Sam Perkins is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 17 seasons. He was born on June 14, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he played college basketball for the Tar Heels.
Perkins was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He played for the Mavericks for five seasons, from 1984 to 1989, and was a key player on the team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 1988. Perkins was known for his versatility and ability to play both power forward and center positions.
In 1989, Perkins was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played for four seasons. He was a member of the Lakers team that won the NBA championship in 1991, and he played alongside some of the greatest players in NBA history, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy.
After his stint with the Lakers, Perkins played for several other NBA teams, including the Seattle SuperSonics, Indiana Pacers, and the Vancouver Grizzlies. He was known for his consistent scoring and rebounding, and he was a respected veteran leader on every team he played for.
Perkins retired from the NBA in 2001, after playing in 1,286 regular-season games and scoring a total of 15,324 points. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
After retiring from basketball, Perkins became involved in various business ventures, including real estate development and restaurant ownership. He also worked as a television analyst for NBA games and was a frequent guest on sports talk shows.
Throughout his career, Perkins was known for his professionalism, work ethic, and leadership on and off the court. He was a respected teammate and opponent, and he earned the admiration of fans and fellow players alike. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest basketball players of his generation and a true ambassador for the sport.
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