Andrew DeClercq
Encyclopedia
Andrew Donald DeClercq is a former American college and professional basketball
player who was a center
and power forward
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) for ten seasons in the 1990s and 2000s. DeClercq played college basketball
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Golden State Warriors
, Boston Celtics
, Cleveland Cavaliers
and Orlando Magic
of the NBA.
DeClercq was born in Detroit, Michigan
in 1973.
DeClercq received an athletic scholarship
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played center for coach Lon Kruger
's Florida Gators men's basketball
team from 1991 to 1995. He was a key starter for the Gators in the run to their first NCAA Final Four appearance in 1994. DeClercq graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
in history in 1995.
The Golden State Warriors selected DeClercq in the second round (thirty-fourth pick overall) in the 1995 NBA Draft
, and he played for the Warriors for the following two seasons. He went on to play for the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic, averaging 4.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
DeClercq currently resides in Clermont, Florida
. He was an assistant coach for the nationally-ranked Montverde Academy boy's basketball team under head coach Kevin Sutton. Now he is head coach of the boy's varsity team and teaches PE at Foundation Academy.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who was a center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
and power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) for ten seasons in the 1990s and 2000s. DeClercq played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
and Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
of the NBA.
DeClercq was born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1973.
DeClercq received an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played center for coach Lon Kruger
Lon Kruger
Lon Kruger is an American college and professional basketball coach who is currently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State University...
's Florida Gators men's basketball
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1991 to 1995. He was a key starter for the Gators in the run to their first NCAA Final Four appearance in 1994. DeClercq graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history in 1995.
The Golden State Warriors selected DeClercq in the second round (thirty-fourth pick overall) in the 1995 NBA Draft
1995 NBA Draft
The 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...
, and he played for the Warriors for the following two seasons. He went on to play for the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic, averaging 4.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
DeClercq currently resides in Clermont, Florida
Clermont, Florida
Clermont is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States, west of Orlando. The population was 13,100 in 2008. The city is essentially residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, and food and beverage establishments, which are tourism oriented. The historic...
. He was an assistant coach for the nationally-ranked Montverde Academy boy's basketball team under head coach Kevin Sutton. Now he is head coach of the boy's varsity team and teaches PE at Foundation Academy.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators basketball players
- List of University of Florida alumni