the Memphis Tigers. Chalmers was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. It was the Jayhawks' fifth national title. He was on the defensive first team in the NCAA.

NBA Draft Prospects

Some analysts are predicting Chalmers will be a late 1st round or early 2nd round draft pick in 2008.

External links

• KU player bio
• Lawrence Journal-World profile
• NBADraft.net profile
• DraftExpress profile
• University Daily Kansan