Bonzi Wells
Encyclopedia
Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells (born September 28, 1976) is an American
professional basketball
player. A 6' 5" (1.95 m) shooting guard
, he last played for Capitanes de Arecibo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the main Puerto Rican
basketball league. He played college basketball at Ball State University
and was drafted in the 1998 NBA Draft
. In the NBA, Wells played in five teams from 1998 to 2008: the Portland Trail Blazers
, Memphis Grizzlies
, Sacramento Kings
, Houston Rockets
, and New Orleans Hornets.
, also in Muncie. There he was named MAC freshman of the year in the 1994–1995 season. Wells broke Ron Harper
's record of 2,377 points on a one-handed dunk against Northern Illinois on February 21, 1998. The dunk sent the sell-out crowd at University Arena into a frenzy. A timeout was immediately called and Wells was awarded the game ball by Ball State president John Worthen. Wells also led the Mid-American Conference in steals in 1998 with 73, averaging 3.55 steals in 29 games. Wells led the conference in steals during all four years at Ball State and finished his career as the Mid-American Conference
all-time career records in points (2,485) and steals (347). While at Ball State he averaged 21.4 PPG, 3 SPG, and 7.3 RPG. He was selected eleventh overall by the Detroit Pistons
in the 1998 NBA Draft
, but he never played for the Pistons as his draft rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers
for the Blazers' 1999 first round pick
. Six years later Ball State would retire his jersey number, 42, in recognition of his achievements.
in Portland, Wells achieved career highs in scoring and improved somewhat on defense, and picked up what some would call a bad-boy image while sharing the role of co-captain with Rasheed Wallace
. Bonzi however did have his share of on and off the court incidents. During his tenure with the Blazers, Bonzi was suspended for two games for publicly cursing at his coach after being taken out of a game. Bonzi was also fined in a separate incident for making an obscene gesture to a fan in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers
. When asked by a media reporter about the incident, he said, "I black out sometimes". Wells was suspended one game without pay and fined $10,000 for intentionally striking and verbally abusing an official in 2000. Bonzi and teammate Erick Barkley
in 2001 were cited for criminal trespass after they refused to follow the order of an officer to leave the scene of a fight near a downtown nightclub. This only went to further the team's derisive nickname, The Jail Blazers. Trail Blazers management made an oath to the City of Portland to have a team of upstanding Portlanders and drastically restructured the team. In an exchange that emphasized the urgency to release Wells, he was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies
in a trade for reserve guard Wesley Person
.
Bonzi's legacy in Portland has also been positive. He set the franchise record for most points scored in a playoff game at 45 against the Dallas Mavericks
in the first round of the 2003 NBA Playoffs
. The co-captains would carry the sixth-seeded Trail Blazers to a decisive Game 7 verses the Steve Nash
and Dirk Nowitzki
led three-seed. The Mavericks won the series, and thirteen games into the following season Wells was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
.
and his strict 10-man rotation limited Wells to just under 25 minutes per game for the Grizzlies. This tactic helped them earn their first playoff
appearance in franchise history.
After Brown suddenly quit his duties mid-way through the 2004–05 season, Mike Fratello
took over as head coach. It appeared Wells was finally going to be given a chance pose a threat on the court. This would not come to be, highlighted by the fact that Wells played a total of 27 minutes in the Grizzlies' second playoff appearance in 2005. Citing undisclosed reasons by Fratello, he was suspended in Game 2 of the series against the powerhouse Phoenix Suns
. He returned in Game 3, only to play nine minutes. Wells did not dress for the series-ending Game 4.
Bobby Jackson and center
Greg Ostertag
. He was also forced to change his jersey number from 6 to 42 upon arrival. In Sacramento the number 6 has been retired in honor of the fans, as in they are the "sixth man" of the team. In the early part of the season, Wells had been a rebounding force for the Kings, recording career-best numbers in rebounds, while also recording excellent assists and steals totals. When Wells entered free agency at the closing of the season, teammate Ron Artest
(now known as Metta World Peace) offered to forego his entire salary in order to keep him on the team.
, with a salary of "only" $2 million in the initial season. This was considered to be a great bargain for the Rockets, as Wells had turned down a 5-year, $38.5 million offer from the Kings.
