Shane Battier
Encyclopedia
Shane Courtney Battier is an American professional basketball
player (small forward
). He most recently played with the Memphis Grizzlies
of the National Basketball Association
. He has also been a member of the U.S. national team
.
Battier was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, and attended Detroit Country Day School
in Beverly Hills, Michigan
, where he won many awards including 1997 "Mr. Basketball of Michigan
." He went on to play four years of college basketball at Duke
, where he captured the 2001 National Championship
and swept the major National Player of the Year awards. Battier was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft
by the Memphis Grizzlies
and was traded five years later to the Houston Rockets
. He was then traded back to the Memphis Grizzles during the 2010-2011 NBA season. His number has been retired by both Detroit Country Day School and Duke University.
father and a white
mother. As Michael Lewis
put it in a 2009 article, the young Battier "was shuttling between a black world that treated him as white and a white world that treated him as black." More specifically in the context of basketball, Lewis noted that "the inner-city kids with whom he played on the A.A.U. circuit treated Battier like a suburban kid with a white game, and the suburban kids he played with during the regular season treated him like a visitor from the planet where they kept the black people." Battier also noted that his cerebral approach to the game was forged from that time:
Although he was almost always the best player on the court, he never fully embraced the starring role. In the Lewis article, Battier's high school coach, Kurt Keener, said "He had a tendency to defer. He had this incredible ability to make everyone around him better. But I had to tell him to be more assertive. The one game we lost his freshman year, it was because he deferred to the seniors." However, his apparent deference was not a sign of lack of ambition; an exchange between Battier and Lewis made this clear:
to chant, "Who's your daddy? Battier!" He led the Blue Devils to two Final Four
s, in 1999 and 2001. The Blue Devils lost to the Connecticut Huskies
in the 1999 finals, but came back to win the national championship by defeating the Arizona Wildcats
two years later. In 2001, Battier swept the major National Player of the Year awards, and subsequently had his jersey number 31 retired by the Blue Devils. Additionally, Battier was a three-time awardee of the NABC Defensive Player of the Year
. Battier (778) and Jason Williams
on the 2001 national championship team were one of only two Duke duos to each score over 700 points in a season, the other duo being Jon Scheyer
(728) and Kyle Singler
(707) in the 2009–10 season. Battier graduated from Duke with a major in religion.
After the conclusion of his college career, Battier was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team
. Battier was a two-time Academic All-American and Academic All-American of the year in 2001.
He was second behind Jon Scheyer
in the Duke record book for minutes played in a single season as of March 28, 2010, and had 36 double-figure scoring games in a single season (tied for 5th-most in Duke history, with Scheyer, Jason Williams, and J.J. Redick
.
with the sixth pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft
. He was the Grizzlies' second draft pick since the team relocated from Vancouver
, British Columbia
, after six years. Pau Gasol
of Spain was selected in the same draft with the number three pick, by the Atlanta Hawks, then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
.
Battier is a versatile player with the size to play inside and the range to score from further out (particularly the corner three-pointer
). However, he makes his living as a hustle player on the defensive end, where he defends three positions (shooting guard
, power forward
, small forward
) with a high degree of skill, nets a good number of blocks
and steals
, dives for loose balls, and frequently draws offensive fouls from his opponent.
On June 28, 2006, Battier was traded by the Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets
in exchange for Stromile Swift
and the Rockets' number 8 selection Rudy Gay
in the 2006 NBA Draft
.
Battier has often been called "the ultimate glue guy" for playing sound, fundamental, team-oriented basketball, making his teammates more effective without flash or padding his own stats, and for making the most of his skills with discipline and hustle rather than raw athleticism. He's also known for his extensive preparation in studying the opposing team and the player he is assigned to guard: "I try to prepare for my opponent as thoroughly as possible. I want to know every angle on the man I am guarding to give me an edge. I read many, many pages and go over strengths and weaknesses many times before a game. 'Proper preparation prevents poor performance.' That is a motto I like." The Rockets obliged him in that regard by making him the team's only player with access to a huge amount of highly sophisticated statistical data that they compiled on all opposing players; he used this data to familiarize himself with the tendencies of the players he would guard in each game. His team-oriented approach is also illustrated by one game between the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs
in the 2007–08 season in which he was assigned to guard Manu Ginóbili
. Because Ginóbili was playing off the bench, his minutes were not in sync with those of typical NBA starters. Before the game, Battier went to Rockets coach Rick Adelman
and asked to be kept out of the starting lineup and substituted in whenever Ginóbili entered the game. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey
later said about the incident that “No one in the NBA does that. No one says put me on the bench so I can guard their best scorer all the time.”
