Mike Bibby

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bibby played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, winning the 1997 NCAA Championship as a freshman. He was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and a first-team All-American as a sophomore, then drafted second overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1998 NBA draft. After three seasons with the Grizzlies, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings on June 27, 2001, along with Brent Price, for Jason Williams and Nick Anderson. He helped the Kings reach the 2002 Western Conference Finals as their starting point guard. After seven seasons in Sacramento, he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in 2008. He later played for the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat (reaching the 2011 NBA Finals as a starter), and New York Knicks.

In Their Own Story

The 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers was one of the most memorable in league history. In Game 5, with the series tied 2-2, Mike Bibby took the ball at the top of the key. The clock ticked down. He rose up and released a shot that found nothing but net, giving the Kings a crucial victory. The shot became an instant classic, and Bibby's reputation as a clutch performer was sealed. The Kings would eventually lose the series in seven games, but Bibby's game-winner remains one of the most iconic moments in franchise history.

Reader's Guide

Bibby is known for his clutch performances, most memorably his Game 5 game-winner in the 2002 Western Conference Finals. He posted career-high averages of 21.1 points per game in the 2005–06 season and 8.4 assists per game in 2000–01. He twice tied Vancouver's franchise record for steals in a single game with seven. He is the son of professional basketball player Henry Bibby and the nephew of MLB pitcher Jim Bibby.

Did You Know?

• Bibby and his father Henry are one of four father-son duos to each win an NCAA basketball championship.
• He scored 19 points in the overtime 84–79 NCAA Championship Game win versus Kentucky in 1997.
• Bibby was selected to the 1997 All-Final Four Team and was Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
• He was a participant in the Three Point Shooting Competition while with the Atlanta Hawks.

College Dominance at Arizona

Before entering the NBA, Mike Bibby played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats under coach Lute Olson. As a freshman, he helped lead the Wildcats to the NCAA championship in 1997, scoring 19 points in the overtime, 84–79 NCAA Championship Game win versus the University of Kentucky. He was named to the ’97 All-Final Four Team and was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year after posting averages of 13.5 ppg, 5.2 apg and 3.2 rpg. His sophomore year, he was named Pac-10 Player of the Year (1997–98), after averaging 17.2 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 3.0 rpg (.464 FG%, .387 3FG%, .755 FT%). He started all 69 games during his Wildcat career and earned First-Team All-America honors after his sophomore campaign. Bibby and his father Henry are one of four father-son duos to each win an NCAA basketball championship.

The Sacramento Kings Era

Bibby's most defining professional chapter occurred after his trade from Vancouver to the Sacramento Kings on June 27, 2001. Teaming up with Chris Webber, he formed one of the league's best duos, immediately guiding the team to an NBA best-record at 61–21 and a Pacific division title. This era is best remembered for the intense 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where Bibby solidified his reputation as a clutch performer by hitting a game-winning shot in Game 5. Although the series ultimately went to seven games before falling to the eventual champions, his leadership earned him a 7-year, $80.5 million contract extension. Despite battling injuries in the 2002-03 season that limited him to 55 games, he still averaged 15.9 points per game with the Kings going 59–23. For the 2003-04 season, Bibby posted some of the best numbers of his career, scoring 1,506 points (18.4 per game). He averaged a career-high 21.1 points per game during the 2005-06 season. Bibby was made a guest of honor by the Sacramento Kings on November 20, 2014, sitting courtside alongside former teammate Chris Webber.

Rookie Success and Franchise Records

Entering the NBA Draft in 1998, Bibby was seen as the favorite to be selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the first overall pick, but was instead selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the second overall pick. He immediately made an impact, averaging 13.2 points, 6.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game during a lockout-shortened rookie season that earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Over his first three seasons in Vancouver, he consistently improved his scoring output while establishing himself as a primary playmaker, reaching a career-high of 8.4 assists per game by the 2000-01 campaign. On January 16, 2000, and April 2, 2000, Bibby twice tied Vancouver's franchise record for steals in a single game with seven. Despite these individual achievements, the team struggled to find consistent success, leading to his trade to Sacramento on June 27, 2001.

Resurgence with Atlanta

After leaving Sacramento in 2008, Bibby joined the struggling Atlanta Hawks on February 16, 2008, in exchange for Shelden Williams, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Lorenzen Wright and a 2008 second-round draft pick. Battling injuries and joining a Hawks team that was 22–28, Bibby put up 14.1 points and 6.6 assists per game to lead the Hawks to their first playoff berth in eight years. As an eighth-seed underdog, he helped the Hawks force an improbable seven-game series against the Boston Celtics, who went on to win the NBA Championship. The next season, Bibby averaged 15 points, 5 assists and 1.2 steals per game to help the Hawks win their first playoff series since 1999, against the Miami Heat. Bibby was also selected as a participant for the Three Point Shooting Competition. On July 7, 2009, Bibby and the Hawks agreed to a three-year deal worth about $18 million.