Antawn Cortez Jamison (; born June 12, 1976) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player who played 16 seasons in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

(NBA). He serves as director of pro personnel for the

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...

. Jamison played

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

for the North Carolina Tar Heels, being named national player of the year in 1998. He was selected by the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...

as the fourth overall pick of the

1998 NBA draft The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around four struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, the Boston Celtics, and the To ...

before being traded to the Golden State Warriors for former Tar Heel teammate

Vince Carter Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played Powe ...

. Named to the

NBA All-Rookie Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for player ...

with the Warriors, Jamison was a two-time All-Star and won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2004. He was a member of the United States national team in 2006. Upon his retirement from the NBA, he worked as an analyst for

Time Warner Cable SportsNet Spectrum Sports (abbreviated as SPECTSN), also known under the corporate names Spectrum Networks, or Charter Sports Regional Networks, is the collective name for a group of regional sports networks in the United States that are primarily owned a ...

and as a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers before being hired by the

as their director of pro personnel in 2019.

Early years

Jamison was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. His parents named him "Antwan", but the hospital misspelled it "Antawn" on his birth certificate. The error was never corrected, but the pronunciation (as "Antoine") did not change. Jamison played

and football (as a

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

) at Quail Hollow Middle School in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

. He went on to play high school basketball at Charlotte's Providence High School, where he was named a McDonald's All-American after his senior season, during which he averaged 27 points, 13 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game.

College career

Jamison played three seasons of

for the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, averaging 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. In his junior year, he was awarded both the Naismith and Wooden Awards as the most outstanding men's college basketball player for the 1997–98 season. Jamison decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility and enter the NBA draft in 1998. He subsequently returned and earned a B.A. in Afro-American and African studies, graduating in August 1999. On March 1, 2000, Jamison's #33 was retired at the Dean E. Smith Center, the seventh Tar Heel so honored.

Professional career

Golden State Warriors (1998–2003)

Jamison was selected with the fourth pick of the

by the

, who then dealt his rights to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for former North Carolina teammate and best friend

. Jamison spent the first five years of his NBA career with the Warriors. He scored a career-high 51 points on two occasions, back-to-back against Seattle and the Lakers (the Warriors won that game). He averaged a career-high 24.9 points per game in 2000–01, his third season in the league.

Dallas Mavericks (2003–2004)

In 2003, Jamison was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a nine-player deal that sent him, forwards

Danny Fortson Daniel Anthony Fortson (born March 27, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He played the power forward and center position in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1997 to 2007. Early life Although born in Philad ...

and Chris Mills, and guard Jiří Welsch to the Mavs and guard

Nick Van Exel Nickey Maxwell Van Exel (born November 27, 1971) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Van Exel played for six NBA teams from 1 ...

, center Evan Eschmeyer, guard

Avery Johnson Avery DeWitt Johnson (born March 25, 1965) is an American basketball television commentator and former player and coach who most recently served as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team. He is currently an NBA and college ...

, and forwards

Popeye Jones Ronald Jerome "Popeye" Jones (born June 17, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). College career Born in Dresde ...

and

Antoine Rigaudeau Antoine Roger Rigaudeau (born 17 December 1971) is a French former professional basketball player and professional basketball coach. During his playing days, he played at the point guard, shooting guard, and small forward positions. Also during h ...

to the Warriors. With Dallas, Jamison experienced his first winning season in 2003–04 as the Mavericks finished 52–30 and made the playoffs, which also marked the first time in his career that Jamison had experienced post-season play. Jamison was named as the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year for his efforts. The Mavericks suffered a setback in the first round, falling in five games to the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

Washington Wizards (2004–2010)

At season's end Jamison was traded again, this time to the Wizards, in exchange for former Tar Heel

Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Darnell Stackhouse (born November 5, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores men's team. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and ...

Christian Laettner Christian Donald Laettner (, ; born August 17, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. His college career for the Duke Blue Devils is widely regarded as one of the best in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hi ...

, and a first-round draft pick (which turned out to be

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

point guard,

Devin Harris Devin Lamar Harris (born February 27, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player. Harris attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Harris was selected with the fifth pick in the 2004 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. E ...

). In the 2004–05 season with the Wizards, he was named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time in his career and the Wizards enjoyed a solid 45–37 win–loss season, their finest effort in 26 years. They also made the

playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...

for the first time since 1997 and advanced to the second round for the first time since 1982. In 2006, Jamison played for the US national team in the

2006 FIBA World Championship The 2006 FIBA World Championship was the 15th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. The tournament was hosted by Japan and held from 19 August to 3 September 2006. It was co-organised by ...

