Austin Carr
Encyclopedia
Austin George Carr is a retired American
professional basketball
player for the National Basketball Association
. He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier".
, Howard Porter
, Jim McDaniels, and Curtis Rowe
, all of whom became major college stars.
first came to prominence as a highly-recruited player for the University of Notre Dame
, arriving after having scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career. Carr lived up to his lofty billing by ending his three-year career at Notre Dame with 2,560 points (an average of 34.5 points per game), ranking him fifth all-time in college basketball history at the time of his departure. During his final two seasons, Carr became only the second college player ever to tally more than 1,000 points in a season, joining Pete Maravich
in that select group. Carr holds NCAA tournament records for most points in one game (61 vs. Ohio in 1970), most field goals in one game (25), and most field goals attempted in one game (44). His record scoring average of 50 points per game in seven NCAA playoff games may never be broken. Recently, ESPN
named Carr the 22nd greatest college basketball player of all time.
in the 1971 NBA Draft
. Carr was also selected in the 1971 ABA
Draft by the Virginia Squires
, but signed with the Cavaliers on April 5, 1971.
. Following the conclusion of his first season, Carr had surgery to clear up any lingering foot problems.
The arrival of Lenny Wilkens
prior to the start of the 1972-73 campaign gave Carr a solid partner in the backcourt, helping the Cavaliers improve by nine games in the win column. Carr's best season came the following year, when he averaged a career-best 21.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.76 assists per game while shooting 85.6% from the free-throw line.
Two months into the 1974-75 season, he suffered a knee injury that put him out of the lineup indefinitely. His absence in the lineup likely prevented the Cavaliers' from capturing their first-ever playoff berth, with the team's bid falling one game short.
in the 1976 Eastern Conference
finals and lost in six games. They were eliminated in the first round of the 1977 playoffs by the Washington Bullets
in a close three-game series. They were defeated in similar fashion in 1978, losing to the New York Knicks
in two games.
and Washington Bullets before retiring in 1981, finishing with career averages of 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
on the team's broadcasts on Fox Sports Ohio. Carr's #34 is one of six jerseys retired by the Cavaliers.
It was announced on April 2, 2007 that Carr was inducted to the second class of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, along with Dick Groat
, Dick Barnett and numerous coaches.
On February 21, 2008, Notre Dame
recognized Carr, their all-time leading scorer, during the Pittsburgh
- Notre Dame men's basketball game.
Carr also appears as a spokesman for Ohio-based law firm
Pyle Law, LLC.
On February 26, 2011, Notre Dame
inducted Carr into the Ring of Honor in the Purcell Pavilion
during the Notre Dame men's basketball game against Seton Hall University
. In addition, the lower level of the Purcell Pavilion has been renamed the Austin Carr Concourse.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player for the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier".
Early years and high school career
Carr grew up in Washington D.C., and attended Holy Redeemer School, and later Mackin Catholic High School. At Mackin, Carr teamed with All-City guard Tom Little, who made some national All-American teams before starring at the University of Seattle. As a Junior All Met, Carr scored 475 points in 24 games. During Carr's All Met senior season, he scored 600 points and along with Sterling Savoy, led the Paul Furlong coached Trojans to the Catholic League title over DeMatha. Carr was named Parade All-American along with other 1967 seniors such as Artis GilmoreArtis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
, Howard Porter
Howard Porter (basketball)
Howard Porter was an American professional basketball player. At 6'8" and 220 pounds, he played as a forward and a center....
, Jim McDaniels, and Curtis Rowe
Curtis Rowe
Curtis Rowe, Jr. is a retired American basketball player.A 6'7" forward from UCLA, Rowe was drafted by the Dallas Chaparrals in the 1971 ABA Draft and by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1971 NBA Draft...
, all of whom became major college stars.
