Eldridge Recasner

Eldridge David Recasner (born December 14, 1967) is an American retired professional basketball player. In college, he was a three-time All-Pac-10 Conference guard for the Washington Huskies men's basketball team. After college, he played in a variety of professional leagues such as the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), Europe and the Philippine Basketball Association before entering the NBA. He subsequently played for several National Basketball Association (NBA) teams including the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers.

Eldridge Recasner
Personal information
Born (1967-12-14) December 14, 1967
New Orleans, Louisiana
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolAlfred Lawless
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
CollegeWashington (1986–1990)
NBA draft1990 / Undrafted
Playing career1990–2002
PositionGuard
Number7, 3, 5, 14
Career history
1990–1991TTL Bamberg
1991–1992Louisville Shooters
1992Presto Ice Cream Kings
1992–1993Yakima Sun Kings
1993–1994Galatasaray
1994–1995Yakima Sun Kings
1995Denver Nuggets
1995–1996Houston Rockets
1996–1998Atlanta Hawks
1998–2001Charlotte Hornets
2001–2002Los Angeles Clippers
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
3-point FG %41%
free throw %89%
Games296
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men’s basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA Americas Championship
1993 San Juan Team competition

In the 1994–95 season, his fifth season after college, he earned the CBA MVP award while leading the Yakima Sun Kings to the league championship. After that CBA season was completed, he signed to play in the NBA at the end of the 1994–95 NBA season for the Nuggets. The following season, he earned a spot on the roster of the two-time defending champion Rockets. He played in the NBA for seven more seasons. He had a career 41% three-point shot field goal percentage and 89% free throw percentage in eight NBA seasons. In each of his first four full seasons in the NBA, he shot at least 40% from the three-point line, but he suffered injuries as a passenger during an accident in an automobile driven by Derrick Coleman before the 1999–2000 season and never achieved the same level of success after the accident. He later became an assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce.[1]

Amateur career

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Recasner was introduced to basketball in fifth grade by his uncles. His first organized game was in junior high school. During the first game, Recasner scored on the wrong basket because he had learned the game on a half-court one-basket basketball court. While growing up, he admired Dr. J, George Gervin, and Marques Johnson.[2] He attended Alfred Lawless High School in New Orleans and was a high school teammate with Robert Pack.[3][4] Recasner was a senior when Pack was a sophomore.[5] Recasner was a better professional prospect than Pack and outscored Gary Payton five of nine times when the two point guards opposed each other in college.[6]

Recasner attended University of Washington where he played for the Huskies.[3] He redshirted during his freshman 1985–86 season.[7] Recasner was a member of the 1990 class at Washington,[8] and he was a three-time All-Pac-10 guard who was selected to the Washington Huskies all-20th-century team.[9] He was the first three-time captain of the Huskies.[9] Recasner was an architecture major at Washington by his own account,[2] but another account claims he was a black history major.[4] Recasner once scored 29 points against the undefeated and number one ranked Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team while guarding Sean Elliott. The Wildcats won the game while scoring the most points the Huskies had ever given up (109).[10][11]

Professional career

Recasner, a 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 190 pounds (86 kg) guard, was never selected in the NBA Draft. However, after spending the 1990–91 season with TTL Bamberg in Germany, he played in the Global Basketball Association in 1991–92. He also played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for the Presto Ice Cream Kings together with Allan Caidic, Vergel Meneses, Onchie dela Cruz and others while he played during the Third Conference. Then, he returned to Washington to play in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1992–93 and 1994–95 seasons. He played in the CBA for the franchise located in Yakima, Washington, which was near to the Seattle metropolitan area where the University of Washington was located. He played in Turkey in 1993–94. After leading the Yakima Sun Kings to the CBA championships as the league MVP, he signed to a 10-day contract with the Denver Nuggets on March 3, 1995 and played in three games.[4][12] For the 1995–96 NBA season he signed as a free agent with the Houston Rockets. He signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks for the 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons. He then signed with the Charlotte Hornets in January of the 1998–99 season where he stayed for parts of four seasons. He ended his career with two 10-day contracts for the L.A. Clippers in January 2002 after having been waived by the team.[8][13]

Recasner himself considers being signed by the two-time defending NBA Champions Houston Rockets the highlight of his career.[2] At that point he had gone from playing in the CBA to the best team in the NBA.[2] Recasner earned the starting point guard spot over Kenny Smith and Sam Cassell.[4] In one of his first games as a starter, he went five for six from the three-point line in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons.[4][14] Unfortunately, by the end of the season the Rockets had several players injured and several CBA players on their roster.[15]

His most productive seasons were the two seasons with Atlanta where he totaled over 250 rebounds, 200 assists and nearly 1000 points in 130 games.[8] He played in four post-seasons with three teams.[3] Three of the four teams advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs. Recasner posted a career 41% (239–584) three-point shot field goal percentage and ranked in the league's top 10 during the 1997–98 season with a 62–148 (.419) shooting percentage. His 1995–96 season three point statistics were better at 81–191 (.424), but he did not rank in the top 10 that season. He also posted an 89% (235–265) career free throw percentage.[3]

"We played the Bulls in the second round of the [1997] playoffs. I remember hitting two 3-pointers on Steve Kerr, and Phil Jackson called a timeout to break the momentum. After the timeout, Michael Jordan switched over to defend me, and I remember asking him, ‘Wait a second, what are you doing?’ Jordan quickly responded, ‘I’m here to shut you down,’ and he smiled."