Wells missed the beginning of training camp recovering from a groin injury, and then missed several days following dental work. In addition, he was absent on more than one occasion for "personal reasons". Wells played only 30 minutes total, scoring only six points, in the Rockets' second and third games of the season. Wells was not pleased with his playing time, and neither was coach Jeff Van Gundy
with Wells' weight and lack of conditioning. Van Gundy placed Wells on the inactive list, dismissed him from team practices for over a month, and relegated him to working with trainers and on the exercise bicycle to improve his conditioning. Unsatisfied with his progress, Van Gundy eventually told him to stay away from the Toyota Center
.
In December, Wells and his coach reconciled their differences and Bonzi was allowed back into practice. He returned to action against the Los Angeles Lakers
on December 12, and over the next two weeks, his playing time gradually increased. He suffered a back injury in late December that would force him to miss the Rockets' next 10 games. He returned to the lineup on January 17, and saw consistent playing time off the bench, highlighted by his 14 points in a win against his former team, the Trail Blazers.
On April 9, Wells failed to show up for a road trip to face the Seattle SuperSonics
. His status was unknown, but it was reported that he left a message on athletic trainer Keith Jones' answering machine. In it, he said he felt like he was "disrupting team chemistry." After coach Jeff Van Gundy was fired and the former Kings coach Rick Adelman
was named as the replacement, he expressed his willingness to return. On June 23, it was announced he had opted to stay with the Rockets and exercised the last year of his contract.
as part of a three team deal involving Houston and the Memphis Grizzlies
. The agreement sent New Orleans guard Bobby Jackson to Houston, marking the second time Wells and Jackson swapped teams via trade. February 23, Bonzi made his Hornets debut when he came off the bench scoring 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals in a loss (98–89) to the San Antonio Spurs
.
The Hornets decided not to renew Wells's contract for the 2008–09 NBA season
. To start the season, Wells was an unrestricted free agent
without a team.
rather than play for the NBA's minimum salary. In his debut with the Shanxi Zhongyu, he scored 48 points and tallied 11 rebounds.
His contract with the team was terminated on February 2, 2009, after he failed to promptly return to the team after the Chinese New Year
break.
team Capitanes de Arecibo.
s during her pregnancy with him. His parents called him "bonbon" until the age of two, and it eventually evolved into what it is today. He is the father to three sons, Duane, Gawen and Christian.
In 2003, Wells shed tears of joy when his hometown Roy C. Buley Community Center named its gymnasium in his honor. It is now called the Bonzi Wells Gymnasium. As a small child at the community center watching teams get picked for a game from the sidelines "like a cheerleader," his uncle and team captain chose the young Bonzi. "I thought he was kidding," Wells recalls, "but he really picked me. And I played as hard as I can. I can remember that day like it was yesterday and that was the day that really made me want to be one of the best." Wells, who donated money to keep the gymnasium from closing its doors, said he did not expect such a reaction, that he was "doing it for the children."
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Portland
| 7 || 0 || 5.0 || .550 || .333 || .444 || 1.3 || .4 || .1 || .1 || 4.4
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Portland
| 66 || 0 || 17.6 || .492 || .377 || .682 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .2 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Portland
| 75 || 46 || 26.6 || .533 || .340 || .663 || 4.9 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .3 || 12.7
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Portland
| 74 || 69 || 31.7 || .469 || .384 || .741 || 6.0 || 2.8 || 1.5 || .3 || 17.0
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Portland
| 75 || 65 || 31.9 || .441 || .292 || .722 || 5.3 || 3.3 || 1.6 || .2 || 15.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Portland
| 13 || 10 || 31.1 || .389 || .125 || .778 || 4.7 || 2.7 || 1.5 || .2 || 12.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Memphis
| 59 || 17 || 24.9 || .437 || .344 || .750 || 3.4 || 1.8 || 1.2 || .3 || 12.3
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Memphis
| 69 || 19 || 21.6 || .441 || .346 || .750 || 3.3 || 1.2 || 1.2 || .4 || 10.4
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 52 || 41 || 32.4 || .463 || .222 || .679 || 7.7 || 2.8 || 1.8 || .5 || 13.6
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Houston
| 28 || 1 || 21.1 || .411 || .143 || .561 || 4.3 || 1.1 || .9 || .5 || 7.8
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Houston
| 51 || 7 || 22.0 || .425 || .211 || .638 || 5.1 || 1.6 || 1.0 || .5 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 22 || 0 || 19.9 || .490 || .333 || .660 || 3.2 || .8 || 1.1 || .4 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 591 || 275 || 25.6 || .460 || .327 || .697 || 4.6 || 2.1 || 1.3 || .3 || 12.1
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Portland
| 14 || 0 || 13.4 || .446 || .200 || .707 || 2.5 || .9 || .5 || .0 || 7.8
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Portland
| 3 || 3 || 35.3 || .368 || .000 || .692 || 4.0 || 4.3 || 2.0 || .3 || 12.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Portland
| 7 || 7 || 38.3 || .395 || .300 || .667 || 6.9 || 3.7 || 2.1 || .4 || 19.0
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Memphis
| 4 || 0 || 23.5 || .514 || .000 || .643 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || .2 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Memphis
| 2 || 0 || 12.5 || .444 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.0 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .5 || 7.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 6 || 6 || 41.5 || .609 || .625 || .651 || 12.0 || 1.3 || .8 || .3 || 23.2
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 12 || 0 || 14.2 || .386 || .000 || .000 || 2.6 || .7 || .3 || .2 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 48 || 16 || 22.9 || .455 || .276 || .660 || 4.5 || 1.6 || .9 || .2 || 10.8
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. A 6' 5" (1.95 m) shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
, he last played for Capitanes de Arecibo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the main Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
basketball league. He played college basketball at Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
and was drafted in the 1998 NBA Draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
. In the NBA, Wells played in five teams from 1998 to 2008: the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, 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...
