Bill Curley
Encyclopedia
William Michael 'Bill' Curley (born May 29, 1972 in Boston, Massachusetts) is a retired American
professional basketball
player, formerly in the National Basketball Association
.
with a reputation for being a solid outside shooter in spite of his size, Curley led his Duxbury High School Green Dragons basketball team to a Massachusetts
State Championship in 1989. He was selected as a McDonald's All-American in 1990, and was one of the most highly recruited players in the entire country. He was sought after by schools such as Notre Dame
, Duke
, Villanova
, North Carolina
and Connecticut
.
He chose to accept a scholarship offer from his hometown team, the Boston College Eagles. There, Curley led a renaissance of the school's basketball program. He was the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year in 1991, and was twice selected as a first team All-Big East player.
A four-time team MVP, Curley was the team leader on the 1994 squad which advanced to the Elite Eight
of the NCAA basketball tournament
. In 1994 he received the BC "Eagle of the Year" award as the school's top athlete (subsequently inducted into the Boston College Hall of Fame on November 12, 2006). His college coach, Jim O'Brien called him "...one of the best players ever at Boston College."
in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft
, Curley played in five NBA
seasons, for five different teams: the Detroit Pistons
, Minnesota Timberwolves
, Houston Rockets
, Golden State Warriors
and Dallas Mavericks
. His professional career was blighted with injuries, and he missed the entire schedule from 1995–97, playing a maximum of 53 regular season contests, in his rookie year.
Upon retiring, with averages of 2.7 points in two rebounds
, in only 147 games, Curley settled with his wife and three children in his hometown of Duxbury, Massachusetts, running summer basketball camps. He has two brothers and one sister, with brother Mickey having played basketball overseas.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
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, formerly 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...
.
High school/college career
A 6'9" power forwardPower 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...
with a reputation for being a solid outside shooter in spite of his size, Curley led his Duxbury High School Green Dragons basketball team to a Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
State Championship in 1989. He was selected as a McDonald's All-American in 1990, and was one of the most highly recruited players in the entire country. He was sought after by schools such as Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
He chose to accept a scholarship offer from his hometown team, the Boston College Eagles. There, Curley led a renaissance of the school's basketball program. He was the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year in 1991, and was twice selected as a first team All-Big East player.
A four-time team MVP, Curley was the team leader on the 1994 squad which advanced to the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
of the NCAA basketball tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. In 1994 he received the BC "Eagle of the Year" award as the school's top athlete (subsequently inducted into the Boston College Hall of Fame on November 12, 2006). His college coach, Jim O'Brien called him "...one of the best players ever at Boston College."
NBA career
Selected by the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft
1994 NBA Draft
The 1994 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1994 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is notable for the fact that two NBA rookies of the year were picked in the first round, as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were co-winners of the award for the 1994–95 NBA season...
, Curley played in five NBA
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...
seasons, for five different teams: the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, 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...
and Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. His professional career was blighted with injuries, and he missed the entire schedule from 1995–97, playing a maximum of 53 regular season contests, in his rookie year.
Upon retiring, with averages of 2.7 points in two rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
, in only 147 games, Curley settled with his wife and three children in his hometown of Duxbury, Massachusetts, running summer basketball camps. He has two brothers and one sister, with brother Mickey having played basketball overseas.