Thurl Bailey

Thurl Bailey

Thurl Bailey and Matt Henrich play one on one in Ft Bragg, North Carolina 1984
Personal information
Born (1961-04-07) April 7, 1961
Washington, D.C.
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight 247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school Bladensburg
(Bladensburg, Maryland)
College NC State (1979–1983)
NBA draft 1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Utah Jazz
Playing career 1983–1999
Position Power forward / Center
Number 41
Career history
1983–1991 Utah Jazz
1991–1994 Minnesota Timberwolves
1994–1995 Panionios
1995–1997 Polti Cantù
1997–1998 Olimpia Stefanel Milano
1999 Utah Jazz
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points 11,834 (12.8 ppg)
Rebounds 4,718 (5.1 rpg)
Blocks 1,086 (1.2 bpg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Thurl Lee Bailey (born 7 April 1961) is an American retired professional basketball player whose NBA career spanned from 1983 to 1999 with the Utah Jazz and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bailey has been a broadcast analyst for the Utah Jazz and the University of Utah— in addition to work as an inspirational speaker, singer, songwriter, and film actor.

Basketball career

Bailey attended North Carolina State University and was a leader in the Wolfpack's miracle run to the 1983 NCAA Championship. That year, under head coach Jim Valvano, he led the Wolfpack in both scoring and rebounding. The Utah Jazz selected him as the 7th pick of the 1983 NBA draft. Jazz management reported that he was selected for the quality of his character, as well as the quality of his game. This was the beginning of 16 years of his playing professional basketball, 12 of those years were with the NBA.

On 25 November 1991, he was traded by the Jazz along with a 1992 second-round draft pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Tyrone Corbin. There he played for almost three seasons until 1994 when he left the NBA and played in the Greek League (playing for Panionios) for the 1994–95 season.[1] From 1995 to 1998 he played in the Italian League for Polti Cantù in 1995–97 and Stefanel Milano in 1997–98,[1] before returning to the Jazz as a free agent on 21 January 1999. He retired after the end of 1998–99 season.

Community service

Throughout his career Bailey has also been involved in community service. He has directed basketball camps for youth since 1984 in which he teaches young people lessons about life and basketball. Bailey's basketball camps often focus on students with serious illnesses or disadvantaged backgrounds. Bailey's record of service has resulted in numerous awards for leadership and contributions to the community. Included in his awards are: the NBA's prestigious Kennedy Community Award, the Utah Association for Gifted Children's Community Service Award, Sigma Gamma Chi fraternity's Exemplary Manhood Award, the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America's American Champion Award and the Italian League's 1998 All Star Games Most Valuable Player.

Career after the NBA

Bailey currently is a public speaker, a broadcast analyst for the Utah Jazz and the University of Utah, an actor, and a singer/songwriter.[2] Bailey's music includes uplifting songs as well as a fusion of R&B and Nu Soul. His albums include Faith In Your Heart (1998), The Gift of Christmas (2001), and I'm Not the Same (2002). In addition to his music, he has appeared in a few films.

Bailey is chairman of Big T Productions, Fertile Earth (which has a patent pending on a fertilizer that works through sprinkler systems), and FourLeaf Films.[3]

He works with various charities — including Make-A-Wish, D.A.R.E., the Happy Factory.[3]

Politics

Bailey gave the opening prayer at the 2008 Republican National Convention.[4][5]

Personal life

Bailey was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in a violent household in a high-crime neighborhood in the suburbs of Maryland bordering D.C.[3]

He is the father of six children. Bailey and his wife, Sindi (née Southwick), live in Salt Lake City with their three children.

Bailey has a daughter with his college sweetheart, and two sons from his first marriage.

Religion

Bailey was raised Baptist.[6] While playing basketball in Italy, Bailey decided to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized by his father-in-law on 31 December 1995.[4]

Filmography

Year Title Role Note
1988 The NBA on CBS Center/Himself – Utah Jazz Forward 1 episode
1994 Thurl: Forward with New Power Himself Documentary
2001 The Luck of the Irish Mr. Holloway Disney Channel Original Movie
2002 The Singles Ward A Traveler Movie
2005 David and Goliath Goliath of Gath Movie
2006 Church Ball Moses Mahoney Movie
2007 Heber Holiday Mutumbo Movie
2013 Running with the Pack Himself Documentary
30 for 30 Himself Survive and Advance

References

  1. 1 2 Thurl Bailey NBA.com bio
  2. ↑ Luis Fernando Llosa (2003-11-03). "Thurl Bailey, Forward". SI Vault. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  3. 1 2 3 Robinson, Doug (22 February 2003). "Advertise with usReport this ad Thurl Bailey's wonderful life". Deseret News. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 Playing Field Promotions. "Thurl Bailey Biography". Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  5. ↑ Josh Loftin (2008-09-01). "Thurl Bailey opens GOP convention with prayer". Deseret News. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  6. ↑ "Former NBA Star Thurl Bailey Shares Incredible Conversion Story". LDS Living. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thurl Bailey.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.