, and New Orleans Hornets.
College
Wells attended Muncie Central High School where after he went on to play at Ball State UniversityBall State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
, also in Muncie. There he was named MAC freshman of the year in the 1994–1995 season. Wells broke Ron Harper
Ron Harper
Ronald "Ron" Harper is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6 ft 6 in , his position was shooting guard/point guard.- Collegiate career :...
's record of 2,377 points on a one-handed dunk against Northern Illinois on February 21, 1998. The dunk sent the sell-out crowd at University Arena into a frenzy. A timeout was immediately called and Wells was awarded the game ball by Ball State president John Worthen. Wells also led the Mid-American Conference in steals in 1998 with 73, averaging 3.55 steals in 29 games. Wells led the conference in steals during all four years at Ball State and finished his career as the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
all-time career records in points (2,485) and steals (347). While at Ball State he averaged 21.4 PPG, 3 SPG, and 7.3 RPG. He was selected eleventh overall by 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...
in the 1998 NBA Draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
, but he never played for the Pistons as his draft rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for the Blazers' 1999 first round pick
1999 NBA Draft
The 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
. Six years later Ball State would retire his jersey number, 42, in recognition of his achievements.
NBA career
Portland Trail Blazers
As a swingmanSwingman
A Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard positions, and, in essence, swing between the shooting guard and small forward positions." Swingmen males are often between 6'5" and 6'8" .John Havlicek, who played for the Boston Celtics in...
in Portland, Wells achieved career highs in scoring and improved somewhat on defense, and picked up what some would call a bad-boy image while sharing the role of co-captain with Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Abdul Wallace is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played from 1995 to 2010 in the National Basketball Association...
. Bonzi however did have his share of on and off the court incidents. During his tenure with the Blazers, Bonzi was suspended for two games for publicly cursing at his coach after being taken out of a game. Bonzi was also fined in a separate incident for making an obscene gesture to a fan in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. When asked by a media reporter about the incident, he said, "I black out sometimes". Wells was suspended one game without pay and fined $10,000 for intentionally striking and verbally abusing an official in 2000. Bonzi and teammate Erick Barkley
Erick Barkley
Erick Barkley is an American professional basketball player. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1st round of the 2000 NBA Draft. He played high school basketball at Christ The King Regional High School and the Maine Central Institute and college basketball at St. John's...
in 2001 were cited for criminal trespass after they refused to follow the order of an officer to leave the scene of a fight near a downtown nightclub. This only went to further the team's derisive nickname, The Jail Blazers. Trail Blazers management made an oath to the City of Portland to have a team of upstanding Portlanders and drastically restructured the team. In an exchange that emphasized the urgency to release Wells, he was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
in a trade for reserve guard Wesley Person
Wesley Person
Wesley Lavon Person is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Selected by the Phoenix Suns 23rd overall in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Auburn University, he played three seasons for the Suns, five for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 82 games over two seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies,...
.
Bonzi's legacy in Portland has also been positive. He set the franchise record for most points scored in a playoff game at 45 against the 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...
in the first round of the 2003 NBA Playoffs
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
. The co-captains would carry the sixth-seeded Trail Blazers to a decisive Game 7 verses the Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
and Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
led three-seed. The Mavericks won the series, and thirteen games into the following season Wells was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
.