He played for the US national team in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
, winning a bronze medal.
On February 17, 2010, in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks
, Battier scored 20 points, shooting 6-6 from 3-point territory, to go along with his 10 rebounds.
During the latter part of the season, Battier lost his starting spot to the returning Trevor Ariza
. Battier, however, made it perfectly clear that starting a game or hearing his name prior to a game was not important to him. On March 21, 2010 in a game against the New York Knicks
, Battier would suffer a season-ending knee injury. However, no surgery was needed.
On August 12, 2010, the Rockets traded swingman Trevor Ariza
to the New Orleans Hornets for Courtney Lee
from the New Jersey Nets
. As a result, Battier regained his starting spot.
On December 17, 2010, Battier recorded his first double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points (including 5 three-pointers) and 10 rebounds to go with 5 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal.
On January 24, 2011, Battier scored a season-high 19 points (including 5 three pointers) in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On February 5, 2011, Battier grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds in an overtime win over the Utah Jazz
.
On Valentine's Day 2011, Battier went a perfect 7-7 from the field (including 3-3 from downtown), finishing with 17 points, in a 121-102 win over the Denver Nuggets
.
On February 24, 2011, Battier was traded by the Houston Rockets
back to the Memphis Grizzlies
, where Battier was originally drafted and played the first years of his career, in exchange for center Hasheem Thabeet
, DeMarre Carroll
, and a 1st round draft pick.
On April 17, 2011, with Memphis down by two, Battier drilled the game-winning three to bring Memphis's all-time playoff record up to 1-12.
, Battier appeared in the NBA Fundamentals series, hosted by TNT, in which players showcase several aspects of the game. He explained how to take charges, i.e. draw offensive fouls. In this clip, Battier explained that a good charge taker needs three things: good court vision, so he knows where the ball is at all times; anticipation, so he can guess the spot where a slashing attacker will dribble to; and courage, because taking a charge hurts. He also emphasised the need to keep your feet outside the blocking circle, because otherwise, the legal charge becomes an illegal block. Battier joked that Charles Barkley
, who is known for his size, was an elite charge taker.
Battier is a co-owner of D1 Sports Training in Memphis. Battier was recently chosen as the seventh smartest professional athlete by the Sporting News.
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 78 || 78 || 39.7 || .429 || .373 || .700 || 5.4 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 14.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 78 || 47 || 30.6 || .483 || .398 || .828 || 4.4 || 1.3 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 9.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 79 || 1 || 24.6 || .446 || .349 || .732 || 3.8 || 1.3 || 1.3 || .7 || 8.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 80 || 72 || 31.5 || .442 || .395 || .789 || 5.2 || 1.6 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 81 || 81 || 35.0 || .488 || .394 || .707 || 5.3 || 1.7 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 82 || 82 || 36.4 || .446 || .421 || .779 || 4.1 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .7 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 80 || 78 || 36.3 || .428 || .377 || .743 || 5.1 || 1.9 || 1.0 || 1.1 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 60 || 59 || 33.9 || .410 || .384 || .821 || 4.8 || 2.3 || .8 || .9 || 7.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 67 || 62 || 32.4 || .398 || .362 || .726 || 4.7 || 2.4 || .8 || 1.1 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 59 || 59 || 30.8 || .456 || .391 || .645 || 4.8 || 2.6 || .9 || 1.2 || 8.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 23 || 0 || 24.2 || .426 || .333 || .882 || 4.0 || 1.4 || .7 || .4 || 5.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 767 || 619 || 32.9 || .443 || .385 || .745 || 4.7 || 2.0 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 9.6
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 0 || 17.3 || .400 || .429 || .667 || 3.0 || .3 || .0 || .2 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 29.8 || .419 || .143 || .400 || 6.8 || 1.5 || .5 || 1.0 || 7.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 32.3 || .500 || .286 || .333 || 5.8 || .5 || 1.0 || .5 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 7 || 7 || 38.9 || .451 || .442 || .875 || 2.6 || 2.1 || 1.7 || 1.0 || 10.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 6 || 6 || 41.0 || .444 || .480 || .727 || 3.8 || .5 || 1.0 || .8 || 10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 13 || 13 || 38.2 ||.407 || .315 || .957 || 4.9 || 2.4 || 1.1 || .7 ||8.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 13 || 0 || 26.1 ||.439 || .276 || .667 || 4.0 || 1.2 || .5 || .5 || 5.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 51 || 34 || 32.7 || .434 || .360 || .750 || 4.3 || 1.4 || .9 || .7 || 7.5
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 (small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
). He most recently played with 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...
of 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 has also been a member of the U.S. national team
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...
