Chris Anstey
Encyclopedia
Christopher John Anstey (born 1 January 1975 in Melbourne
) is a former Australia
n professional basketball player. At 7'0" (213 cm) his career included stints in the NBA, Russia
and Spain
. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
in the first round (18th pick overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft
. He played for the Melbourne Tigers
in the Australia
n NBL
. He retired at the end of the 2009/2010 season
.
player, peaking at being ranked number 2 amongst Australia's 15 year old players. In 1994 he joined the Melbourne Tigers
and was teammates with some of the most recognizable names in Australian basketball, such as Andrew Gaze
, Lindsay Gaze
, Lanard Copeland
and Stephen Hoare
. Anstey played for the South East Melbourne Magic
from 1995–1997, earning Most Improved Player in 1996, before going to the NBA.
by the Portland Trail Blazers
. His draft rights were traded by the Blazers with cash to the Dallas Mavericks
for the draft rights to Kelvin Cato
in June 1997. His rookie year, 1997–98
, he averaged 5.9 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 16.6 MPG. The next year, his numbers dropped to 3.3 PPG and 2.4 RPG. He was traded by the Mavericks to the Chicago Bulls
for a second round draft pick in 2000 in September 1999. He averaged 6.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG on 44.2 FG% in his last NBA season
with the Bulls. Anstey owns career NBA averages of 5.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 0.4 BPG in 155 games with 23 starts.
in 2001-2002, winning Best Sixth Man. In 2003, Anstey led Russian club Ural Great Perm to runners up in the Russian Championship, winning the ULEB Cup MVP. In 2004, Anstey signed with UNICS Kazan
, and had an All-Star season, leading the team to a EuroChallenge Championship. Anstey was a Euroleague All-Star again in 2005. Anstey returned to his native Australia
with his original team, the Melbourne Tigers, in 2006. After returning, Anstey enjoyed plenty of success, leading the NBL in blocks in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009; and in rebounding in 2008 and 2009; earning the MVP in 2006 and 2008; Grand Finals MVP in 2006 and Best Defensive Player in 2008. He retired in 2010 after scoring 13 points in his final game.
at the Brisbane Convention Centre in Game 2 of the Semi Finals on 28 February 2008, he was fined A$
2000 for giving Bullets fans Josh Hanson and Scott Buchbach the "finger
". He even accused them of being "sore losers" after he was given a verbal lashing by the two during the game. Six nights later, coach Al Westover
was hit with a A$
2000 fine for the same thing to the Sydney Kings
fans following their 95-74 loss in Game 1 of the 5-match Grand Final Series.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
) is a former Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional basketball player. At 7'0" (213 cm) his career included stints in the NBA, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Anstey was selected by 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...
in the first round (18th pick overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft
1997 NBA Draft
The 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early...
. He played for the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n NBL
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
. He retired at the end of the 2009/2010 season
2009–10 NBL season
The 2009–10 National Basketball League was the thirty-second season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 8 teams contested the league. The regular season was played between 24 September 2009 and 14 February 2010, followed by a post-season involving the top four teams...
.
Early NBL Years
Anstey took up basketball at the relatively late age of 17, Before that he was a promising tennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player, peaking at being ranked number 2 amongst Australia's 15 year old players. In 1994 he joined the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
and was teammates with some of the most recognizable names in Australian basketball, such as Andrew Gaze
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....
, Lindsay Gaze
Lindsay Gaze
Lindsay John Casson Gaze is an Australian basketball player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984...
, Lanard Copeland
Lanard Copeland
Lanard Copeland is a retired American-born Australian professional basketball player. He played in the NBL from 1992-2008....
and Stephen Hoare
Stephen Hoare
Stephen Hoare is an Australian professional basketball player currently playing in Australia's National Basketball League for the Gold Coast Blaze.-Career highlights:...
. Anstey played for the South East Melbourne Magic
South East Melbourne Magic
The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...
from 1995–1997, earning Most Improved Player in 1996, before going to the NBA.
NBA
Anstey was the 18th overall selection of the 1997 NBA Draft1997 NBA Draft
The 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early...
by 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...
. His draft rights were traded by the Blazers with cash to 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...
for the draft rights to Kelvin Cato
Kelvin Cato
- College career :Cato was an obscure player averaging six points and six rebounds at the University of South Alabama in 1992-93. At that time, he struck up a relationship with then University of New Orleans coach Tim Floyd, who recognized Cato's potential. In 1994, Floyd took over as head coach...
in June 1997. His rookie year, 1997–98
1997-98 NBA season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years, beating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the 1998 NBA Finals...
, he averaged 5.9 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 16.6 MPG. The next year, his numbers dropped to 3.3 PPG and 2.4 RPG. He was traded by the Mavericks to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
for a second round draft pick in 2000 in September 1999. He averaged 6.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG on 44.2 FG% in his last NBA season
1999-2000 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers*Co-Rookies of the Year: Elton Brand, Chicago Bulls; Steve Francis, Houston Rockets*Defensive Player of the Year: Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat...
with the Bulls. Anstey owns career NBA averages of 5.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 0.4 BPG in 155 games with 23 starts.