—Eldridge Recasner[2]

In a 1997 NBA Playoff game against the Chicago Bulls he got hot and scored 11 quick points in the third quarter to nearly help the Hawks comeback in the game to even the second-round playoff series at two games apiece.[16] At one point after a hot shooting streak, the Bulls assigned Michael Jordan to defend Recasner and the Bulls then stopped the comeback. Recasner's defense also pressured Jordan into a travelling violation in the final minute of the game.[17] However, efforts by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen saved the day for the Bulls.[16]

Recasner was such a good free throw shooter that once in 1998 during the midst of a 36 consecutive successful free throw streak he was fouled in a two-shot foul situation with his team down by three points and 2.3 seconds left. His team needed him to make the first and miss the second, but he was unable to miss.[18]

On October 27, 1999 he was hospitalized in an automobile driven by Derrick Coleman.[19] Coleman had been driving a Sport utility vehicle and had collided with a tractor trailer and was charged with drunk driving.[20][21] Coleman was eventually acquitted of the charges and found guilty of "unsafe movement".[22] Recasner endured a fractured right shoulder, partially collapsed lung and other injuries,[23] and a female passenger was also hospitalized.[21] He missed 52 games due to the accident and when he returned to the lineup he only played in seven games.[24][25] Recasner was very upset with Coleman who did not even check in on whether Recasner was O.K. for over a week after the accident.[26] On Christmas Eve 1999 during his time on the injured reserve, Recasner dragged a Continental Airlines clerk across a table by his necktie in frustration while attempting to book a flight to Texas to visit his sister, who was involved in a serious car accident.[27] Recasner was uncertain whether his sister would survive.[28] He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and was sentenced to a 24-month deferred sentence, 45 hours of community service and ordered to pay $200 in court costs.[27]

In 2004, he was named assistant coach of the Bellevue Blackhawks of the American Basketball Association.[29]

Personal

Recasner lives in Bellevue, Washington, during the off-season. He and his wife Karen have four children: Sydney, Erin, Lauren, and Eldridge III.[2] Recasner had wed on August 14, 1993. During his NBA career his mother, Joyce, and sister, Schwuan, lived in New Orleans, but he lived in Bellevue.[4]

Notes
  1. Sioux Falls Skyforce roster Archived November 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on November 29, 2011.
  2. Stephens, Andrew (September 28, 2006). "One-on-One with Eldridge Recasner". National Basketball Retired Players Association. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  3. "Eldridge Recasner". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  4. Moore, Jim (February 5, 1996). "RECASNER: FROM CBA TO ROCKETS STARTER FORMER HUSKY RETURNS TO SEATTLE". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  5. Smith, Sarah E. (December 24, 1995). "Sonic Report / Seattle 118, Washington 100 -- Family Makes Pack Feel At Home In Puget Sound". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved August 31, 2008.
  6. Vecsey, Laura (February 4, 1995). "WAITING FOR THE CALL EX-HUSKY RECASNER TOILS IN YAKIMA, DREAMING OF NBA". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  7. Raley, Dan (March 16, 1986). "UW FRESHMAN RECASNER WAITS FOR HIS DAY TO COME". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 31, 2008.
  8. "Eldridge Recasner". NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  9. "Schrempf Heads up Washington All-Century Basketball Team: All-Time Husky Squad Honored Saturday During California Game". cstv.com. February 13, 2002. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  10. Withers, Bud (December 21, 1987). "ARIZONA TURNS HUSKIES TO DUST RECORD 110-71 BASKETBALL LOSS EMBARRASSES UW". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  11. "COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Arizona Improves To 9-0". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. December 21, 1987. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  12. Willis, George (December 29, 1995). "BASKETBALL;Struggling Nets Can't Stay With The Rockets". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  13. "Transactions". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. January 8, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  14. "The Detroit Pistons 85, The Houston Rockets 105 - Jan 27, 1996". PASPN.net (PistonsAssemblyLine.com). January 27, 1996. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  15. Howe Verhovek, Sam (April 24, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL;Certainly, It's No Way To Treat a Champion". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  16. Roberts, Salena (May 12, 1997). "Bulls' Laughter Suddenly Turns Serious". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  17. "Good, Bad Bulls Manage 3-1 Lead -- Chicago Bolts To Big Lead, Barely Holds On". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. May 12, 1997. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  18. Roberts, Salena (March 21, 1998). "PRO BASKETBALL; The Knicks Rediscover Their Fire". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  19. "NBA's corrosive cancers". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  20. Wise, Mike (January 13, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Hornets' Phills Killed in Car Crash". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  21. "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL -- CHARLOTTE; Coleman Accused Of Drunken Driving". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. October 18, 1999. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  22. "N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; Rose's 32 Help Pacers Win at Home Again". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. February 17, 2000. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  23. "Eastern Conference". Sporting News. CNET Networks, Inc. July 20, 2000. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  24. "Players: Eldridge Recasner". NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Archived from the original on May 22, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  25. "Notebook". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. February 23, 2000. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  26. "Mourning Scores 43 With Near-Perfection". Los Angeles Times. February 24, 2000. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  27. "N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; The Spurs Dominate Inside". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. March 28, 2000. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  28. Popper, Steve (February 27, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Mason's Arrest Adds to the Hornets' Troubles". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  29. "Transactions". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. August 21, 2004. Retrieved August 30, 2008.

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