Vincent Askew
Encyclopedia
Vincent Jerome Askew is a retired American
professional basketball
player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
in the second round (39th overall) of the 1987 NBA Draft
. A 6'5" guard-forward from Memphis State University
, Askew played in nine NBA
seasons for eight different teams.
. Askew was one of the more complete players on the team, capable of banging down low one possession and running the point the next.
After the Final Four season, Askew found himself in the midst of a debate on NCAA regulations when he briefly considered transferring to Kansas.
In October 1986, Vincent Askew was involved in a possible transfer to the University of Kansas
. He did not transfer, and re-enrolled at Memphis State University in the fall of 1986. While Askew was visiting the Jayhawks, then-coach Larry Brown provided Askew with a plane ticket to fly back to Memphis to see his dying grandmother. The purchase of the plane ticket violated NCAA rules and Kansas was served with NCAA sanctions because of their recruitment of Askew, mainly involving “improper recruiting inducements totaling at least $1,244 to the above-mentioned young man.”
NBA scouts saw in Askew the kind of versatile, durable talent that would keep him in the NBA for years. Askew left after three seasons with the Tigers, a decision many scouts met with raised eyebrows.
. He was waived after 14 games, then spent three weeks with the Washington Bullets
, and then drifted into the Continental Basketball Association
.
He was brought back to the NBA by the Golden State Warriors
to finish the 1992 season, then he went to the Sacramento Kings
for part of a season, then drifted to the Seattle SuperSonics
. For four years in Seattle, he contributed about six points, four rebounds, and two assists per game. Then, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets
, played one game there, then was traded to the Indiana Pacers
. Larry Brown
, then of the Pacers, described his trade for Askew as "I don't know of too many guys in the league who are better defenders than him, and not everybody is as unselfish. He doesn't worry about minutes, doesn't worry about shots, he just worries about winning."
He also had stints with the Denver Nuggets
and the Portland Trail Blazers
, where he was waived for a final time in 1997-1998 season.
Askew was described as a 6-foot-6 do-everything team player who played in the post and the perimeter and was a steady defensive stopper who built a reliable jumper late in his career. The most he has ever scored in an NBA game is 21 points. In his NBA career, Askew played in 467 games and scored a total of 3,313 points. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists in 20 minutes per game.
. He also had a stint in the World Basketball League.
Askew also played in Italy for Serie A
team Arimo Bologna
(1989) and Serie A2 teams Emmezeta Udine
(1990–1991) and Sidis Reggio Emilia
(1992).
After the NBA, Askew had some difficulties establishing himself. European basketball records indicate that at least three times he signed with various teams but refused to play with them, ending in August 2001 when he signed a contract with Roseto but did not come to Italy. Askew, according to an undated Euroleague scouting report, “is an NBA veteran that has finally, according to many, reached maturity. Vincent still has a lot of basketball left in him and wants to show the basketball people in Europe that he is indeed a reliable person.”
, which piqued his interest in coaching.
He confided in George Karl
, his long-time mentor from his Sonics days, and was told to go overseas. Askew went to Europe where he coached in an Italian league for three years.
Askew took the head coaching job at Elliston Baptist Academy in Memphis but was embattled to leave the job. Allegations that he had used ineligible players had landed the school in hot water with the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, potentially costing them a chance to play in the postseason, and Askew's players were not pleased with his abrasive coaching methods.
In 2004, Askew accepted the head coaching position at Rossville Christian Academy. Askew again stirred some controversy by recruiting players, which is a clear Mississippi Private School Association (MPSA) violation, but Askew did lead the RCA Rebels to the Class A State Championship.
In 2005, he contacted the ABA expansion team Tacoma Navigators' owner Michael Tuckman. Askew got a chance to hone his raw coaching skills, while the Navigators, which plays its home games at Mount Tahoma High School, marketed its coach as a former Sonic.
On August 14, 2008 at 8:13 am US/Eastern, Askew was accused of having sex with a 16-year-old girl at a Ramada Inn
in the 7600 Block of Kendall Drive. Askew was employed by Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, Florida
in 2007. Askew was a candidate to be a basketball coach at Gulliver, however he was just a student supervisor at the time of the incident. Police said Askew told the girl he was recruiting players for the girls' basketball team.
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 who was selected by 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...
in the second round (39th overall) of the 1987 NBA Draft
1987 NBA Draft
The 1987 Draft of the National Basketball Association was held on June 22, 1987 in New York City, New York.This draft is notable for the selection of two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen. Other notable selections include Reggie Miller, Kevin...
. A 6'5" guard-forward from Memphis State University
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
, Askew played in nine NBA
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...
seasons for eight different teams.
College career
Askew was a Frayser High School graduate before enrolling at Memphis State University. He was a key player on the Tigers' 1984-85 squad that reached the Final FourFinal four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
. Askew was one of the more complete players on the team, capable of banging down low one possession and running the point the next.