Memphis Grizzlies
The unorthodox coaching methods of Hubie BrownHubie Brown
Hubert Jude "Hubie" Brown is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years...
and his strict 10-man rotation limited Wells to just under 25 minutes per game for the Grizzlies. This tactic helped them earn their first playoff
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
appearance in franchise history.
After Brown suddenly quit his duties mid-way through the 2004–05 season, Mike Fratello
Mike Fratello
Michael Robert "Mike" Fratello is an American color analyst and a professional basketball coach. He previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, and is currently the head coach of the Ukraine national basketball team.-Background:Fratello was born in...
took over as head coach. It appeared Wells was finally going to be given a chance pose a threat on the court. This would not come to be, highlighted by the fact that Wells played a total of 27 minutes in the Grizzlies' second playoff appearance in 2005. Citing undisclosed reasons by Fratello, he was suspended in Game 2 of the series against the powerhouse Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. He returned in Game 3, only to play nine minutes. Wells did not dress for the series-ending Game 4.
Sacramento Kings
Prior to the start of the 2005–06 NBA season, Wells was acquired from the Grizzlies by the Kings in a trade for point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Bobby Jackson and 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...
Greg Ostertag
Greg Ostertag
Gregory Donovan Ostertag is a retired American basketball player who spent most of his professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association.- High School and College :...
. He was also forced to change his jersey number from 6 to 42 upon arrival. In Sacramento the number 6 has been retired in honor of the fans, as in they are the "sixth man" of the team. In the early part of the season, Wells had been a rebounding force for the Kings, recording career-best numbers in rebounds, while also recording excellent assists and steals totals. When Wells entered free agency at the closing of the season, teammate Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
(now known as Metta World Peace) offered to forego his entire salary in order to keep him on the team.
Houston Rockets
The day before the 2006 training camp began, Wells signed with the Houston RocketsHouston 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...
, with a salary of "only" $2 million in the initial season. This was considered to be a great bargain for the Rockets, as Wells had turned down a 5-year, $38.5 million offer from the Kings.
Wells missed the beginning of training camp recovering from a groin injury, and then missed several days following dental work. In addition, he was absent on more than one occasion for "personal reasons". Wells played only 30 minutes total, scoring only six points, in the Rockets' second and third games of the season. Wells was not pleased with his playing time, and neither was coach Jeff Van Gundy
Jeff Van Gundy
Jeffrey William "Jeff" Van Gundy is a former American basketball head coach. He coached most recently with the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets...
with Wells' weight and lack of conditioning. Van Gundy placed Wells on the inactive list, dismissed him from team practices for over a month, and relegated him to working with trainers and on the exercise bicycle to improve his conditioning. Unsatisfied with his progress, Van Gundy eventually told him to stay away from the Toyota Center
Toyota Center (Houston)
The Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in downtown Houston, Texas. It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The arena is home to the Rockets of the National Basketball Association, the principal owners of the building, and the Aeros of the American Hockey League.Rockets...
.
In December, Wells and his coach reconciled their differences and Bonzi was allowed back into practice. He returned to action against the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on December 12, and over the next two weeks, his playing time gradually increased. He suffered a back injury in late December that would force him to miss the Rockets' next 10 games. He returned to the lineup on January 17, and saw consistent playing time off the bench, highlighted by his 14 points in a win against his former team, the Trail Blazers.
On April 9, Wells failed to show up for a road trip to face the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. His status was unknown, but it was reported that he left a message on athletic trainer Keith Jones' answering machine. In it, he said he felt like he was "disrupting team chemistry." After coach Jeff Van Gundy was fired and the former Kings coach Rick Adelman
Rick Adelman
Richard Leonard "Rick" Adelman is an American former basketball professional player and current basketball coach. He is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. Confirmation of the hiring came from the Timberwolves on September 13, 2011...
was named as the replacement, he expressed his willingness to return. On June 23, it was announced he had opted to stay with the Rockets and exercised the last year of his contract.
New Orleans Hornets
On February 21, 2008, Wells was traded to the New Orleans Hornets along with Mike JamesMike James
Michael Lamont James is an American professional basketball player.-Early years:The youngest of seven siblings, James's childhood was not without challenges. Crime, drugs, and violence troubled his neighborhood streets. Lack of social and economic opportunity made urban living grueling and...
as part of a three team deal involving Houston and the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. The agreement sent New Orleans guard Bobby Jackson to Houston, marking the second time Wells and Jackson swapped teams via trade. February 23, Bonzi made his Hornets debut when he came off the bench scoring 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals in a loss (98–89) to the San Antonio Spurs
San 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 ....
.
