Toney Douglas
Encyclopedia
Toney Bernard Douglas is an American 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 who plays for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 of 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...

 (NBA). Born in Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....

, he attended Jonesboro High School
Jonesboro High School (Georgia)
Jonesboro High School is a four-year public high school located in Jonesboro, Georgia, United States, as part of the Clayton County School District.-History:...

, where he was a starter and top player on the basketball team for three years.

Douglas played college basketball at Auburn
Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers is the name given to Auburn University athletic teams. The University is a member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 19 varsity teams in 13 sports:* Men's sports** Baseball** Basketball...

 for one year, and became frustrated with his role on the team as a 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...

. Douglas transferred to the Florida State University for the remainder of his collegiate career, where he switched to the point guard
Point 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...

 position—after forgoing eligibility for a season because of college basketball transfer regulations. In his sophomore season, Douglas initially struggled in his transition to a new team and position, but soon resumed a high level of play, overcoming a hand injury in the middle of the season. He emerged as a defensive force in his junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...

 season, setting school and conference records for steal
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...

s. Douglas stepped up as a team leader in his final season; he broke personal records in several statistical categories and helped lead the Seminoles to their first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 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 11 years.

Drafted by 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...

 in the 2009 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...

 with the 29th overall pick, Douglas was traded to the New York Knicks for their 2011 second-round pick and $3 million in cash considerations.

Douglas' brother Harry
Harry Douglas
Harry Douglas, IV is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville....

 plays for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 (NFL). Toney and Harry are the sixth pair of brothers to play in the NBA and NFL, respectively.

Early life and high school

Toney was born to Harry and Stephanie Douglas in Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....

. He attended Jonesboro High School
Jonesboro High School (Georgia)
Jonesboro High School is a four-year public high school located in Jonesboro, Georgia, United States, as part of the Clayton County School District.-History:...

, where he was starter for its basketball team for three years. Douglas played alongside his brother, Harry, for the same amount of time. He spent most of his freshman season (2000–01) on the junior varsity team. In the 2001–02 season, when he was made a starter, Douglas averaged 21.5 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....

 per game (ppg), 6.5 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...

 per game (rpg) and 4.0 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...

 per game (apg), and became the first sophomore to earn first-team honors at the all-region and all-state levels. In his junior season, Douglas averaged 28.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 4.0 apg, scoring 20 points or more 24 times. He was named the Georgia Class 5A Player of the Year, and helped lead the team to the championship game of the state playoffs. Douglas averaged 34 ppg in his senior season, and the team advanced as far as the state semifinals. When he graduated from high school in 2004, Douglas was Clayton County's leading scorer, with 2,404 points. That year, he was named an All-American by Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...

and earned a McDonald's All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...

 nomination.

Auburn

Douglas committed to Auburn University
Auburn Tigers men's basketball
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program is the college basketball program that represents Auburn University, competing in the Southeastern Conference. The program began in 1905. Though they generally play under the shadow of the football program, the Tigers have had successes on the hardwood...

 during his junior year in high school. Playing as the starting 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...

 in his freshman season (2004–05), he led the team in scoring, at 16.9 ppg, and scored a team season-high (as well as career-high) 38 points against Nicholls State. Douglas, who had the second-highest freshman scoring average in the nation, was voted to the All-SEC Freshman team. He earned Freshman All-America Third-Team and All–Southeastern Conference (All-SEC) Third-Team honors—Douglas was the fourth Auburn freshman to be named to the latter.

Transfer

Douglas submitted his name for the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...

 in the offseason, but did not sign with an agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...

, therefore allowing him to stay eligible for college when he later withdrew from the process. Despite Douglas' success at Auburn, he and his family were unhappy with his position on the basketball team. Douglas wanted to be the team's point guard
Point 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...

, which he believed was his more natural position and the one he would play in the NBA. However, the Tigers (Auburn's mascot) did not accede to his request, prompting him to request a transfer. Then-coach Jeff Lebo granted Douglas his scholarship release on the condition that he transfer to a non-SEC university. On June 29, 2005, Douglas enrolled at Florida State University, where coach Leonard Hamilton
Leonard Hamilton
Leonard Hamilton is the current head basketball coach at Florida State University. He is a former coach at Oklahoma State University, the University of Miami, and the NBA's Washington Wizards...

 allowed him to play point guard. Because National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 (NCAA) rules stipulate that players who transfer must sit out the following season, Douglas only began playing with the team in the 2006–07 season, although he still practiced with them during 2005–06.

