Mark Price is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 seasons. He was born on February 15, 1964, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and grew up in Enid, Oklahoma. Price played college basketball at Georgia Tech, where he was a four-year starter and two-time All-American.
Price was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1986 NBA draft but was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers before the start of the season. He quickly established himself as one of the best point guards in the league, known for his shooting accuracy, passing ability, and leadership on the court.
During his time with the Cavaliers, Price was a four-time NBA All-Star and led the league in free-throw percentage five times. He also won the Three-Point Shootout at the NBA All-Star Weekend twice, in 1993 and 1994. Price was a key player on the Cavaliers teams that made the playoffs six times in his nine seasons with the team, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992.
In 1995, Price was traded to the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards) but played only one season with the team before being traded again, this time to the Golden State Warriors. He played two seasons with the Warriors before finishing his career with the Orlando Magic in 1998.
Price retired with career averages of 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game. He is widely regarded as one of the best shooters in NBA history, with a career free-throw percentage of 90.4% and a three-point shooting percentage of 40.2%. Price was also known for his work ethic and dedication to the game, and he was a respected leader both on and off the court.
After retiring from playing, Price went on to become a coach, serving as an assistant coach for several NBA teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, and Charlotte Hornets. He also spent time as the head coach of the UNC Charlotte men's basketball team from 2015 to 2020.
In recognition of his outstanding career, Price was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He remains a beloved figure in Cleveland, where he is remembered as one of the greatest players in Cavaliers history.
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