The Hornets decided not to renew Wells's contract for the 2008–09 NBA season
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
. To start the season, Wells was an unrestricted free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
without a team.
Shanxi Zhongyu
Wells chose to sign with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball AssociationChinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
rather than play for the NBA's minimum salary. In his debut with the Shanxi Zhongyu, he scored 48 points and tallied 11 rebounds.
His contract with the team was terminated on February 2, 2009, after he failed to promptly return to the team after the Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
break.
Capitanes de Arecibo
On November 25, 2009 Wells signed a contract with Puerto RicanPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
team Capitanes de Arecibo.
Personal life
Gawen DeAngelo Wells is named after his father Gawen Wells. The nickname, Bonzi, originated from the cravings his mother, Christine Scaife Coleman, had for ice cream bonbonBonbon
The name bonbon refers to any of several types of sweets, especially small candies enrobed in chocolate.The first reports of bonbons come from the 17th century, when they were made at the French royal court. Their name arose from infantile reduplication of the word bon, meaning 'good'...
s during her pregnancy with him. His parents called him "bonbon" until the age of two, and it eventually evolved into what it is today. He is the father to three sons, Duane, Gawen and Christian.
In 2003, Wells shed tears of joy when his hometown Roy C. Buley Community Center named its gymnasium in his honor. It is now called the Bonzi Wells Gymnasium. As a small child at the community center watching teams get picked for a game from the sidelines "like a cheerleader," his uncle and team captain chose the young Bonzi. "I thought he was kidding," Wells recalls, "but he really picked me. And I played as hard as I can. I can remember that day like it was yesterday and that was the day that really made me want to be one of the best." Wells, who donated money to keep the gymnasium from closing its doors, said he did not expect such a reaction, that he was "doing it for the children."
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 7 || 0 || 5.0 || .550 || .333 || .444 || 1.3 || .4 || .1 || .1 || 4.4
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Portland
| 66 || 0 || 17.6 || .492 || .377 || .682 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .2 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Portland
| 75 || 46 || 26.6 || .533 || .340 || .663 || 4.9 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .3 || 12.7
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Portland
| 74 || 69 || 31.7 || .469 || .384 || .741 || 6.0 || 2.8 || 1.5 || .3 || 17.0
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Portland
| 75 || 65 || 31.9 || .441 || .292 || .722 || 5.3 || 3.3 || 1.6 || .2 || 15.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Portland
| 13 || 10 || 31.1 || .389 || .125 || .778 || 4.7 || 2.7 || 1.5 || .2 || 12.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 59 || 17 || 24.9 || .437 || .344 || .750 || 3.4 || 1.8 || 1.2 || .3 || 12.3
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Memphis
| 69 || 19 || 21.6 || .441 || .346 || .750 || 3.3 || 1.2 || 1.2 || .4 || 10.4
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 52 || 41 || 32.4 || .463 || .222 || .679 || 7.7 || 2.8 || 1.8 || .5 || 13.6
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Houston
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...
| 28 || 1 || 21.1 || .411 || .143 || .561 || 4.3 || 1.1 || .9 || .5 || 7.8
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Houston
| 51 || 7 || 22.0 || .425 || .211 || .638 || 5.1 || 1.6 || 1.0 || .5 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 22 || 0 || 19.9 || .490 || .333 || .660 || 3.2 || .8 || 1.1 || .4 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 591 || 275 || 25.6 || .460 || .327 || .697 || 4.6 || 2.1 || 1.3 || .3 || 12.1
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 1999–00
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 14 || 0 || 13.4 || .446 || .200 || .707 || 2.5 || .9 || .5 || .0 || 7.8
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
| align="left" | Portland
| 3 || 3 || 35.3 || .368 || .000 || .692 || 4.0 || 4.3 || 2.0 || .3 || 12.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
| align="left" | Portland
| 7 || 7 || 38.3 || .395 || .300 || .667 || 6.9 || 3.7 || 2.1 || .4 || 19.0
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| align="left" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 4 || 0 || 23.5 || .514 || .000 || .643 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || .2 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Memphis
| 2 || 0 || 12.5 || .444 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.0 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .5 || 7.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 6 || 6 || 41.5 || .609 || .625 || .651 || 12.0 || 1.3 || .8 || .3 || 23.2
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 12 || 0 || 14.2 || .386 || .000 || .000 || 2.6 || .7 || .3 || .2 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 48 || 16 || 22.9 || .455 || .276 || .660 || 4.5 || 1.6 || .9 || .2 || 10.8
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season steals leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career steals leaders