.
Battier was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, and attended Detroit Country Day School
Detroit Country Day School
Detroit Country Day School is a private, secular school located in four campuses in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The administrative offices, facility services, safety and security services, and the upper school are located in a campus in Beverly Hills, along with the middle school...
in Beverly Hills, Michigan
Beverly Hills, Michigan
Beverly Hills is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,267.-Geography:...
, where he won many awards including 1997 "Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Each year the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of Michigan...
." He went on to play four years of college basketball at Duke
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
, where he captured the 2001 National Championship
2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 2001 with the play-in game, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in...
and swept the major National Player of the Year awards. Battier was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
by 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...
and was traded five years later to the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. He was then traded back to the Memphis Grizzles during the 2010-2011 NBA season. His number has been retired by both Detroit Country Day School and Duke University.
Early years
Battier was an outlier from his childhood; by the time he entered Country Day as a seventh-grader, he was already , and was a year later. He was also the only child in the school with a blackAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
father and a white
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
mother. As Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
put it in a 2009 article, the young Battier "was shuttling between a black world that treated him as white and a white world that treated him as black." More specifically in the context of basketball, Lewis noted that "the inner-city kids with whom he played on the A.A.U. circuit treated Battier like a suburban kid with a white game, and the suburban kids he played with during the regular season treated him like a visitor from the planet where they kept the black people." Battier also noted that his cerebral approach to the game was forged from that time:
Although he was almost always the best player on the court, he never fully embraced the starring role. In the Lewis article, Battier's high school coach, Kurt Keener, said "He had a tendency to defer. He had this incredible ability to make everyone around him better. But I had to tell him to be more assertive. The one game we lost his freshman year, it was because he deferred to the seniors." However, his apparent deference was not a sign of lack of ambition; an exchange between Battier and Lewis made this clear:
College
Battier, who graduated from Country Day with a 3.96 grade point average and was named the school's outstanding student in his senior year, went on to attend Duke, where he played four years under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. While at Duke, Battier was often the best defender on the court. He frequently took charges which prompted the Cameron CraziesCameron Crazies
The Cameron Crazies are the student supporters of Duke University's basketball teams, named for Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Crazies stand courtside in a 1,200 seat student section and begin cheering during warmups...
to chant, "Who's your daddy? Battier!" He led the Blue Devils to two Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s, in 1999 and 2001. The Blue Devils lost to the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
in the 1999 finals, but came back to win the national championship by defeating the Arizona Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
two years later. In 2001, Battier swept the major National Player of the Year awards, and subsequently had his jersey number 31 retired by the Blue Devils. Additionally, Battier was a three-time awardee of the NABC Defensive Player of the Year
NABC Defensive Player of the Year
The NABC Defensive Player of the Year is an award given annually by the National Association of Basketball Coaches to recognize the top defensive player in United States college basketball...
. Battier (778) and Jason Williams
Jay Williams (basketball)
Jason David Williams , professionally known as Jay Williams, is a former American professional basketball player with the NBA Chicago Bulls. He last signed with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, but was waived by the Toros on December 30, 2006 to rehabilitate a nagging injury...
on the 2001 national championship team were one of only two Duke duos to each score over 700 points in a season, the other duo being Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
(728) and Kyle Singler
Kyle Singler
Kyle Edward Singler is a professional basketball player for the Real Madrid in Spain. He was a four-year starter for the Duke men's basketball team and was instrumental in their 2010 NCAA Championship run, earning MVP of the Final Four.-High school:Singler attended South Medford High School and...
(707) in the 2009–10 season. Battier graduated from Duke with a major in religion.
After the conclusion of his college career, Battier was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team
ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team
In 2002 the Atlantic Coast Conference selected 50th anniversary teams for most of its sports. The 50-member men's basketball team was voted on by a 120-member blue-ribbon committee that was selected by the league's 50th Anniversary Committee....
. Battier was a two-time Academic All-American and Academic All-American of the year in 2001.
He was second behind Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
in the Duke record book for minutes played in a single season as of March 28, 2010, and had 36 double-figure scoring games in a single season (tied for 5th-most in Duke history, with Scheyer, Jason Williams, and J.J. Redick
J.J. Redick
Jonathan Clay "J. J." Redick is an American professional basketball player at the shooting guard position who plays for the Orlando Magic. He was selected 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA Draft. During his collegiate years, Redick played for Duke University...
