Jason Eugene Terry is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
basketballBasketball 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 playing with the
NBAThe 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...
's
Dallas 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...
. He plays
shooting guardThe 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...
, although he also can play
point guardPoint 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...
. His nickname, "JET," derives from his initials. Terry won an NBA Championship when the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games on June 12, 2011.
Early life
Jason was born in Seattle, Washington. He was one of ten children raised by his mother, Andrea Cheatham and his father, Curtis Terry. One of his brothers, Curtis, played college basketball for UNLV. On February 2, 2007 Terry's number (31) was retired at Franklin High School.
College career
In 1997, Terry won an NCAA Championship with the
University of ArizonaThe University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. His teammates included
Mike BibbyMichael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...
,
Michael DickersonMichael DeAngelo Dickerson is an American professional basketball player who was a member of the Houston Rockets and Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He is a cousin of former NBA guard David Wesley....
, and
Miles SimonMiles Julian Simon is a retired American professional basketball player.Simon was born in Stockholm to an American father and a Norwegian mother. He played guard for the University of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team, where he formed a formidable backcourt duo with current Miami Heat point...
. Terry has announced that he would like to be an assistant coach with his old college basketball team once he retires from playing in the NBA.
NBA
Terry was drafted out of the
University of ArizonaThe University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
by the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
in the
1999 NBA DraftThe 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...
as the 10th overall selection. In the 2000–01 season, Terry emerged as the team's best player, averaging 19.7 points and leading the club in steals, assists and free throws made. He played 3,089 minutes. After spending his first five seasons with the Hawks, Terry was traded to the Mavericks just prior to the start of the 2004–05 season. He had a mediocre first few months with the Mavericks but eventually came into his own, putting up solid numbers and by the end of the season earning his spot as the Mavs' number one guard.
In the 2004–05 NBA Playoffs, Terry averaged 17.5 points on 51% shooting while hitting 49% from three-point range in his first playoff run. Yet his team failed to advance to the conference finals, losing its second-round series 4–2 to Nash's
Phoenix SunsThe 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...
. In Game 6 of that series Terry got in a confrontation with teammate
Dirk NowitzkiDirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
, who was frustrated by his own erratic play during the playoffs, for committing the crucial error of backing off of Steve Nash in the final seconds of regulation with his team up by 3, who subsequently hit the 3-point shot to send the game into overtime resulting eventually in the ousting of the Mavericks from the playoffs.
In the final seconds of Game 5 of the 2005–06 NBA Western Conference playoff semi-finals against the
San Antonio SpursThe 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 ....
, Terry in closeups was shown punching opposing guard and former teammate
Michael FinleyMichael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
in the
groinIn human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
. On May 18, 2006, Terry was suspended without pay from Game 6. Despite losing that game, the Mavericks were able to close out the series in Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals. In Game 6 of the
2006 NBA FinalsThe 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
, Terry shot 7 for 25 from the field and 2 for 11 from three-point territory as the cold shooting Mavericks were eliminated in 6 games by the Miami Heat.
On July 1, 2006, after spending only 12 hours on the free-agent market, Terry agreed to a 6-year contract to stay with the
Dallas 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...
.
Terry won the
NBA Sixth Man of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute . A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout...
in
2009The 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...
On May 8, 2011, in a playoff game against the
Los Angeles LakersThe 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...
, Terry tied an NBA playoff record with nine made three pointers. He joined
Rex ChapmanRex Everett Chapman is a retired American professional basketball player. Chapman was a college standout at the University of Kentucky and went on to play for four NBA teams through his 12-year career in the league...
,
Vince CarterVincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, and
Ray AllenWalter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
in achieving this record. Terry missed only one of the three point field goals he attempted. He finished the game 10 of 14 with 32 points.
Playing style
On offense, Terry relies mainly on his shooting skills and speed. He is regarded as one of the fastest players in the league, and is an elite three-point shooter. He often pulls up for jump shots off the dribble, making him difficult to guard. He is known as a very streaky player, as his shooting accuracy can change dramatically from game to game. On defense, he is an average on-ball defender, but has great ability to come up with steals which leads to many easy fast break points.
Personal life
Terry and his wife, Johnyika, have four daughters; Jasionna, Jalayah, Jaida and Jasa Azuré. His younger sister, Lyric, used to live with them in Dallas.
