Tony Battie Explained

Tony Battie
Position:Center / power forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:11
Weight Lb:240
Number:4, 40, 7
Birth Date:11 February 1976
Birth Place:Dallas, Texas, U.S.
High School:South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas)
College:Texas Tech (1994–1997)
Draft Year:1997
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:5
Draft Team:Denver Nuggets
Career Start:1997
Career End:2012
Team1:Denver Nuggets
Years2:
Team2:Boston Celtics
Team3:Cleveland Cavaliers
Years4:
Team4:Orlando Magic
Team5:New Jersey Nets
Years6:
Team6:Philadelphia 76ers
Bbr:battito01
Letter:b
Highlights:
Stat1label:Points
Stat1value:5,082 (6.1 ppg)
Stat2label:Rebounds
Stat2value:4,287 (5.1 rpg)
Stat3value:713 (0.9 bpg)

Demetrius Antonio Battie (born February 11, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He works as an analyst for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

High school and college career

Battie attended South Oak Cliff High School[1] in Dallas winning a state championship in 1993. He played college basketball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders where he ended his career as the school all-time leader in blocked shots with 162 blocks. His best season, statistically, was in his junior year when he scored 18.8 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game, and 2.5 blocks per game.[2]

NBA career

Battie was drafted fifth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1997 NBA draft, where he played one season. The Nuggets, who were deterred by Battie's inefficiency during his rookie season, traded Los Angeles Lakers along with Tyronn Lue for Nick Van Exel during the 1998 NBA draft. Battie, however, did not play for the Lakers due to the then-ongoing NBA lockout. In 1999, he was traded to the Boston Celtics for Travis Knight, and Battie flourished in Boston.

He remained with the Celtics for six years before he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Eric Williams and Kedrick Brown in exchange for Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart, and a second-round pick. The following season The Cavaliers traded Battie to the Orlando Magic for Drew Gooden, Steven Hunter, and the Magic's second-round draft pick, Anderson Varejão.[3]

On June 25, 2009, Battie was traded to the New Jersey Nets along with Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee in exchange for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson.[4] In July, 2010 Battie signed a contract with Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent. He would spend the last two seasons with the 76ers before announcing his retirement.[5]

Battie was a solid role player who only became more valuable with age. As an offensive player, he lacked the skills to be an effective scorer, but he still developed an adept mid-range jump shot. Battie's worth came from his perfected offensive and defensive screens which aided in the team strategy. On the defensive side, Battie was an average rebounder and blocker. As his career progressed, Battie's veteran presence was a helpful tool to young, emerging teams like the Magic and the 76ers.[6]

Personal life

In September 2000, Battie's then teammate, Paul Pierce, was stabbed at the Buzz Club, a late night dance club in the Boston Theater District; Battie and his brother saved Pierce by rushing him to a nearby hospital.[7]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Denver| 65 || 49 || 23.2 || .446 || .214 || .702 || 5.4 || .9 || .8 || 1.1 || 8.4|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston| style="background:#cfecec;"| 50* || 15 || 22.4 || .519 || .000 || .672 || 6.0 || 1.1 || .6 || 1.4 || 6.7|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston| 82 || 4 || 18.4 || .477 || .125 || .675 || 5.0 || .8 || .6 || .9 || 6.6|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston| 40 || 25 || 21.1 || .537 || .000 || .638 || 5.8 || .4 || .7 || 1.5 || 6.5|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston| 74 || 73 || 24.6 || .541 || .000 || .413 || 6.5 || .5 || .8 || .9 || 6.9|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston| 67 || 62 || 25.1 || .539 || .200 || .746 || 6.5 || .7 || .5 || 1.2 || 7.3|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Boston| 23 || 6 || 21.8 || .479 || 1.000 || .697 || 5.1 || .9 || .3 || .9 || 5.9|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Cleveland| 50 || 1 || 19.5 || .427 || .125 || .768 || 4.8 || .7 || .4 || .9 || 5.4|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Orlando| 81 || 32 || 23.4 || .460 || .000 || .723 || 5.6 || .5 || .4 || 1.0 || 4.9|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Orlando| style="background:#cfecec;"| 82* || style="background:#cfecec;"| 82* || 27.0 || .507 || .000 || .664 || 5.6 || .6 || .6 || .8 || 7.9|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Orlando| 66 || 66 || 23.9 || .489 || .000 || .675 || 5.2 || .5 || .4 || .5 || 6.1|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Orlando| 77 || 3 || 15.6 || .489 || .222 || .659 || 3.6 || .4 || .3 || .3 || 4.8|-| align="left" | | align="left" | New Jersey| 15 || 0 || 8.9 || .350 || .250 || .700 || 1.5 || .2 || .3 || .1 || 2.4|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Philadelphia| 38 || 0 || 9.9 || .469 || .667 || .571 || 2.6 || .3 || .1 || .4 || 2.6|-| align="left" | | align="left" | Philadelphia| 27 || 11 || 10.9 || .373 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.5 || .6 || .1 || .2 || 1.6|-| align="center" colspan="2" | Career | 837 || 429 || 21.1 || .488 || .162 || .690 || 5.1 || .6 || .5 || .9 || 6.1

Playoffs

|-| align="left" | 2002| align="left" | Boston| 16 || 16 || 27.7 || .488 || .000 || .619 || 7.6 || .8 || .6 || 1.9 || 6.1|-| align="left" | 2003| align="left" | Boston| 10 || 10 || 21.3 || .564 || .000 || .500 || 4.9 || .5 || .4 || 1.4 || 6.6|-| align="left" | 2007| align="left" | Orlando| 4 || 4 || 21.8 || .389 || .000 || .250 || 4.0 || .3 || .0 || .0 || 3.8|-| align="left" | 2009| align="left" | Orlando| 21 || 0 || 6.1 || .467 || .000 || .600 || 1.0 || .1 || .0 || .1 || 2.1|-| align="left" | 2011| align="left" | Philadelphia| 5 || 0 || 7.6 || .429 || .000 || .500 || 2.0 || .0 || .0 || .6 || 1.4|-| align="center" colspan="2" | Career | 56 || 30 || 16.2 || .493 || .000 || .550 || 3.9 || .4 || .3 || .9 || 4.1

Notes and References

  1. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/highschools/leaderboard/schoolhome.html?page=alum&sid=292 "My High School: South Oak Cliff"
  2. Web site: Tony Battie – Basketball Tips. bestbasketballtips.com. May 23, 2012 . February 20, 2015.
  3. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-sp-magic-steve-clifford-stan-van-gundy-20180602-story.html "An appeal to new coach Steve Clifford: Reinvent Stan Plan and make Orlando Magic fun again"
  4. Web site: Nets Acquire Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee from Orlando . . 2009-06-25 . 2009-06-27.
  5. http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/100721_battie.html Sixers sign free agent Tony Battie
  6. Web site: Player: Tony Battie. hoopshype.com. February 19, 2015.
  7. News: PRO BASKETBALL; Nightclub Incident Leaves Celtic Recovering From Stab Wounds – New York Times . Query.nytimes.com . Lena Williams . September 26, 2000 . November 11, 2008.