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Background
2004-2005 Season: Ranked 22nd in the NBA and was the team leader in blocks (despite playing just 21.3 mpg)…team leader in field goal percentage (only Hornet to shoot over .500) and was the team’s leading scorer off the bench…scored in double figures 22 times and reached double figures in rebounds 13 times…led or tied for the team lead in rebounds 22 times…had six double-doubles…posted career-high totals in virtually every offensive category…finished fourth in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend…started two games, averaging 6.5 points and 11.5 rebounds…had his best stretch of the season from 1/14-22 when he averaged 11.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while shooting .568 (21-37) from the floor over six games…tied his career-high with 17 points on 1/16 at TOR…grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds (eight offensive) in 38 minutes 12/21 at LAC…set a team season high and tied a career high with seven blocked shots 4/6 vs. DEN…had 15 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks 1/14 vs. POR…missed the last eight games of the season with a sprained right ankle…missed six games (including five on the Injured List) from 3/14-23 with an infected right elbow…missed the game 12/26 at CLE due to food poisoning.
Professional: 2003-04: Appeared in 71 games and averaged 3.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 14.5 minutes with Denver…registered a career-high 114 blocks (second on team)…averaged 1.61 blocks per game, ranking him 19th in the NBA and second in blocks per 48 minutes…finished third in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest at the 2004 All-Star Weekend…had two double-doubles on the season…scored in double figures four times and had double figure rebounds five times…blocked a career-high seven shots on three occasions…averaged 1.2 ppg and 2.8 rpg in five playoff games. 2002-03: Averaged 5.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 15.4 minutes in 59 games for Denver, including 7.7 ppg and 9.3 rpg in three starts…scored in double figures seven times and had at least 10 rebounds three times…led Nuggets in scoring twice and in rebounding nine times…missed 22 games on the Injured List after surgery to repair a fractured right thumb. 2001-02: Played in 24 games (including one start) after signing as a rookie free agent…scored in double figures twice…led team in rebounding twice…blocked 17 shots in his final five games (3.40 bpg)…scored a career-high 17 points 1/14 at UTA…shot a career-best .786 (22-28) from the line…missed 17 games on the Injured List after surgery to repair a bone chip in his right wrist…missed 15 games on the Injured List due to a strained left shoulder…joined the Nuggets after being the first-ever call-up from the NBDL…played in two games for the NBDL’s Fayetteville Patriots, where he averaged 6.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.50 bpg (was the first overall selection in the inaugural NBDL Draft). 2000-01: Averaged 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in seven games for the IBA’s Fargo-Moorehead Beez. 1999-00: Began his professional career with Jiangsu Nagang of the Chinese Basketball League, where he averaged 17.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg and 2.50 bpg while shooting .536 from the field…joined the IBL’s New Mexico Slam late in the season, averaging 1.6 points and 1.6 rebounds in the final six regular season games (also played in four playoff games).
College: Played one season at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, TX…averaged 10.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 4.67 bpg in 21.3 minutes as a freshman in 1997-98…shot .505 (108-214) from the field in 29 games.
Personal
Nicknamed “Birdman”…has pledged to buy $25,000 in tickets for the 2005-06 season to be distributed among several different charities throughout the year
Was the 2005 Hornets Books & Bugs spokesperson
Participated in the Hornets 12 Days of Giving by handing out gifts to children at the Second Harvest Kids’ Café (also funded a Kids Café website with his proceeds from the Slam Dunk Contest)
Had his artwork auctioned off for $2,100 at the 2005 Top Hats & High Tops benefit for Hornets children’s charities
Has two sisters, one older, April, and one younger, Tamie
Enjoys fishing, going to the movies, playing video games and golf
Played several instruments growing up, including trumpet, saxophone and baritone
Had 34 members in his high school senior class in Iola, TX, 120 miles north of Houston
Named All-State in Texas three seasons, including First Team as a senior
Accompanied the Nuggets on the Goodwill Tour to Europe in May 2002, where he toured six U.S. military bases in Italy, Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina and rode in a Blackhawk helicopter
Purchased tickets to every home game in 2003-04 for less fortunate families
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Andersen, Chris
POS:11
-Forward-Center
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Armstrong, Hilton
POS:12
-Center-Forward
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Bowen, Ryan
POS:40
-Forward
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Butler, Rasual
POS:45
-Forward-Guard
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Chandler, Tyson
POS:6
-Center
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Ely, Melvin
POS:33
-Center-Forward
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James, Mike
POS:5
-Guard
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Pargo, Jannero
POS:2
-Guard
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Paul, Chris
POS:3
-Guard
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Peterson, Morris
POS:9
-Guard
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Stojakovic, Peja
POS:Forward
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Wells, Bonzi
POS:24
-Guard-Forward
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West, David
POS:30
-Forward
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Wright, Julian
POS:32
-Forward
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