Collegiate basketball career
The 6-foot 4-inch (1.93 m), 200 lb (91 kg) shooting guardShooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
first came to prominence as a highly-recruited player for the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, arriving after having scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career. Carr lived up to his lofty billing by ending his three-year career at Notre Dame with 2,560 points (an average of 34.5 points per game), ranking him fifth all-time in college basketball history at the time of his departure. During his final two seasons, Carr became only the second college player ever to tally more than 1,000 points in a season, joining Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
in that select group. Carr holds NCAA tournament records for most points in one game (61 vs. Ohio in 1970), most field goals in one game (25), and most field goals attempted in one game (44). His record scoring average of 50 points per game in seven NCAA playoff games may never be broken. Recently, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
named Carr the 22nd greatest college basketball player of all time.
NBA draft
Carr moved onto the professional ranks as the first overall selection of the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
in the 1971 NBA Draft
1971 NBA Draft
The 1971 NBA Draft was the 25th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 29, 1971 before the 1971–72 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
. Carr was also selected in the 1971 ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
Draft by the Virginia Squires
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
, but signed with the Cavaliers on April 5, 1971.
Rookie season and early NBA career
Carr's first season in the NBA was marred by a series of injuries that limited his output. During the 1971 preseason, he broke his foot and missed the first month of the season. Less than one month after returning to the court, he was sidelined again by another foot injury, missing another seven weeks. Upon his return, he began to display the skills which made him the top selection in the NBA draft and was named to the 1972 NBA All-Rookie TeamNBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
. Following the conclusion of his first season, Carr had surgery to clear up any lingering foot problems.
The arrival of Lenny Wilkens
Lenny Wilkens
Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
prior to the start of the 1972-73 campaign gave Carr a solid partner in the backcourt, helping the Cavaliers improve by nine games in the win column. Carr's best season came the following year, when he averaged a career-best 21.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.76 assists per game while shooting 85.6% from the free-throw line.
Two months into the 1974-75 season, he suffered a knee injury that put him out of the lineup indefinitely. His absence in the lineup likely prevented the Cavaliers' from capturing their first-ever playoff berth, with the team's bid falling one game short.
Miracle of Richfield and other playoff years (1975-1978)
However, during the next three seasons, Carr played a role in three straight playoff appearances for the team. Cleveland met the Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the 1976 Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
finals and lost in six games. They were eliminated in the first round of the 1977 playoffs by the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
in a close three-game series. They were defeated in similar fashion in 1978, losing to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in two games.
Later career
Carr played out his final season with the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
and Washington Bullets before retiring in 1981, finishing with career averages of 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Broadcasting career and other milestones
Today, Carr serves as the Director of Community Relations for the Cavaliers and is also a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on the team's broadcasts on Fox Sports Ohio. Carr's #34 is one of six jerseys retired by the Cavaliers.
It was announced on April 2, 2007 that Carr was inducted to the second class of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, along with Dick Groat
Dick Groat
Richard Morrow Groat is a former two-sport athlete best known as a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for four National League teams, mainly the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player in after winning the batting title with a .325...
, Dick Barnett and numerous coaches.
On February 21, 2008, Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
recognized Carr, their all-time leading scorer, during the Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
- Notre Dame men's basketball game.
Signature Calls
- He throws the hammer down! - for a Cavs slam dunk
- He hits it deep in the Q (or name of the arena for road games)! - for a Cavs three-pointer
- Get that weak stuff outta here! - for a Cavs blocked shot
- He got him a bird - When a Cavs player gets an opponent to bite on a pump-fake
- Mouse in the house - When a Cavs player is being guarded by a much smaller defender
Carr also appears as a spokesman for Ohio-based law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
Pyle Law, LLC.
On February 26, 2011, Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
inducted Carr into the Ring of Honor in the Purcell Pavilion
Edmund P. Joyce Center
The Joyce Center is a 9,800-seat multi-purpose arena in Notre Dame, Indiana just north of South Bend, Indiana. The arena opened in 1968. It is home to the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish basketball and volleyball teams...
during the Notre Dame men's basketball game against Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. In addition, the lower level of the Purcell Pavilion has been renamed the Austin Carr Concourse.
See also
External links
- Career Stats @ databasebasketball.com
- Where Are They Now? - Austin Carr @ nbrpa.com