Europe, Return to NBL
Anstey returned to the NBL with the Victoria TitansVictoria Titans
The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...
in 2001-2002, winning Best Sixth Man. In 2003, Anstey led Russian club Ural Great Perm to runners up in the Russian Championship, winning the ULEB Cup MVP. In 2004, Anstey signed with UNICS Kazan
UNICS Kazan
UNICS Kazan is a professional basketball club in Kazan, Russia playing in the PBL. Their home arena is Basket Hall Arena.Though officially the professional club was founded in 1991 , UNICS traces its origin back to KSU's college team Burevestnik which participated in USSR student championships...
, and had an All-Star season, leading the team to a EuroChallenge Championship. Anstey was a Euroleague All-Star again in 2005. Anstey returned to his native Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with his original team, the Melbourne Tigers, in 2006. After returning, Anstey enjoyed plenty of success, leading the NBL in blocks in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009; and in rebounding in 2008 and 2009; earning the MVP in 2006 and 2008; Grand Finals MVP in 2006 and Best Defensive Player in 2008. He retired in 2010 after scoring 13 points in his final game.
The "finger" controversy
Following his side's 115-112 overtime win over the Brisbane BulletsBrisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...
at the Brisbane Convention Centre in Game 2 of the Semi Finals on 28 February 2008, he was fined A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
2000 for giving Bullets fans Josh Hanson and Scott Buchbach the "finger
Finger (gesture)
In Western culture, the finger , also known as the middle finger, is an obscene hand gesture, often meaning the phrases "fuck off" , "fuck you" or "up yours"...
". He even accused them of being "sore losers" after he was given a verbal lashing by the two during the game. Six nights later, coach Al Westover
Al Westover
Alan Westover is a former basketball player in the Australian National Basketball League . He was also coach for the Melbourne Tigers.-References:...
was hit with a A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
2000 fine for the same thing to the Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
fans following their 95-74 loss in Game 1 of the 5-match Grand Final Series.
Career highlights
- 1994 - Melbourne TigersMelbourne TigersThe Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
.- NBLNational Basketball League (Australia)The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
Semi-finals.
- NBL
- 1995 - 97 South East Melbourne MagicSouth East Melbourne MagicThe South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...
.- NBL Semi-finals (1995).
- NBL Championship, Most Improved Player. (1996).
- NBL Championship runners up (1997).
- 1997
- Australian National (under 22) team.
- Won world championships.
- Named tournament MVP.
- Selected 18th in the NBA draft.
- Australian National (under 22) team.
- 1998
- Dallas MavericksDallas MavericksThe 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...
- Represented Australia at the Goodwill GamesGoodwill GamesThe Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
.
- Dallas Mavericks
- 1999
- Traded to Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the NBA's offseason.
- Traded to Chicago Bulls
- 2000
- Boomers
- Won Hong Kong Diamond Ball Classic.
- 4th in the Sydney Olympics.
- Boomers
- 2001
- Victoria TitansVictoria TitansThe Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...
- Victoria Titans
- 2002
- NBL All Star Five
- Australian International Player of the Year
- 2003
- Ural Great PermPBC Ural GreatPBC Ural Great Perm was a Russian professional basketball club that was located in Perm, Russia. The club's home arena was Molot Sports Hall. The team played in the Russian Super League.-History:...
- Runner Up to Russian ChampionshipRussian Basketball Super LeagueThe Russian Basketball SuperLeague is a men's professional basketball league that was the pre-eminent league of Russian professional basketball until 2010...
. - Russian Championship All Star Five.
- Russian Championship All Import Team.
- Russian Championship Best Centre.
- ULEBULEBULEB was founded in 1991, with the aim to help in the cooperation and development of European professional club basketball leagues...
Cup MVP.
- Runner Up to Russian Championship
- Ural Great Perm
- 2004
- UNICS KazanUNICS KazanUNICS Kazan is a professional basketball club in Kazan, Russia playing in the PBL. Their home arena is Basket Hall Arena.Though officially the professional club was founded in 1991 , UNICS traces its origin back to KSU's college team Burevestnik which participated in USSR student championships...
- FIBA EuropeLeagueEuroChallengeThe EuroChallenge is the 3rd tier level transnational men's professional club basketball competition in Europe. It is organized and run by FIBA Europe...
Champions. - FIBA EuropeLeague All Star.
- Russian Championship Runner Up.
- FIBA EuropeLeague
- UNICS Kazan
- 2005
- UNICS Kazan.
- FIBA EuropeLeague All Star
- UNICS Kazan.
- 2006
- Melbourne Tigers
- NBL Pre-season MVP
- NBL Regular Season MVP
- NBL Champions
- NBL Grand Final Series MVP
- Melbourne Tigers
- 2008
- Melbourne Tigers
- NBL Regular Season MVP
- NBL Champions
- NBL Best Defensive Player
- 1st place NBL rankings for defensive & total rebounds, and blocks
- Melbourne Tigers