Jason Kapono
Encyclopedia
Jason Alan Kapono is an American
professional basketball
player who is a free agent
. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers
in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft
, Kapono later also played for the Charlotte Bobcats
, Miami Heat
, Toronto Raptors
, and Philadelphia 76ers
. He twice led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, and he also won the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice.
Kapono played college basketball at University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA). He was the first player in the school's history to earn First Team All-Pac-10 honors for four years and was also the first UCLA player to lead the team in scoring four straight years.
to Joe and Toni Kapono. Jason prepped at Southern California basketball powerhouse Artesia High School in Lakewood, where he was a McDonald's All-American and won several accolades and titles. After a successful high school career, Jason enjoyed an outstanding college career at UCLA
, where he finished as the third all-time leading scorer with 2,095 points, was the first Bruin to earn First Team All-Pac-10 honors all four years, and was the only UCLA player to lead the school in scoring four straight years. He also graduated with a degree in history. Kapono was a second-round draft choice of the Cleveland Cavaliers
in the 2003 NBA Draft
.
in the 2004 expansion draft
, where he increased his scoring average from 3.5 to 8.5 points per game. He also made the first block in Bobcats history. Later, he was signed as a free agent by the Miami Heat
where he was part of the 2005–06 NBA championship team.
In the 2006–07 season, Kapono's points-per-game average and minutes played significantly increased, and he led the league in three-point percentage with .514, which is close to the all-time single-season three-point percentage record held by Steve Kerr
(.524), and is the fourth best percentage in league season history. Kapono also won the 2007 All-Star Weekend
three-point shoot-out competition by defeating Dirk Nowitzki
and Gilbert Arenas
in the final round with a score of 24 points which tied Mark Price
's record for most points in a final round of the three-point contest.
Kapono repeated the feat in 2008, having led the league in three-point percentage going into the All-Star weekend. In the final round of the contest, he scored 25 points, tying the all-time single round record set in 1986 and also setting a new finals record. On December 14, 2007, he had a career-high 29 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. He also ended the 2007–08 season as the top three-point shooter in the league.
On June 9, 2009, Kapono was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
for Reggie Evans
. The Sixers were victims of several starting lineup changes throughout the season. Kapono started the season with sparing minutes off the bench, but was later given the starting SF spot, near the end of the season.
However, after losing his starting spot two games into the following season, Kapono is back to coming off the bench for sparing minutes. After the 2010-2011 NBA season came to an end, Kapono's contract with the 76ers expired and he became a free agent.
, who had the previous lifetime best at .454. Kapono has since dropped behind Kerr and others.
Select Team which trained with USA Men's Senior National Team in Las Vegas
to assist in the buildup to the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
and Portuguese
descent. He married on August 28, 2004 to the former Ashley Cline. He has a sister Jillian, his father-in-law Tony Cline
played football at the University of Miami
and in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders
, while his brother-in-law Tony Cline Jr.
played football at Stanford University
and with the Buffalo Bills
and San Francisco 49ers
.
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 41 || 3 || 10.4 || .403 || .477 || .833 || 1.3 || .3 || .3 || .1 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 81 || 14 || 18.4 || .401 || .412 || .824 || 2.0 || .8 || .5 || .1 || 8.5
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Miami
| 51 || 2 || 13.0 || .446 || .396 || .848 || 1.4 || .7 || .1 || .1 || 4.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Miami
| 67 || 35 || 26.4 || .494 || .514 || .892 || 2.7 || 1.2 || .6 || .0 || 10.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
| 81 || 7 || 18.9 || .488 || .483 || .860 || 1.5 || .8 || .4 || .0 || 7.2
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Toronto
| 80 || 12 || 22.9 || .432 || .428 || .810 || 2.0 || 1.3 || .3 || .0 || 8.2
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 57 || 12 || 17.1 || .419 || .368 || .600 || 1.2 || .7 || .4 || .1 || 5.7
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 24 || 2 || 4.7 || .250 || .125 || .500 || .5 || .2 || .1 || .0 || .7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 482 || 87 || 18.3 || .443 || .437 || .833 || 1.7 || .8 || .4 || .0 || 6.9
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Miami
| 1 || 0 || 2.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Miami
| 4 || 1 || 19.3 || .471 || .500 || 1.000 || 1.3 || .5 || .5 || .0 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
| 5 || 0 || 30.4 || .585 || .542 || .750 || 2.6 || .8 || .4 || .0 || 15.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 10 || 1 || 23.1 || .557 || .536 || .833 || 1.8 || .6 || .4 || .0 || 9.8
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 who is a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland 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 second round of the 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
, Kapono later also played for the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
, Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, and Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. He twice led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, and he also won the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice.
Kapono played college basketball at University of California, Los Angeles
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
(UCLA). He was the first player in the school's history to earn First Team All-Pac-10 honors for four years and was also the first UCLA player to lead the team in scoring four straight years.