After the Final Four season, Askew found himself in the midst of a debate on NCAA regulations when he briefly considered transferring to Kansas.
In October 1986, Vincent Askew was involved in a possible transfer to the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. He did not transfer, and re-enrolled at Memphis State University in the fall of 1986. While Askew was visiting the Jayhawks, then-coach Larry Brown provided Askew with a plane ticket to fly back to Memphis to see his dying grandmother. The purchase of the plane ticket violated NCAA rules and Kansas was served with NCAA sanctions because of their recruitment of Askew, mainly involving “improper recruiting inducements totaling at least $1,244 to the above-mentioned young man.”
NBA scouts saw in Askew the kind of versatile, durable talent that would keep him in the NBA for years. Askew left after three seasons with the Tigers, a decision many scouts met with raised eyebrows.
NBA career
Askew was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round (39th overall) of the 1987 NBA Draft1987 NBA Draft
The 1987 Draft of the National Basketball Association was held on June 22, 1987 in New York City, New York.This draft is notable for the selection of two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen. Other notable selections include Reggie Miller, Kevin...
. He was waived after 14 games, then spent three weeks with the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, and then drifted into the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
.
He was brought back to the NBA by the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
to finish the 1992 season, then he went 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...
for part of a season, then drifted to 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...
. For four years in Seattle, he contributed about six points, four rebounds, and two assists per game. Then, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, played one game there, then was traded to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
, then of the Pacers, described his trade for Askew as "I don't know of too many guys in the league who are better defenders than him, and not everybody is as unselfish. He doesn't worry about minutes, doesn't worry about shots, he just worries about winning."
He also had stints 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...
and 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...
, where he was waived for a final time in 1997-1998 season.
Askew was described as a 6-foot-6 do-everything team player who played in the post and the perimeter and was a steady defensive stopper who built a reliable jumper late in his career. The most he has ever scored in an NBA game is 21 points. In his NBA career, Askew played in 467 games and scored a total of 3,313 points. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists in 20 minutes per game.
Professional career outside the NBA
Askew is the only player to be named Most Valuable Player in two straight years (1990 and 1991) in the Continental Basketball AssociationContinental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
. He also had a stint in the World Basketball League.
Askew also played in Italy for Serie A
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
team Arimo Bologna
Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:...
(1989) and Serie A2 teams Emmezeta Udine
Pallalcesto Amatori Udine
Snaidero Basketball is a prominent Italian basketball club based in Udine. It is also known as Snaidero Cucine Udine.-History:Its best finish so far is a 5th place in the Italian tournament in the 2005/06 season. The gold years for basketball in Udine were from 1965 to 1980, when the president and...
(1990–1991) and Sidis Reggio Emilia
Pallacanestro Reggiana
Pallacanestro Reggiana is an Italian basketball team based in Reggio Emilia, also known for sponsorship reasons as Trenkwalder Reggio Emilia....
(1992).
After the NBA, Askew had some difficulties establishing himself. European basketball records indicate that at least three times he signed with various teams but refused to play with them, ending in August 2001 when he signed a contract with Roseto but did not come to Italy. Askew, according to an undated Euroleague scouting report, “is an NBA veteran that has finally, according to many, reached maturity. Vincent still has a lot of basketball left in him and wants to show the basketball people in Europe that he is indeed a reliable person.”
Retirement
Upon his release from Portland in 1998, Askew returned to his hometown of Memphis, completed a degree in marketing and did some scouting for Memphis coach John CalipariJohn Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
, which piqued his interest in coaching.
He confided in George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
, his long-time mentor from his Sonics days, and was told to go overseas. Askew went to Europe where he coached in an Italian league for three years.
Askew took the head coaching job at Elliston Baptist Academy in Memphis but was embattled to leave the job. Allegations that he had used ineligible players had landed the school in hot water with the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, potentially costing them a chance to play in the postseason, and Askew's players were not pleased with his abrasive coaching methods.
In 2004, Askew accepted the head coaching position at Rossville Christian Academy. Askew again stirred some controversy by recruiting players, which is a clear Mississippi Private School Association (MPSA) violation, but Askew did lead the RCA Rebels to the Class A State Championship.
In 2005, he contacted the ABA expansion team Tacoma Navigators' owner Michael Tuckman. Askew got a chance to hone his raw coaching skills, while the Navigators, which plays its home games at Mount Tahoma High School, marketed its coach as a former Sonic.
On August 14, 2008 at 8:13 am US/Eastern, Askew was accused of having sex with a 16-year-old girl at a Ramada Inn
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
in the 7600 Block of Kendall Drive. Askew was employed by Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 2007. Askew was a candidate to be a basketball coach at Gulliver, however he was just a student supervisor at the time of the incident. Police said Askew told the girl he was recruiting players for the girls' basketball team.