Terry has the number 206 tattooed on his chest, the area code of Seattle, his hometown. He also has a tattoo of Underdog. Before the 2010-2011 season, he tattooed the NBA Championship Larry O'Brien trophy on his inner biceps and was vindicated as the Mavericks won the championship.
Terry is the cousin of
Minnesota TimberwolvesThe 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...
forward
Martell WebsterMartell Webster is an American professional basketball player currently a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. The 6' 7" , 235 lbs small forward–shooting guard was nicknamed "The Definition" as a play on his surname , given to him by a personal friend...
.
International career
Terry was a member of the United States squad for the 2001
Goodwill 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...
in
BrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
,
AustraliaAustralia , 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...
.
Regular season
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
| 81 || 27 || 23.3 || .415 || .293 || .807 || 2.0 || 4.3 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.1
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Atlanta
|
82 || 77 || 37.7 || .436 || .395 || .846 || 3.3 || 4.9 || 1.3 || .2 ||
19.7
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 78 || 78 ||
38.0 || .430 || .387 || .835 || 3.5 || 5.7 ||
1.9 || .2 || 19.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 81 ||
81 ||
38.0 || .428 || .371 ||
.887 || 3.4 ||
7.4 || 1.6 || .2 || 17.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 81 || 78 || 37.3 || .417 || .347 || .827 ||
4.1 || 5.4 || 1.5 || .2 || 16.8
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" |
DallasThe 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...
| 80 || 57 || 30.0 ||
.501 || .420 || .844 || 2.4 || 5.4 || 1.4 || .2 || 12.4
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Dallas
| 80 || 80 || 35.0 || .470 || .411 || .800 || 2.0 || 3.8 || 1.2 ||
.3 || 17.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Dallas
| 81 || 80 || 35.1 || .484 ||
.438 || .804 || 2.9 || 5.2 || 1.0 || .2 || 16.7
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Dallas
|
82 || 34 || 31.5 || .467 || .375 || .857 || 2.5 || 3.2 || 1.1 || .2 || 15.5
|-
| align="left" |
2008–09The 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...
| align="left" | Dallas
| 74 || 11 || 33.7 || .463 || .366 || .880 || 2.4 || 3.4 || 1.3 ||
.3 || 19.6
|-
| align="left" |
2009–10The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Dallas
| 77 || 12 || 33.0 || .438 || .365 || .866 || 1.8 || 3.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 16.6
|-
| align="left" |
2010–11The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Dallas
|
82 || 10 || 31.3 || .451 || .362 || .850 || 1.9 || 4.1 || 1.1 || .2 || 15.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 959 || 625 || 33.6 || .449 || .380 || .845 || 2.7 || 4.7 || 1.3 || .2 || 16.2
Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |
2005The 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" |
DallasThe 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...
| 13 || 13 ||
38.5 ||
.506 ||
.491 ||
.884 ||
4.2 || 4.6 ||
1.3 ||
.5 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" |
2006The 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" | Dallas
|
22 ||
22 || 38.4 || .442 || .307 || .831 || 2.9 || 3.8 || 1.2 || .1 ||
18.9
|-
| align="left" |
2007The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| align="left" | Dallas
| 6 || 6 || 38.2 || .424 || .281 || .833 || 2.3 || 3.7 || .8 || .3 || 17.0
|-
| align="left" |
2008The 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" | Dallas
| 5 || 3 || 36.0 || .433 || .438 || .867 || 1.6 ||
4.8 || .4 || .2 || 15.8
|-
| align="left" |
2009The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Dallas
| 10 || 1 || 32.5 || .389 || .373 || .767 || 2.8 || 1.9 || .6 || .3 || 14.3
|-
| align="left" |
2010The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Dallas
| 6 || 0 || 29.0 || .377 || .400 || .750 || 2.5 || 2.0 || .7 || .2 || 12.7
|-
| align="left" |
2011The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Dallas
| 21 || 0 || 32.6 || .478 || .442 || .843 || 1.9 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .1 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 83 || 45 || 35.4 || .448 || .389 || .833 || 2.7 || 3.5 || 1.0 || .2 || 17.0
See also
External links