Sam Perkins
Former NBA power forward and center known as 'Big Smooth' and a key member of the 1982 NCAA champion Tar Heels.
Samuel Bruce Perkins (born June 14, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player and executive. Perkins was a three-time college All-American, was a member of the 1982 national champion North Carolina Tar Heels, and won a gold medal with the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Perkins played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 17 seasons.
Quick Facts
- All-star appearances
- 0-time NBA All-Star (Career total)
Lore & Background
Perkins was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Samuel J. Tilden High School. He later attended and graduated from Shaker High School in Latham, New York. He was named large-school high school player of the year by the New York State Sportswriters Association in 1980, and was also named to the 35 Greatest Boys McDonald's All Americans team. He attended the University of North Carolina, playing basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1980 to 1984. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1981 and starred alongside James Worthy and Michael Jordan on the Tar Heels' 1982 NCAA championship team. He was a three-time All-American, three-time first-team All-ACC, and named the 1984 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. Perkins finished his collegiate career as the Tar Heels' all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots and as the second-highest scorer in team history. He was a co-captain of the gold medal-winning 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Perkins was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks as the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft, and played as a power forward and center from 1984 to 2001 with Dallas, the Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Indiana Pacers. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1985, and scored a career-high 45 points on April 12, 1990. He appeared in three NBA Finals: in 1991 (with the Lakers), in 1996 (with the SuperSonics), and in 2000 (with the Pacers). All three Finals were lost to teams coached by Phil Jackson. In game one of the 1991 NBA Finals, Perkins made a game-winning three-point shot to defeat the Chicago Bulls. He was known by the nicknames 'Sleepy Sam', 'Big Smooth', and 'The Big Easy'. In 2002, Perkins was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team. In 2008, he was named vice president of player relations for the Indiana Pacers. That September, he was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. He held his position with the Pacers until 2010. In 2011, Perkins traveled to South Sudan as a SportsUnited Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. He was named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. Perkins runs a summer camp for Chapel Hill, North Carolina, youth. He was raised a Jehovah's Witness and stood away from his line of teammates for the national anthem due to his faith.
Reader's Guide
Perkins tied a Seattle SuperSonics franchise record on January 15, 1997, by making eight three-pointers without a miss. He has the distinction of having the fourth-most playoff games appeared in without having been on a team that won the NBA Championship.
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