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Sam Harris (basketball)

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Sam Harris
Personal information
Born (1984-05-03) 3 May 1984 (age 40)
Launceston, Tasmania
NationalityAustralian
Listed height221 cm (7 ft 3 in)
Listed weight126 kg (278 lb)
Career information
High schoolLake Ginninderra College
(Canberra, ACT)
CollegeOld Dominion (2004–2008)
NBA draft2008: undrafted
Playing career2001–2014
PositionCentre
Career history
2001NW Tasmania Thunder
2008–2009NW Tasmania Thunder
2008–2009Singapore Slingers
2009–2010Perth Wildcats
2010–2011Adelaide 36ers
2011Bendigo Braves
2012Hobart Chargers
2012–2014NW Tasmania Thunder
Career highlights and awards

Sam Harris (born 3 May 1984) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played two seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). At 7'3" (221 cm), he is the tallest player ever to play in the National Basketball League.

Basketball career

Early years

Growing up in the Launceston suburb of Newnham, Harris played junior basketball for the NW Tasmania Thunder and later joined their senior team in 2001 for the SEABL season. From 2002 to 2004, Harris attended the Australian Institute of Sport[1] and Lake Ginninderra College in Canberra. Then from 2004 to 2008, he played college basketball for Old Dominion University in the United States on a four-year scholarship. Upon graduating from ODU, he returned home to Tasmania where he played for the NW Tasmania Thunder again in 2008 and 2009. He also played for the Singapore Slingers in 2008–09 during their International Challenge Series.

NBL

Harris joined the Perth Wildcats as a training player for the 2009–10 NBL season. He was elevated to the full squad early in the season as an injury replacement for 7'0" (213 cm) centre Paul Rogers[2] but returned to a training player role following the club's acquisition of Galen Young (the club had already recruited 7'1" (216 cm) centre Luke Schenscher). He stuck around with the club for the rest of the season and subsequently became an NBL champion when the Wildcats defeated the Wollongong Hawks in the Grand Final series. In six games for the Wildcats, he averaged one point and 1.2 rebounds per game. In the NBL off-season, he joined the East Perth Eagles for the 2010 SBL season.[3]

Harris then joined the Adelaide 36ers for the 2010–11 NBL season also as a training player where he linked up with Mark Radford, his development coach at the Wildcats. His continued good development, and with an injury to teammate Mitch Creek, Harris was elevated from the 36ers training squad to full squad status once again. His first game for the 36ers was at home in Adelaide against the New Zealand Breakers on 12 November 2010. He marked his first appearance for the 36ers with a slam dunk for his first points.[4][5]

Return to SEABL

In December 2010, Harris signed with the Bendigo Braves for the 2011 SEABL season.[6] After starting the 2012 SEABL season with the Hobart Charges, the club released him mid-season,[7] allowing Harris to return to the NW Tasmania Thunder. He then re-signed with the Thunder for 2013.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Past Athletes". ausport.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Perth Wildcats elevate Harris as replacement for injured veteran
  3. ^ Harris signing provides massive options
  4. ^ "Player statistics for Sam Harris". SportingPulse.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Sam Harris v. New Zealand, NBL 2010-2011". YouTube.com. 11 December 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  6. ^ Paolucci, Tanya (7 December 2010). "BRAVES BIG NEW SIGNING". BendigoAdvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  7. ^ "SEABL: HOBART CHARGERS RELEASE SAM HARRIS". SEABL.com.au. 2 April 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  8. ^ "SEABL: SAM HARRIS RETURNS FOR THE THUNDER IN 2013". SEABL.com.au. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013.
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