Florida State

Douglas initially struggled at the point guard position while adjusting to the Florida State offense, but continued to play well in other respects. On February 7, 2007, Douglas injured the fourth metacarpal in his right (shooting) hand, forcing him to sit out six games (nearly a month)—of which Florida State lost five. In his first game (against the University of Miami) after sustaining his injury, Douglas scored 13 points, including a three-pointer
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...

 that tied the game and forced overtime; Florida State went on to win the game. Douglas finished the season with averages of 12.7 ppg, 2.9 apg, and 2.7 rpg. In three games of the 2007 National Invitation Tournament
2007 National Invitation Tournament
The 2007 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams which did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...

 (NIT), he averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 rebounds, as Florida State won twice before losing to Mississippi State University
Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball
The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056...

 in the semifinals.

In Douglas' junior season, he continued his transition to point guard, which includes creating offensive opportunities for others on the team in addition to scoring by himself. Although Douglas still needed to work on that aspect of his game, Hamilton said in January 2008 that "he's done an exceptional job when you take into consideration this hasn't been his role prior to coming to Florida State." Douglas' defense improved considerably; he accumulated 2.6 steals per game (spg) as a junior (compared to 1.2 steals in the previous season), the highest rate in the ACC.
After the regular season concluded, Douglas was selected into the ACC All-Defensive Team and the All-ACC Third Team. Despite Douglas' efforts (18 points, 5 assists and 3 steals) against North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...

 in the quarterfinals, Florida State lost the game, effectively shutting them out from the NCAA tournament. After Florida State lost in the first round of the 2008 NIT, Douglas finished the season with 90 steals, second only to Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell
Samuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...

 in the number of steals made in one season (97). He led the team in scoring (15.4 ppg), steals (2.6 spg; also highest in the ACC) and assists (2.6).

The 2008–09 Florida State team was composed of mostly freshman and sophomores, which meant that the veteran Douglas, now a senior (one of three on the team), featured more prominently in the offense than in previous years. He started all 35 games of the season, one of two Seminole players to do so. Douglas became the primary threat on offense, and was the sole top scorer for the team in 23 games. His scoring average increased by more than six points, to 21.5 ppg, which was the highest average on the team and in the ACC; he also averaged 2.9 apg, a team and career high, and 3.9 rpg. He earned ACC All-Defensive Team honors again and was selected to the All-ACC First Team. His other major honors included being named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, receiving the second-most votes for ACC Player of the Year and his selection to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

' All-America Third Team. Douglas' strong play in the ACC tournament, in which the Seminoles upset top-ranked North Carolina and advanced to their first ACC final, led to his selection to the ACC All-Tournament team, another first for a Florida State player. The Seminoles made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 11 years, playing against the University of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....

. Douglas played well, scoring 26 points, but he missed an important three-point attempt late in the game and had Trevon Hughes score the winning shot while defending him. Wisconsin won 61–59 in overtime, thus ending Douglas' collegiate career.

Professional career

In preparation for the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...

, Douglas worked out at the draft combine during May 28–29, and participated in pre-draft workouts with ten teams. At the 2009 NBA Draft, on June 25, 2009, 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...

 drafted him with the 29th overall pick in the first round, making him the first Seminole guard to be drafted in the first round since Bob Sura
Bob Sura
Robert Sura Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets in the NBA. At 6'5" , 200 lb , he played as a guard....

 (1995). Later that day, the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 acquired the rights to Douglas in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2011 and $3 million in cash considerations. He was signed on July 9, 2009, and will be able to earn up to $900,000 in his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...

 season. In NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...

 play, Douglas averaged a team-high 7.0 apg. During the 2009–10 season
2009–10 NBA season
The 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....

, Douglas was a reserve guard. He scored a career-high 30 points in a win against 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...

 on November 4, 2010. On March 17, 2011, Douglas tied a Knicks record with 9 three pointers.

Regular season

|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 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" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...


| 56 || 12 || 19.4 || .458 || .389 || .809 || 1.9 || 2.0 || .8 || .0 || 8.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 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" | New York
| 81 || 9 || 24.3 || .416 || .373 || .794 || 3.0 || 3.0 || 1.1 || .0 || 10.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 137 || 21 || 22.3 || .430 || .378 || .800 || 2.6 || 2.6 || 1.0 || .0 || 9.8

Playoffs

|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 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...


| style="text-align:left;"| New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...


| 4 || 3 || 28.0 || .366 || .389 || 1.000 || 3.3 || 2.3 || .5 || .0 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 4 || 3 || 28.0 || .366 || .389 || 1.000 || 3.3 || 2.3 || .5 || .0 || 10.8

External links

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