.
NBA
Battier was selected by the Vancouver GrizzliesMemphis 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...
with the sixth pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
. He was the Grizzlies' second draft pick since the team relocated from Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, after six years. Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain...
of Spain was selected in the same draft with the number three pick, by the Atlanta Hawks, then traded 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...
.
Battier is a versatile player with the size to play inside and the range to score from further out (particularly the corner three-pointer
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
). However, he makes his living as a hustle player on the defensive end, where he defends three positions (shooting guard
Shooting 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...
, 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...
, small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
) with a high degree of skill, nets a good number of blocks
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
and steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
, dives for loose balls, and frequently draws offensive fouls from his opponent.
On June 28, 2006, Battier was traded by the Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in exchange for Stromile Swift
Stromile Swift
Stromile Swift is a former American professional basketball player. At 6'10" and 220 lbs, he played the power forward and center positions.- College and early NBA career :...
and the Rockets' number 8 selection Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies...
in the 2006 NBA Draft
2006 NBA Draft
The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2006 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players,...
.
Battier has often been called "the ultimate glue guy" for playing sound, fundamental, team-oriented basketball, making his teammates more effective without flash or padding his own stats, and for making the most of his skills with discipline and hustle rather than raw athleticism. He's also known for his extensive preparation in studying the opposing team and the player he is assigned to guard: "I try to prepare for my opponent as thoroughly as possible. I want to know every angle on the man I am guarding to give me an edge. I read many, many pages and go over strengths and weaknesses many times before a game. 'Proper preparation prevents poor performance.' That is a motto I like." The Rockets obliged him in that regard by making him the team's only player with access to a huge amount of highly sophisticated statistical data that they compiled on all opposing players; he used this data to familiarize himself with the tendencies of the players he would guard in each game. His team-oriented approach is also illustrated by one game between the Rockets and 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 ....
in the 2007–08 season in which he was assigned to guard Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
. Because Ginóbili was playing off the bench, his minutes were not in sync with those of typical NBA starters. Before the game, Battier went to Rockets coach Rick Adelman
Rick Adelman
Richard Leonard "Rick" Adelman is an American former basketball professional player and current basketball coach. He is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. Confirmation of the hiring came from the Timberwolves on September 13, 2011...
and asked to be kept out of the starting lineup and substituted in whenever Ginóbili entered the game. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey
Daryl Morey
Daryl Morey is an American sports executive. He is the current general manager of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He was named Assistant General Manager on April 3, 2006 and succeeded Carroll Dawson as General Manager on May 10, 2007...
later said about the incident that “No one in the NBA does that. No one says put me on the bench so I can guard their best scorer all the time.”
He played for the US national team in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
, winning a bronze medal.
On February 17, 2010, in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, Battier scored 20 points, shooting 6-6 from 3-point territory, to go along with his 10 rebounds.
During the latter part of the season, Battier lost his starting spot to the returning Trevor Ariza
Trevor Ariza
Trevor Anthony Ariza is an American basketball player in the National Basketball Association who plays for the New Orleans Hornets. Primarily a small forward, he is listed at tall and 210 pounds.-Biography:...
. Battier, however, made it perfectly clear that starting a game or hearing his name prior to a game was not important to him. On March 21, 2010 in a game against 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...
, Battier would suffer a season-ending knee injury. However, no surgery was needed.
On August 12, 2010, the Rockets traded swingman Trevor Ariza
Trevor Ariza
Trevor Anthony Ariza is an American basketball player in the National Basketball Association who plays for the New Orleans Hornets. Primarily a small forward, he is listed at tall and 210 pounds.-Biography:...
to the New Orleans Hornets for Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee is an American basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 22nd pick overall in the 2008 NBA Draft...
from 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...
. As a result, Battier regained his starting spot.
On December 17, 2010, Battier recorded his first double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points (including 5 three-pointers) and 10 rebounds to go with 5 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal.
On January 24, 2011, Battier scored a season-high 19 points (including 5 three pointers) in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On February 5, 2011, Battier grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds in an overtime win over the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
On Valentine's Day 2011, Battier went a perfect 7-7 from the field (including 3-3 from downtown), finishing with 17 points, in a 121-102 win over the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
.
On February 24, 2011, Battier was traded by the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
back 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...