, winning a bronze medal. Jamison led the Wizards against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. Jamison averaged 32 points and 10 rebounds per game during the series. During the 2007–08 season, Jamison was named to his second NBA Eastern All-Star team. On June 30, 2008, Jamison signed a four-year, $50 million contract with the Wizards.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2010–2012)

Antawn Jamison Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks cropped

On February 17, 2010, Jamison was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team, six-player trade that sent Al Thornton from the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...

to the

Žydrūnas Ilgauskas Zydrunas Ilgauskas ( lt, link=no, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas; ; born June 5, 1975) is a Lithuanian-born American former professional basketball player who played the center position. The 7'3" Ilgauskas played for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the Nationa ...

, a 2010 first-round pick and the rights to

Emir Preldžič Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...

from Cleveland to Washington, Drew Gooden from Washington to Los Angeles and

Sebastian Telfair Sebastian Telfair (born June 9, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA and the Chinese Basketball Association. Telfair was picked thirteenth overall in the 2004 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers on ...

from Los Angeles to Cleveland. In his first game with the Cleveland Cavaliers against the

Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populou ...

, Jamison scored only two points from two free throws as he went 0 for 12 from the field. In his second game with the Cavaliers, Jamison scored 19 points against the Orlando Magic. The Cleveland Cavaliers made the NBA playoffs as the team with the best record. The Cavaliers defeated Derrick Rose and the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...

in five games, but fell to the Boston Celtics in 6 games. Weeks after the series, Jamison's teammate

LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...

left the Cavaliers, to join the

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...

alongside Dwyane Wade and

Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh (born March 24, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. A Texas Mr. Basketball in high school, he played one season of college basketball for Georgia Tech before declaring for the 2003 NBA draft. Bo ...

. The Cavaliers had very little success in the

2010–11 NBA season The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The season concluded with the Dallas Mavericks defeating the ...

, setting an NBA record 26-game losing streak (breaking a mark set by the franchise in 1983). That streak was finally snapped with a 126–119 overtime win against the Los Angeles Clippers. In January 2011, Jamison said that he was considering retirement, and that his 2011–12 season could be his last. On February 27, in a loss to the

76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Ea ...

, Jamison was fouled and broke his left pinky. He underwent a surgery, and would be out the rest of the season. He finished his 14th NBA season in 2011–12 with averages of 17.2 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Los Angeles Lakers (2012–2013)

On July 25, 2012, Jamison signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA veteran's minimum. On November 30 against the Denver Nuggets, he scored a season-high 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, becoming the first Laker since Shaquille O'Neal in 1998 to record a 30/10 game as a reserve. However, coach

Mike D'Antoni Michael D'Andrew D'Antoni (born May 8, 1951) is an Italian-American professional basketball coach and former player who is a coaching advisor for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). While head coach of the Ph ...

did not play him for multiple games, partially due to Jamison's inconsistent shooting and subpar defense. On January 4, 2013, he played against the

for the first time after six games on the bench. On January 6, he entered in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets and hit a jumper for his first points since December 13. He played four minutes before being benched the rest of the game. Jamison again became a part of the Lakers' regular rotation after forward

Pau Gasol Pau Gasol Sáez (, ; born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish former professional basketball player. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA team selection, twice on the second team and twice on the third team. Gasol won two NBA champion ...

was out with a foot injury. After the early communication issues with D'Antoni, their relationship improved significantly.

Los Angeles Clippers (2013–2014)

On August 28, 2013, Jamison signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. On December 11, 2013, in the second quarter against the Boston Celtics, Jamison scored a 3-pointer which took his career points tally past the 20,000 mark, becoming just the 39th player in NBA history to achieve this. On February 20, 2014, Jamison was traded to the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...

in exchange for the draft rights to

Cenk Akyol Cenk Akyol (born 16 April 1987) is a Turkish professional basketball coach and former player who played at the shooting guard position. He is assistant coach for Galatasaray Nef of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). Professional career On ...

. He was waived by the Hawks the next day.

Retirement and legacy

Jamison retired from the NBA in 2014. Of all former NBA players that are (or have been) eligible for election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Jamison is one of only two players (along with Tom Chambers) to have scored 20,000 or more career points without being elected to the Hall.

Post-NBA career

In October 2014, Jamison retired from professional basketball and became a broadcaster for

as a TV analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers. On October 3, 2017, Jamison was hired in a scouting role by the Los Angeles Lakers. In August 2019, he was hired by the Wizards to become their director of pro personnel.

Philanthropy

Jamison awarded his first Antawn C. Jamison Scholarship at his high school alma mater in 2003. Jamison has also launched a campaign which he calls "A Better Tomorrow" which he hopes to use to provide the underprivileged with a chance at a better future. He says of the project: "As a professional athlete, I have an obligation to help those less fortunate. I really enjoy being in a position to aid my community – both in the Bay Area and back home in Charlotte – and put a smile on somebody's face. That is what it is all about. I think it is especially important to give back during the holidays, when people tend to feel a little down if things are not going too well."

