Mateen Cleaves
Encyclopedia
Mateen Ahmad Cleaves (born September 7, 1977 in Flint, Michigan
) is an American former professional
basketball
player who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager
.
Cleaves is best remembered for his career
with the Michigan State University Spartans
(MSU).
team touched off a major scandal
after he was a passenger in a rollover accident. Cleaves eventually agreed to attend Michigan State University, the University of Michigan's in-state rival
.
Cleaves, a three-time Michigan State University
captain, led the Spartans to the 2000 national championship
, and was named Most Outstanding Player
of the Final Four.
The school's only three-time All-American, Cleaves was named Big Ten Player of the Year twice. He led MSU and the conference in career assists
with 816, and is Michigan State's all-time steals
leader (193). In his final home game on senior night in East Lansing, Cleaves dished out 20 assists, breaking the Big Ten single-game and career assist marks.
On February 3, 2007, Cleaves became the eighth MSU player to have his number retired.
by the Detroit Pistons
with the fourteenth pick. During his rookie season, he played in 78 games, averaging 5.4 points and 2.7 assists.
During his rookie year, Cleaves was ticketed for speeding and driving with a suspended license
. Cleaves was cited for driving 85 mph in a 70 mph zone, and a routine check showed his license was suspended. The suspension was dropped once Cleaves paid the fines.
Cleaves was traded to the Sacramento Kings
shortly before the 2001–02 season for Jon Barry
and a first-round draft pick. After two seasons playing sparingly, he signed as a free agent
with the Boston Celtics
, but was waived before 2003–04's regular season began. He played with the Cleveland Cavaliers
in four games. He was then signed by the Seattle SuperSonics
, was cut during 2004–05, and re-signed during the following campaign.
Following his NBA stint, Cleaves appeared for the Fayetteville Patriots
and the Bakersfield Jam
of the D-League, also playing abroad with Russia
's Unics Kazan
and Greece
's Panionios BC. In 2008, he played with the Denver Nuggets
in their pre-season, but was waived before the October 29 tip-off.
as a Detroit Pistons
studio analyst. In addition Cleaves has branched out into music as an owner of the record label All Varsity Entertainment, featuring Jon Connor.
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
) is an American former professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
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 who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
.
Cleaves is best remembered for his career
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....
with the Michigan State University Spartans
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
(MSU).
College career
He was a heavily recruited high school athlete. His recruiting trip with the Michigan Wolverines men's basketballMichigan Wolverines men's basketball
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
team touched off a major scandal
University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
after he was a passenger in a rollover accident. Cleaves eventually agreed to attend Michigan State University, the University of Michigan's in-state rival
Michigan–Michigan State basketball rivalry
Michigan–Michigan State basketball rivalry is a college basketball rivalry between Michigan Wolverines men's basketball and Michigan State Spartans men's basketball that is part of the larger intrastate rivalry between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University that exists across a...
.
Cleaves, a three-time Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
captain, led the Spartans to the 2000 national championship
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, and was named Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships , the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. The MOP need not be, but almost always is a member of the Championship team, especially since the third place game was eliminated after 1981...
of the Final Four.
The school's only three-time All-American, Cleaves was named Big Ten Player of the Year twice. He led MSU and the conference in career assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
with 816, and is Michigan State's all-time steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
leader (193). In his final home game on senior night in East Lansing, Cleaves dished out 20 assists, breaking the Big Ten single-game and career assist marks.
On February 3, 2007, Cleaves became the eighth MSU player to have his number retired.
Professional career
In 2000, Cleaves was drafted2000 NBA Draft
The 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
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...
with the fourteenth pick. During his rookie season, he played in 78 games, averaging 5.4 points and 2.7 assists.
During his rookie year, Cleaves was ticketed for speeding and driving with a suspended license
Driver's license in the United States
In the United States, nearly all driver's licenses are issued by individual states , rather than the federal government. Drivers are normally required to obtain a license from their state of residence, and all states recognize each other's licenses for temporary visitors subject to normal age...
. Cleaves was cited for driving 85 mph in a 70 mph zone, and a routine check showed his license was suspended. The suspension was dropped once Cleaves paid the fines.
Cleaves was traded to the 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...
shortly before the 2001–02 season for Jon Barry
Jon Barry
Jon Alan Barry is an American former basketball player and current television analyst for ABC and ESPN.-Biography:Barry is the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, and has three brothers: Scooter, Drew, and Brent, all of whom are also basketball players. Jon played his high school basketball at De La...
and a first-round draft pick. After two seasons playing sparingly, he signed as a 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....
with the 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...
, but was waived before 2003–04's regular season began. He played with the 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...
in four games. He was then signed by 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...
, was cut during 2004–05, and re-signed during the following campaign.
Following his NBA stint, Cleaves appeared for the Fayetteville Patriots
Fayetteville Patriots
The Fayetteville Patriots were a NBA Development League team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. Its logo design features a bald eagle's head and a basketball in the middle of a capital letter "P" with stars and stripes filling the rest of it.-Season By Season:- Franchise history...
and the Bakersfield Jam
Bakersfield Jam
The Bakersfield Jam is an expansion franchise of the National Basketball Association Development League that began play in 2006-07. It plays its home games at the newly-built Jam Events Center in Bakersfield, California, United States, which had been built as their practice facility...
of the D-League, also playing abroad with 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...
's 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 Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
's Panionios BC. In 2008, he played with the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
in their pre-season, but was waived before the October 29 tip-off.
Post-playing career
On March 14, 2010, it was announced that Cleaves had joined Fox Sports DetroitFox Sports Detroit
Fox Sports Detroit , is a regional sports network that covers local sports teams in the state of Michigan, mostly those in the Metro Detroit area. It is an owned and operated affiliate of Fox Sports Net...
as a 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...
studio analyst. In addition Cleaves has branched out into music as an owner of the record label All Varsity Entertainment, featuring Jon Connor.