Rory Sparrow
Encyclopedia
Rory Darnell Sparrow is a retired American
professional basketball
player in the NBA.
Sparrow played at Eastside High School
in Paterson, New Jersey
, and was an inaugual inductee into the school's Hall of Fame.
He played collegiately
at Villanova University
, where he scored 1183 career points, and made 495 assists. In college, Sparrow made game-winning shots in the last ten seconds of the game on five occasions.
Sparrow, a 6'2" guard, was selected 75th overall (round 4, pick 6) of the 1980 NBA Draft
by the New Jersey Nets
. Including the Nets, he played with the Atlanta Hawks
, New York Knicks
, Chicago Bulls
, Miami Heat
, Sacramento Kings
and Los Angeles Lakers
over a 12-year career, retiring after the 1991-92 season
. He scored the first field goal in Miami Heat history, when the franchise was created in 1988.
Sparrow's NBA career had humble beginnings. After playing for Rollie Massimino
at Villanova, he was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the fourth round of the 1980 NBA Draft. When the Nets waived Sparrow in training camp, he turned to the Continental Basketball Association
, where he latched on with the Scranton Aces. In 20 games for the Aces, Sparrow averaged 24.1 points and 9.0 assists. The Nets called him up twice during the 1980–81 campaign
, but he appeared in only 15 NBA games that year.
Prior to the 1981–82 season
New Jersey traded Sparrow to the Atlanta Hawks for a fourth-round draft choice. Coach Kevin Loughery
made him an immediate starter at point guard, and Sparrow never looked back. Leaving his CBA days behind him, he appeared in all 82 games and averaged 10.5 points and 5.2 assists in more than 30 minutes per game. The Hawks finished 42-40 but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Midway through the next season Atlanta traded Sparrow to the New York Knicks for Scott Hastings. Over the next five years Sparrow became a staple in an otherwise shifting New York backcourt. He enjoyed his greatest team success during the 1983–84 campaign
. The Knicks posted a 47-35 record, beat the Detroit Pistons in the opening round of the playoffs, and then fell to the Boston Celtics in a tough seven-game series in the conference semifinals. As a starter in the backcourt, Sparrow averaged 10.4 points and 6.8 assists in the regular season, then contributed 11.2 points per game in the playoffs.
The following year he set a career high for assists with 7.1 per game. In 1985–86
, he averaged 10.8 points and 6.4 assists. New York, however, won only 23 games, posting its worst record since 1963–64
.
During his tenure in New York, Sparrow set up the Rory F. Sparrow Foundation, a charitable organization designed to aid underprivileged children in the New York metropolitan area. At the end of the 1985–86 season Sparrow was recognized for his efforts when he and the Lakers’ Michael Cooper were named co-winners of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Then, in the 1987 year-end issue of Sports Illustrated
, Sparrow was featured on the cover as one of eight “Athletes Who Care.” The magazine collectively honored the group as Sportsmen and Sportswomen of the Year.
Early in the 1987–88 season
the Knicks traded Sparrow to the Chicago Bulls, where he played sparingly as a backup to Michael Jordan
and Sam Vincent
. Prior to the 1988–89 campaign
he signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat. On November 5, 1988, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Sparrow scored the first points in Heat history. He went on to average a career-high 12.5 points for the year, second on the team behind Kevin Edwards
.
In his second season with the Heat, Sparrow was relegated to a back-up role behind rookie Sherman Douglas. Prior to the 1990–91 season
he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he found new life and scored 10.4 points per game. Sparrow split the 1991–92 season
between the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring at age 34. All told, he tallied 7,557 points for seven different teams and posted a career average of 9.0 points per game.
In 1994 he went to work for the NBA league office as player programs manager.
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 in the NBA.
Sparrow played at Eastside High School
Eastside High School (Paterson, New Jersey)
Eastside High School is a four-year public high school in Paterson, New Jersey, United States, that serves the eastern section of Paterson. EHS, which serves grades 9 through 12, operates as part of the Paterson Public Schools....
in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, and was an inaugual inductee into the school's Hall of Fame.
He played collegiately
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, where he scored 1183 career points, and made 495 assists. In college, Sparrow made game-winning shots in the last ten seconds of the game on five occasions.
Sparrow, a 6'2" guard, was selected 75th overall (round 4, pick 6) of the 1980 NBA Draft
1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
by the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Including the Nets, he played with the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, 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...
, Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, 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...
, Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
and Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
over a 12-year career, retiring after the 1991-92 season
1991-92 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets*Defensive Player of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs...
. He scored the first field goal in Miami Heat history, when the franchise was created in 1988.