Early life
Kapono was born in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
to Joe and Toni Kapono. Jason prepped at Southern California basketball powerhouse Artesia High School in Lakewood, where he was a McDonald's All-American and won several accolades and titles. After a successful high school career, Jason enjoyed an outstanding college career at UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
, where he finished as the third all-time leading scorer with 2,095 points, was the first Bruin to earn First Team All-Pac-10 honors all four years, and was the only UCLA player to lead the school in scoring four straight years. He also graduated with a degree in history. Kapono was a second-round draft choice of the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland 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 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
.
NBA career
Kapono only played 41 games and started 3 in his first NBA season, although he led the team in three-point field goal percent at 47.7%. After his rookie season with Cleveland, he was selected by the Charlotte BobcatsCharlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
in the 2004 expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
, where he increased his scoring average from 3.5 to 8.5 points per game. He also made the first block in Bobcats history. Later, he was signed as a free agent by the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
where he was part of the 2005–06 NBA championship team.
In the 2006–07 season, Kapono's points-per-game average and minutes played significantly increased, and he led the league in three-point percentage with .514, which is close to the all-time single-season three-point percentage record held by Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr
Stephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
(.524), and is the fourth best percentage in league season history. Kapono also won the 2007 All-Star Weekend
2007 NBA All-Star Game
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
three-point shoot-out competition by defeating Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
and Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Jay Arenas, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . He plays as a point guard and shooting guard....
in the final round with a score of 24 points which tied Mark Price
Mark Price
William Mark Price is a retired American basketball player who played for 12 seasons in the NBA, from 1986 to 1998...
's record for most points in a final round of the three-point contest.
Kapono repeated the feat in 2008, having led the league in three-point percentage going into the All-Star weekend. In the final round of the contest, he scored 25 points, tying the all-time single round record set in 1986 and also setting a new finals record. On December 14, 2007, he had a career-high 29 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. He also ended the 2007–08 season as the top three-point shooter in the league.
On June 9, 2009, Kapono was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
for Reggie Evans
Reggie Evans
Reginald Jamaal "Reggie" Evans is an American professional basketball player. The power forward most recently played for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA...
. The Sixers were victims of several starting lineup changes throughout the season. Kapono started the season with sparing minutes off the bench, but was later given the starting SF spot, near the end of the season.
However, after losing his starting spot two games into the following season, Kapono is back to coming off the bench for sparing minutes. After the 2010-2011 NBA season came to an end, Kapono's contract with the 76ers expired and he became a free agent.
NBA record
At one point, Kapono was the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history. On November 25, 2007, he made his 250th three-point shot, qualifying him for the NBA record in 3-point shooting accuracy. He immediately moved into first place with a .461 ratio of 3-point shots made to shots attempted, moving ahead of Steve KerrSteve Kerr
Stephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
, who had the previous lifetime best at .454. Kapono has since dropped behind Kerr and others.
National team
Kapono was picked for the USA BasketballUSA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
Select Team which trained with USA Men's Senior National Team in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to assist in the buildup to the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Personal life
Born to Joe and Joni Kapono, Jason Kapono is of HawaiianNative Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
and Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
descent. He married on August 28, 2004 to the former Ashley Cline. He has a sister Jillian, his father-in-law Tony Cline
Tony Cline
Anthony Cline was an American football defensive end in the NFL for two different teams. He played college football at the University of Miami. His son Tony Cline Jr...
played football at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, while his brother-in-law Tony Cline Jr.
Tony Cline Jr.
Tony Cline Jr. is a retired American football tight end in the National Football League. He played high school football at Davis Senior High School and college football at Stanford University...
played football at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Cleveland
Cleveland 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...
| 41 || 3 || 10.4 || .403 || .477 || .833 || 1.3 || .3 || .3 || .1 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
| 81 || 14 || 18.4 || .401 || .412 || .824 || 2.0 || .8 || .5 || .1 || 8.5
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Miami
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
| 51 || 2 || 13.0 || .446 || .396 || .848 || 1.4 || .7 || .1 || .1 || 4.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Miami
| 67 || 35 || 26.4 || .494 || .514 || .892 || 2.7 || 1.2 || .6 || .0 || 10.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 81 || 7 || 18.9 || .488 || .483 || .860 || 1.5 || .8 || .4 || .0 || 7.2
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Toronto
| 80 || 12 || 22.9 || .432 || .428 || .810 || 2.0 || 1.3 || .3 || .0 || 8.2
|-
| 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" | Philadelphia
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
| 57 || 12 || 17.1 || .419 || .368 || .600 || 1.2 || .7 || .4 || .1 || 5.7
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 24 || 2 || 4.7 || .250 || .125 || .500 || .5 || .2 || .1 || .0 || .7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 482 || 87 || 18.3 || .443 || .437 || .833 || 1.7 || .8 || .4 || .0 || 6.9
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2005–06
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Miami
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
| 1 || 0 || 2.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| align="left" | Miami
| 4 || 1 || 19.3 || .471 || .500 || 1.000 || 1.3 || .5 || .5 || .0 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 5 || 0 || 30.4 || .585 || .542 || .750 || 2.6 || .8 || .4 || .0 || 15.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 10 || 1 || 23.1 || .557 || .536 || .833 || 1.8 || .6 || .4 || .0 || 9.8