, where Battier was originally drafted and played the first years of his career, in exchange for center Hasheem Thabeet
Hasheem Thabeet
Hasheem Thabeet is a Tanzanian professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted as the 2nd pick overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft after playing with the Connecticut Huskies...
, DeMarre Carroll
DeMarre Carroll
DeMarre LaEdrick Carroll is an American professional basketball player who was drafted 27th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association in the 2009 NBA Draft. Carroll formerly played for the University of Missouri and Vanderbilt University...
, and a 1st round draft pick.
On April 17, 2011, with Memphis down by two, Battier drilled the game-winning three to bring Memphis's all-time playoff record up to 1-12.
Media appearances
In the 2006-07 NBA season2006-07 NBA season
The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ran through April 18, 2007. The league fielded 30 teams, each playing an 82 game regular season schedule. The top eight seeds from each conference reached the NBA...
, Battier appeared in the NBA Fundamentals series, hosted by TNT, in which players showcase several aspects of the game. He explained how to take charges, i.e. draw offensive fouls. In this clip, Battier explained that a good charge taker needs three things: good court vision, so he knows where the ball is at all times; anticipation, so he can guess the spot where a slashing attacker will dribble to; and courage, because taking a charge hurts. He also emphasised the need to keep your feet outside the blocking circle, because otherwise, the legal charge becomes an illegal block. Battier joked that Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, who is known for his size, was an elite charge taker.
Personal life
In summer 2004, Battier married Heidi Ufer, his high school sweetheart. They had their first son, Zeke Edward Battier, on June 2, 2008. On April 17, 2011, Heidi had their second child.Battier is a co-owner of D1 Sports Training in Memphis. Battier was recently chosen as the seventh smartest professional athlete by the Sporting News.
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
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...
| 78 || 78 || 39.7 || .429 || .373 || .700 || 5.4 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 14.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 78 || 47 || 30.6 || .483 || .398 || .828 || 4.4 || 1.3 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 9.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 79 || 1 || 24.6 || .446 || .349 || .732 || 3.8 || 1.3 || 1.3 || .7 || 8.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 80 || 72 || 31.5 || .442 || .395 || .789 || 5.2 || 1.6 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 81 || 81 || 35.0 || .488 || .394 || .707 || 5.3 || 1.7 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 82 || 82 || 36.4 || .446 || .421 || .779 || 4.1 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .7 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 80 || 78 || 36.3 || .428 || .377 || .743 || 5.1 || 1.9 || 1.0 || 1.1 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-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...
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 60 || 59 || 33.9 || .410 || .384 || .821 || 4.8 || 2.3 || .8 || .9 || 7.3
|-
| style="text-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....
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 67 || 62 || 32.4 || .398 || .362 || .726 || 4.7 || 2.4 || .8 || 1.1 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-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...
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 59 || 59 || 30.8 || .456 || .391 || .645 || 4.8 || 2.6 || .9 || 1.2 || 8.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 23 || 0 || 24.2 || .426 || .333 || .882 || 4.0 || 1.4 || .7 || .4 || 5.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 767 || 619 || 32.9 || .443 || .385 || .745 || 4.7 || 2.0 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 9.6
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
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...
| 4 || 0 || 17.3 || .400 || .429 || .667 || 3.0 || .3 || .0 || .2 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 29.8 || .419 || .143 || .400 || 6.8 || 1.5 || .5 || 1.0 || 7.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
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...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 32.3 || .500 || .286 || .333 || 5.8 || .5 || 1.0 || .5 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
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...
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 7 || 7 || 38.9 || .451 || .442 || .875 || 2.6 || 2.1 || 1.7 || 1.0 || 10.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
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....
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 6 || 6 || 41.0 || .444 || .480 || .727 || 3.8 || .5 || 1.0 || .8 || 10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 13 || 13 || 38.2 ||.407 || .315 || .957 || 4.9 || 2.4 || 1.1 || .7 ||8.1
|-
| style="text-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...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 13 || 0 || 26.1 ||.439 || .276 || .667 || 4.0 || 1.2 || .5 || .5 || 5.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 51 || 34 || 32.7 || .434 || .360 || .750 || 4.3 || 1.4 || .9 || .7 || 7.5
External links
- Official Site (Under Construction)
- Shane Battier player profile at NBA.com
- Shane Battier on BlackHistoryDaily.com
- ClutchFans.net Shane Battier Profile – Houston Rocket Fan Site
- 2001 Oscar Robertson Trophy
- Shane Battier movie and film appearances at IMDB
- The No-Stats All-Star at New York Times