Chris Andersen
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| Position | Power forward |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Weight | 228 lb (103 kg) |
| Team | New Orleans Hornets |
| Jersey | #1 |
| Born | July 7, 1978 Long Beach, California |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Iola (Iola, Texas) |
| College | Blinn |
| Draft | Undrafted, 1999 |
| Pro career | 1999-2006; 2008–present |
| Former teams | Fargo-Moorhead Beez (1999-2001) Denver Nuggets (2001-2004) New Orleans Hornets (2004-2006, 2008-Present) |
Chris Andersen (born July 7, 1978 in Long Beach, California) is an American professional basketball player, currently for the New Orleans Hornets. His swooping dunks, shot-blocking skills and rare athleticism for his size earned him the nickname "The Birdman". Andersen has a number of large tattoos, mainly on his arms. He received a two year ban from the NBA in 2006 for violating the league's drug policy, but was reinstated on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, and was re-signed by the Hornets the next day.
Andersen grew up in Iola, Texas and was undrafted in 1999 following a career at Blinn College (he originally dropped out of the University of Houston). He began his professional career in the NBDL, going on to play for the Denver Nuggets and the New Orleans Hornets.
The 6'10", 228 lb power forward showcased his athleticism in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend in 2004 and 2005. Infamously, in the 2005 contest, he missed his first eight attempts on his first dunk and his first five attempts on his second, drawing open laughter from the players on the sidelines and even ridicule from the TNT commentators.
In 253 career games (including 8 starts), Andersen averaged 5.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.36 blocks in 16.6 minutes per game. His trademark had been his "Birdman" celebration, wherein he would cross his arms and flap his hands like the wings of a bird. This was usually done after scoring on an emphatic dunk.
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[edit] Expulsion and Reinstatement
On January 25, 2006, Andersen was disqualified from the NBA for violating the league's anti-drug policy by testing positive for a banned substance.[1] The drug which he tested positive for was not disclosed, but Andersen's suspension fell under the category of "drugs of abuse", not performance-enhancing substances or marijuana.[2] Andersen attempted to appeal the ruling through arbitration, but the arbitrator ruled to uphold his dismissal in March 2006.[2] He was eligible for reinstatement effective January 25, 2008. A Denver Post journalist called him "the most disgraced NBA player since the drug-induced haze of the '80s".[3]
On March 4, 2008, NBA.com reported that the NBA and National Basketball Players Association agreed to reinstate Andersen.[4] The reinstatement is effective immediately, and Andersen's services belong to his former team, the New Orleans Hornets, who signed him to a contract on March 5. On March 25, in a game against the Indiana Pacers, Chris Andersen returned to live action for the first time since being banned by the NBA.
[edit] See also
- List of doping cases in sport
- The History of the abbreviation "LTLA" and it's creators "The Staches"
[edit] Notes
- ^ Hornets' Andersen kicked out of NBA for drug use. January 27, 2006
- ^ a b Andersen to attempt comeback after drug suspension. January 25, 2008
- ^ The "Birdman" Should Get a Second Chance, By Tim Kuhls, February 22, 2007
- ^ [1] NBA and Players Association Reinstate Chris Andersen.
[edit] External links
- Chris Andersen @ nba.com
- Chris Andersen NBA statistics @ basketball-reference.com
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