Biography
Throughout his 12-year career Rory Sparrow was known as one of the steadiest guards in the NBA. He had his best years with the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks in the early 1980s, then went on to become a charter member of the expansion Miami Heat. In addition to his on-court success, Sparrow earned equal recognition for his tireless efforts in the community. In 1987 he was one of eight charitable athletes honored by Sports Illustrated as co-Sportsman of the Year.Sparrow's NBA career had humble beginnings. After playing for Rollie Massimino
Rollie Massimino
Roland V. "Rollie" Massimino is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at the Florida campus of Northwood University in West Palm Beach, a position he has held since 2006...
at Villanova, he was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the fourth round of the 1980 NBA Draft. When the Nets waived Sparrow in training camp, he turned to the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
, where he latched on with the Scranton Aces. In 20 games for the Aces, Sparrow averaged 24.1 points and 9.0 assists. The Nets called him up twice during the 1980–81 campaign
1980-81 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers*Rookie of the Year: Darrell Griffith, Utah Jazz*Coach of the Year: Jack McKinney, Indiana Pacers*All-NBA First Team:**Larry Bird, Boston Celtics...
, but he appeared in only 15 NBA games that year.
Prior to the 1981–82 season
1981-82 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Moses Malone, Houston Rockets*Rookie of the Year: Buck Williams, New Jersey Nets*Coach of the Year: Gene Shue, Washington Bullets*All-NBA First Team:**Larry Bird, Boston Celtics...
New Jersey traded Sparrow to the Atlanta Hawks for a fourth-round draft choice. Coach Kevin Loughery
Kevin Loughery
Kevin Michael Loughery is an American former professional basketball player and coach.-Career Biography:...
made him an immediate starter at point guard, and Sparrow never looked back. Leaving his CBA days behind him, he appeared in all 82 games and averaged 10.5 points and 5.2 assists in more than 30 minutes per game. The Hawks finished 42-40 but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Midway through the next season Atlanta traded Sparrow to the New York Knicks for Scott Hastings. Over the next five years Sparrow became a staple in an otherwise shifting New York backcourt. He enjoyed his greatest team success during the 1983–84 campaign
1983-84 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Houston Rockets*Defensive Player of the Year: Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks...
. The Knicks posted a 47-35 record, beat the Detroit Pistons in the opening round of the playoffs, and then fell to the Boston Celtics in a tough seven-game series in the conference semifinals. As a starter in the backcourt, Sparrow averaged 10.4 points and 6.8 assists in the regular season, then contributed 11.2 points per game in the playoffs.
The following year he set a career high for assists with 7.1 per game. In 1985–86
1985-86 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs...
, he averaged 10.8 points and 6.4 assists. New York, however, won only 23 games, posting its worst record since 1963–64
1963-64 NBA season
The 1963–64 NBA season was the 18th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 6th straight NBA Championship, beating the San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals....
.
During his tenure in New York, Sparrow set up the Rory F. Sparrow Foundation, a charitable organization designed to aid underprivileged children in the New York metropolitan area. At the end of the 1985–86 season Sparrow was recognized for his efforts when he and the Lakers’ Michael Cooper were named co-winners of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Then, in the 1987 year-end issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, Sparrow was featured on the cover as one of eight “Athletes Who Care.” The magazine collectively honored the group as Sportsmen and Sportswomen of the Year.
Early in the 1987–88 season
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
the Knicks traded Sparrow to the Chicago Bulls, where he played sparingly as a backup to Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and Sam Vincent
Sam Vincent (basketball)
James Samuel "Sam" Vincent is a retired American professional basketball player and the former head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. In 2008 Sam was named the head coach of the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Developmental league.Vincent won the State of Michigan "Mr. Basketball" award in 1981, the...
. Prior to the 1988–89 campaign
1988-89 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: Mitch Richmond, Golden State Warriors*Defensive Player of the Year: Mark Eaton, Utah Jazz...
he signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat. On November 5, 1988, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Sparrow scored the first points in Heat history. He went on to average a career-high 12.5 points for the year, second on the team behind Kevin Edwards
Kevin Edwards
Kevin Durell Edwards is a retired American professional basketball player who currently serves as DePaul University men's basketball team's director of community, corporate, and professional relations. Edwards was selected by the Miami Heat with the 20th overall pick of the 1988 NBA Draft...
.
In his second season with the Heat, Sparrow was relegated to a back-up role behind rookie Sherman Douglas. Prior to the 1990–91 season
1990-91 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Derrick Coleman, New Jersey Nets*Defensive Player of the Year: Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons...
he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he found new life and scored 10.4 points per game. Sparrow split the 1991–92 season
1991-92 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets*Defensive Player of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs...
between the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring at age 34. All told, he tallied 7,557 points for seven different teams and posted a career average of 9.0 points per game.
In 1994 he went to work for the NBA league office as player programs manager.
External links
- Career NBA stats @ basketball-reference.com
- Career NBA stats @ basketballreference.com
- Rory Sparrow and the NBA Legends Easing Rookie Transition by Talia Bargil, Oct. 19, 2005 @ nbrpa.com