Ian Mahinmi
Encyclopedia
Ian Mahinmi is a French
professional basketball
player, currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks
of the NBA. At 6'11" and 230 lbs, he plays the position of power forward
and center
. He formerly played for the San Antonio Spurs
.
ese father who helped other Africans immigrate to France and a Jamaica
n mother who taught preschool. Mahinmi preferred playing soccer as a child along with his older brother, but eventually switched to playing basketball. He was 6 feet tall when he was 14 years old. He also played some volleyball.
scout Sam Presti
. After playing with the French national team he signed his first contract with the club STB Le Havre
(France). He played three seasons with Le Havre, averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 2005–06.
In the summer of 2006, he signed a contract to play for Pau Orthez
in France's top professional league. He averaged 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 12.7 minutes in the 2006–07 season, helping the team win the French Cup.
by the San Antonio Spurs
, which surprised many other teams and league officials because he wasn't among the 128 players listed in the league's draft guide. Mahinmi was considered a "project" that would be a couple of years from competing in the NBA. The Spurs' interest in Mahinmi relates to their need for an athletic big man since David Robinson
retired. Playing for the Spurs' 2006 summer-league team at Rocky Mountain Revue
, Mahinmi demonstrated his athleticism, but had difficulty maintaining rebounding or post position without fouling. After Mahinmi moved to Pau Orthez, which had a more developed strength and nutrition program than the one at Le Havre, the Spurs also began to send a strength coach to monitor his progress.
During the 2007 Summer League, Mahinmi tore his right pectoralis minor shortly after the start of play. Despite this setback, he was signed by the Spurs on August 23, 2007. Mahinmi played for the Austin Toros
, the Spurs' affiliate in the NBA Development League
, by November. Mahinmi averaged 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in the NBA Development League, leading the Austin Toros to the D-League Finals in which they lost. On October 30, 2007, Mahinmi made his NBA debut with the Spurs against the Portland Trail Blazers
, playing only 74 seconds and registering no statistics.
Mahinmi signed with the Dallas Mavericks
on July 13, 2010. On December 7, 2010, against the Golden State Warriors
, Mahinmi recorded his first career double-double (12 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes).
On January 15, 2011, Mahinmi scored a career high 17 points in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies
, going 6-6 from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line while collecting 6 rebounds.
On June 12, 2011, in game 6 of the NBA Championship series against the Miami Heat with Dallas leading the series 3–2, Mahinmi collected a crucial offensive rebound in the closing seconds of the 3rd quarter before hitting a buzzer beater shot to further extend the Mavericks lead. Dallas went on to win the game 105–95 and Mahinmi won his first NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks.
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | San Antonio
| 6 || 0 || 3.8 || .500 || .000 || 1.000 || .8 || .2 || .0 || .7 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | San Antonio
| 26 || 0 || 6.3 || .636 || .000 || .660 || 2.0 || .1 || .1 || .3 || 3.9
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Dallas
| 56 || 0 || 8.7 || .561 || .000 || .768 || 2.1 || .1 || .2 || .3 || 3.1
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 88 || 0 || 7.7 || .582 || .000 || .746 || 2.0 || .1 || .2 || .3 || 3.4
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | San Antonio
| 2 || 0 || 9.5 || .500 || .000 || .750 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .5 || 4.5
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Dallas
| 6 || 0 || 5.5 || .600 || .000 || .556 || 1.0 || .0 || .2 || .0 || 1.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 8 || 0 || 6.4 || .545 || .000 || .615 || 1.0 || .0 || .1 || .1 || 2.5
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
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, currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas 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...
of the NBA. At 6'11" and 230 lbs, he plays the position of power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
and center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
. He formerly played for the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
.
Early life
Mahinmi was born to a BeninBenin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
ese father who helped other Africans immigrate to France and a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n mother who taught preschool. Mahinmi preferred playing soccer as a child along with his older brother, but eventually switched to playing basketball. He was 6 feet tall when he was 14 years old. He also played some volleyball.
