ANTAWN JAMISON

'Antawn Cortez Jamison' [pronounced an-TWAHN] (born June 12 1976, in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He currently plays power forward for the Washington Wizards and the USA National Team.
Jamison played college basketball at University of North Carolina for three seasons, averaging 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.[1] His junior year, he was awarded both the Naismith and Wooden Awards as the most outstanding men's college basketball player for the 1997-98 season. Deciding to forgo his senior year of eligibility, Jamison was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the fourth pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, Jamison was immediately dealt to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for former North Carolina teammate and best friend Vince Carter.
Jamison spent the first five years of his NBA career with the Warriors, and despite a disappointing rookie season, was often the only bright spot on a low-performing team. He averaged a career-high 24.9 points per game in 2000-01, his third season in the league. In 2003, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in an eight-player deal, and experienced his first winning season in 2003-04 as the Mavericks finished 52-30 and made the playoffs, which marked the first time in his career that Jamison has experience post-season play. Jamison was also named as the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year for his efforts. Unfortunately for the Mavericks, they suffered a setback in the first round, falling in five games to the Sacramento Kings.
At season's end Jamison was traded again, this time to the Wizards, in exchange for fellow former Tarheel Jerry Stackhouse, Christian Laettner, and a first round draft pick (which turned out to be University of Wisconsin-Madison point guard, Devin Harris).
In the 2004-05 season with the Wizards, he was named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time in his career and the Wizards enjoyed a solid 45-37 win-loss season, their finest effort in 26 years. They also made the playoffs for the first time since 1997 and advanced to the second round for the first time since 1982.
He played for the US national team in the 2006 FIBA World Championship, winning a bronze medal.^[1]

Contents

Philanthropy

Trivia

Family

Notes

External links

Philanthropy

Jamison played high school basketball at Providence High in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jamison has also launched a campaign which he calls "A Better Tomorrow" which he hopes to use to provide the underprivileged which a chance at a better future. He says of the project: "As a professional athlete, I have an obligation to help those less fortunate. I really enjoy being in a position to aid my community - both in the Bay Area and back home in Charlotte - and put a smile on somebody's face. That is what it is all about. I think it is especially important to give back during the holidays, when people tend to feel a little down if things are not going too well."^[2]

Trivia

★ His name was accidentally printed as "Antawn" instead of "Antwan" on his birth certificate. However, his family decided to keep the misspelling as they felt it would be more unique.http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=261229027 His first name is still pronounced as though it were spelled "Antwan" or "Antoine".^[3]

Family

★ Antawn has two children, a daughter and a son, Antwan Cortez Jamison Jr. with his wife Ione.

Notes

1. 2006 USA Basketball
2. http://www.antawnjamison.com/tomorrow.html
3. http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=30701

External links

★ NBA.com - Antawn Jamison

★ Official Website of Antawn Jamison

★ 1998 Oscar Robertson Trophy College Player of the Year