Career statistics

College

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1995–96 , style="text-align:left;",

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, 32 , , 29 , , 32.9 , , .624 , , .000 , , .596 , , 9.7 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 1.0 , , 15.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1996–97 , style="text-align:left;",

, 35 , , * , , 34.3 , , .544 , , .182 , , .621 , , 9.4 , , 0.9 , , 1.1 , , .6 , , 19.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1997–98 , style="text-align:left;",

''1997–98 UNC Team Stats (Players with 5+ MPG)'', in ''Tar Heel Tip-Off 2010–2011'', Maple Leaf Press, 2010, p. 112. , 37 , , * , , 33.2 , , .579 , , .400 , , .667 , , 10.5 , , 0.8 , , 0.8 , , 0.8 , , 22.2 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 104 , , * , , 33.5 , , .577 , , .296 , , .617 , , 9.9 , , 0.9 , , 0.9 , , .8 , , 19.0

Regular season

, - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 47 , , 24 , , 22.5 , , .452 , , .300 , , .588 , , 6.4 , , .7 , , .8 , , .3 , , 9.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 43 , , 41 , , 36.2 , , .471 , , .286 , , .611 , , 8.3 , , 2.1 , , .7 , , .3 , , 19.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 82 , , 82 , , 41.4 , , .442 , , .302 , , .715 , , 8.7 , , 2.0 , , 1.4 , , .3 , , 24.9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 82 , , 82 , , 37.0 , , .447 , , .324 , , .734 , , 6.8 , , 2.0 , , .9 , , .5 , , 19.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 82 , , 82 , , 39.3 , , .470 , , .311 , , .789 , , 7.0 , , 1.9 , , .9 , , .5 , , 22.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, 82 , , 2 , , 29.0 , , .535 , , .400 , , .748 , , 6.3 , , .9 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 14.8 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, 68 , , 68 , , 38.3 , , .437 , , .341 , , .760 , , 7.6 , , 2.3 , , .8 , , .2 , , 19.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 82 , , 80 , , 40.1 , , .442 , , .394 , , .731 , , 9.3 , , 1.9 , , 1.1 , , .1 , , 20.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 70 , , 70 , , 38.0 , , .450 , , .364 , , .736 , , 8.0 , , 1.9 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , 19.8 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 79 , , 79 , , 38.7 , , .436 , , .339 , , .760 , , 10.2 , , 1.5 , , 1.3 , , .4 , , 21.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 81 , , 81 , , 38.2 , , .468 , , .351 , , .754 , , 8.9 , , 1.9 , , 1.2 , , .3 , , 22.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 41 , , 41 , , 38.9 , , .420 , , .345 , , .700 , , 8.8 , , 1.3 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , 20.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, 25 , , 23 , , 32.4 , , .485 , , .342 , , .506 , , 7.7 , , 1.3 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , 15.8 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 56 , , 38 , , 32.9 , , .427 , , .346 , , .731 , , 6.7 , , 1.7 , , .9 , , .5 , , 18.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 65 , , 65 , , 33.1 , , .403 , , .341 , , .683 , , 6.3 , , 2.0 , , .8 , , .7 , , 17.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

L.A. Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, 76 , , 6 , , 21.5 , , .464 , , .361 , , .691 , , 4.8 , , .7 , , .4 , , .3 , , 9.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , L.A. Clippers , 22 , , 0 , , 11.3 , , .315 , , .195 , , .720 , , 2.5 , , .4 , , .3 , , .1 , , 3.8 , - , align="center" colspan="2" , Career , 1083 , , 864 , , 34.8 , , .451 , , .346 , , .724 , , 7.5 , , 1.6 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 18.5 , - , align="center" colspan="2" , All-Star , 2 , , 0 , , 12.5 , , .375 , , .333 , , .000 , , 2.5 , , .5 , , .0 , , .5 , , 3.5

Playoffs

, - , align="left" , 2004 , align="left" ,

, 5 , , 0 , , 21.8 , , .456 , , .250 , , .733 , , 5.0 , , .4 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 13.0 , - , align="left" , 2005 , align="left" ,

, 10 , , 10 , , 38.0 , , .451 , , .500 , , .688 , , 6.3 , , 1.2 , , .7 , , .4 , , 18.5 , - , align="left" , 2006 , align="left" ,

, 6 , , 6 , , 42.2 , , .424 , , .313 , , .778 , , 7.2 , , 3.0 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 19.2 , - , align="left" , 2007 , align="left" ,

, 4 , , 4 , , 43.3 , , .476 , , .346 , , .750 , , 9.8 , , 1.3 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 32.0 , - , align="left" ,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, align="left" ,

, 6 , , 6 , , 39.5 , , .406 , , .280 , , .571 , , 12.0 , , 1.0 , , 1.3 , , 1.3 , , 16.8 , - , align="left" , 2010 , align="left" ,

, 11 , , 11 , , 34.1 , , .467 , , .256 , , .732 , , 7.4 , , 1.3 , , .6 , , 1.0 , , 15.3 , - , align="left" ,

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...