Ennis Whatley (born August 11, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Kansas City Kings in the first round (13th pick overall) of the 1983 NBA draft. Whatley played in ten National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons. A 6'3" (1.90 m) and 177 lb (80 kg) guard, he played for the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Bullets, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 11, 1962 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 177 lb (80 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Phillips (Birmingham, Alabama) |
| College | Alabama (1981–1983) |
| NBA draft | 1983: 1st round, 13th overall pick |
| Selected by the Kansas City Kings | |
| Playing career | 1983–1998 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 3, 2, 1, 4, 8 |
| Career history | |
| 1983–1985 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1985 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1986 | Washington Bullets |
| 1986 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986–1987 | Washington Bullets |
| 1988 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1989 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 1989 | San Miguel Beermen |
| 1990 | Presto Tivolis |
| 1992 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1992–1993 | Hapoel Gvat/Yagur |
| 1993–1995 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1997 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1997–1998 | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Whatley's best year as a professional came during the 1986–87 season as a Bullet, when he appeared in 73 games and averaged 8.5 points per game (ppg). In 10 NBA seasons, Whatley played in a total of 385 games and scored 2,150 points, thus averaging 5.6 ppg.
He also holds the record for assists per game in Bulls history, averaging 7 assists per game.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Whatley attended Phillips High School and the University of Alabama.
Career in the Philippines
editWhatley had experienced some success in the Philippines when he played as an import in the Philippine Basketball Association in 1989. In the Reinforced Conference of that season, he helped the San Miguel Beermen become only the second team in PBA history to achieve the Grand Slam by leading them to the third and final conference championship. He came in as a replacement for former Indiana University standout and future Sacramento Kings coach Keith Smart, who was sent home after five games.
Whatley would return to the PBA in 1990, playing for Presto Tivoli.
Life After Basketball
editWhatley is now a public speaker for Inspire LLP.
See also
editExternal links
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