French basketball career
Mahinmi made his impression on international scouts at the 2004 Under-18 European Championships in Zaragoza, Spain. It was there that he first caught the attention of international scouts, including San Antonio SpursSan Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
scout Sam Presti
Sam Presti
Sam Prestigiacomo is an American basketball executive. Since June 7, 2007, he has been the General Manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics...
. After playing with the French national team he signed his first contract with the club STB Le Havre
Saint Thomas Basket Le Havre
Saint Thomas Basket Le Havre is a basketball club based in Le Havre, France that plays in the Pro A division of the Ligue Nationale de Basketball. Their home arena is Dock Océane.-Club history:...
(France). He played three seasons with Le Havre, averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 2005–06.
In the summer of 2006, he signed a contract to play for Pau Orthez
Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
The Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez is a French professional basketball club that is based in Pau. They play their home games at the Palais des Sports de Pau.- History :...
in France's top professional league. He averaged 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 12.7 minutes in the 2006–07 season, helping the team win the French Cup.
NBA career
Mahinmi was selected 28th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, which surprised many other teams and league officials because he wasn't among the 128 players listed in the league's draft guide. Mahinmi was considered a "project" that would be a couple of years from competing in the NBA. The Spurs' interest in Mahinmi relates to their need for an athletic big man since David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
retired. Playing for the Spurs' 2006 summer-league team at Rocky Mountain Revue
Rocky Mountain Revue
The Rocky Mountain Revue, until 2008, was one of the NBA's summer leagues, along with the Vegas Summer League and the Orlando Pro Summer League. It is hosted by the Utah Jazz. It started in 1984 as a pro-am league with students and alumni of Utah, BYU, Weber State and Utah State...
, Mahinmi demonstrated his athleticism, but had difficulty maintaining rebounding or post position without fouling. After Mahinmi moved to Pau Orthez, which had a more developed strength and nutrition program than the one at Le Havre, the Spurs also began to send a strength coach to monitor his progress.
During the 2007 Summer League, Mahinmi tore his right pectoralis minor shortly after the start of play. Despite this setback, he was signed by the Spurs on August 23, 2007. Mahinmi played for the Austin Toros
Austin Toros
The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...
, the Spurs' affiliate in the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
, by November. Mahinmi averaged 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in the NBA Development League, leading the Austin Toros to the D-League Finals in which they lost. On October 30, 2007, Mahinmi made his NBA debut with the Spurs against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, playing only 74 seconds and registering no statistics.
Mahinmi signed with the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas 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...
on July 13, 2010. On December 7, 2010, against the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Mahinmi recorded his first career double-double (12 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes).
On January 15, 2011, Mahinmi scored a career high 17 points in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, going 6-6 from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line while collecting 6 rebounds.
On June 12, 2011, in game 6 of the NBA Championship series against the Miami Heat with Dallas leading the series 3–2, Mahinmi collected a crucial offensive rebound in the closing seconds of the 3rd quarter before hitting a buzzer beater shot to further extend the Mavericks lead. Dallas went on to win the game 105–95 and Mahinmi won his first NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
| 6 || 0 || 3.8 || .500 || .000 || 1.000 || .8 || .2 || .0 || .7 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | San Antonio
| 26 || 0 || 6.3 || .636 || .000 || .660 || 2.0 || .1 || .1 || .3 || 3.9
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Dallas
Dallas 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...
| 56 || 0 || 8.7 || .561 || .000 || .768 || 2.1 || .1 || .2 || .3 || 3.1
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 88 || 0 || 7.7 || .582 || .000 || .746 || 2.0 || .1 || .2 || .3 || 3.4
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
| 2 || 0 || 9.5 || .500 || .000 || .750 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .5 || 4.5
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Dallas
Dallas 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...
| 6 || 0 || 5.5 || .600 || .000 || .556 || 1.0 || .0 || .2 || .0 || 1.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 8 || 0 || 6.4 || .545 || .000 || .615 || 1.0 || .0 || .1 || .1 || 2.5