Eddie Carl Nealy (born February 19, 1960) is an American retired

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. At 6'7" and 238 pounds, he played as a

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...

. After a standout college career, during which he won the Big Eight tournament title in 1980, he went on to play professionally for 11 years. During his professional career, he won the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association) was a men's professional basketball m ...

championship in 1986 as a member of the

Tampa Bay Thrillers The Tampa Bay Thrillers were a franchise in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1984–1987. They won back-to-back championships in 1984–85 and 1985–86. At the end of the 1986–87 CBA regular season the team relocated to Rapi ...

and the

NBA 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 ...

championship in 1993 as a member of 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 Januar ...

College career

Born in

Pittsburg, Kansas Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, United States, located in southeast Kansas near the Missouri state border. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the ci ...

, Nealy attended

Kansas State University Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public insti ...

. Although he was not expected to be a factor for the Wildcats as a freshman, he started 30 of the team's 31 games, averaging 10.2 points and team leading 8.2 rebounds per game en route to Big Eight Newcomer of the Year honors. During his sophomore season, he was a vital part in helping the team win the 1980 Big Eight tournament championship and reach the Elite Eight of the 1980 NCAA Tournament after averaging 9.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. As a junior, he averaged 11.0 points and 9.1 rebounds, helping the Wildcats reach the West Regional Finals. During his senior season, he averaged 11.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and led the Wildcats to Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and earned first team All-Big Eight and honorable mention All-America honors.

Professional career

After his college career ended, Nealy was selected by the

Kansas City 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 ...

in the eighth round of the 1982 NBA draft. In 10 NBA seasons with the Kings,

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Pacific Division (NBA), P ...

and

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

, Nealy averaged 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds. Nealy played two seasons in the

, averaging 9.8 points and 10.0 rebounds in 68 games. During the 1986 playoffs, he averaged 12.9 points and 15.5 rebounds for the

, helping them to the CBA championship. During his multiple stints in Chicago, Nealy became a fan-favorite (and a favorite of coach Phil Jackson) for his hustle and hard work ethic, especially during the 1990 NBA playoffs during stints where Scottie Pippen and Bill Cartwright were injured or struggling during the game. During his last season, Nealy was a late addition to the Chicago Bulls team which won the 1993 NBA Championship, although he did not play during the playoffs. He retired following the finals.

Player profile

Due to his hustle, aggressiveness and court smarts, Nealy received positive feedback for his unselfish play and willingness to be physical throughout his career. During Nealy's college playing career,

Dean Smith Dean Edwards Smith (February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American men's college basketball head coach. Called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he coached for 36 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hi ...

, head coach of the

North Carolina Tar Heels The North Carolina Tar Heels are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the ''Tar Heel ...

at the time, said about Nealy in anticipation of the

Elite Eight In the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight teams, representing the regional finals, or national quarterfinals. In Division I and Divis ...

game his team would play against Nealy's

Kansas State Wildcats The Kansas State Wildcats (variously "Kansas State", "K-State", or "KSU") are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Kansas State University. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple; white and silver are generally used as co ...

, "With some players, a rebound hits their hand and bounces off. Nealy catches it. He has hands like

Bobby Jones Bobby or Bobbie may refer to: People * Bobby (given name), a list of names * Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh * Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea * Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter * Bobby, old slang for a const ...

and

Adrian Dantley Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player and coach who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Dantley is a six-time NBA All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and ...

. He is going to be a great pro some day. I truly mean that."

Phil Jackson Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and ...

, who coached Nealy while he played for the Bulls in the 1989-90 and 1992-93 seasons, remarked, "It's guys like Ed who make coaching a pleasure. If you give me a reason to put him into a game, he's going to find a way to contribute." The book '' The Jordan Rules'' features

labelling Nealy as his "favorite player, smartest player on the team."

Personal life

Nealy's son, Spencer, played football at Texas A&M University.

Career statistics

NBA

Source

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...

, 82, , 61, , 20.0, , .595, , –, , .614, , 5.9, , .8, , .8, , .1, , 4.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 71, , 1, , 13.5, , .500, , –, , .800, , 3.1, , .7, , .6, , .1, , 2.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 22, , 0, , 10.1, , .591, , –, , .526, , 2.0, , .8, , .1, , .0, , 2.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, 60, , 7, , 16.3, , .438, , .129, , .739, , 4.7, , 1.4, , .7, , .2, , 3.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 68, , 1, , 12.3, , .459, , .500, , .651, , 3.3, , .7, , .4, , .1, , 2.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, 13, , 0, , 7.2, , .714, , –, , .500, , 1.8, , .5, , .2, , .1, , .8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 30, , 0, , 5.6, , .276, , .000, , .429, , 1.8, , .3, , .1, , .0, , .6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, 46, , 0, , 10.9, , .529, , .000, , .732, , 3.0, , .6, , .3, , .1, , 2.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 55, , 0, , 10.4, , .464, , .313, , .737, , 2.7, , .7, , .4, , .1, , 2.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 52, , 4, , 9.7, , .512, , .400, , .667, , 2.1, , .7, , .3, , .0, , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State , 30, , 4, , 7.6, , .348, , .318, , .700, , 1.6, , .4, , .3, , .0, , 1.5 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, 11, , 0, , 7.2, , .435, , .200, , 1.000, , 1.5, , .2, , .3, , .1, , 2.1 , - class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, Career , 540, , 78, , 12.6, , .498, , .292, , .684, , 3.3, , .7, , .5, , .1, , 2.7

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast As ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 2, , –, , 9.5, , 1.000, , –, , 1.000, , 3.0, , 1.0, , .0, , .0, , 3.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1988 , style="text-align:left;",

, 2, , 0, , 18.0, , .500, , –, , –, , 3.5, , 2.0, , .5, , .0, , 2.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ru ...

, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 4, , 0, , 1.5, , .333, , –, , –, , .8, , .0, , .0, , .0, , .5 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

, style="text-align:left;",

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, 15, , 0, , 15.2, , .472, , .000, , .619, , 3.5, , .3, , .7, , .1, , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the ...

, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 2, , 0, , 10.0, , .200, , .000, , –, , 2.5, , .0, , .0, , .0, , 1.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment building in Amsterdam after two of its engines ...

, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 8, , 0, , 8.4, , .389, , .385, , 1.000, , 2.3, , .5, , .4, , .0, , 2.9 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, Career , 33, , 0, , 11.4, , .441, , .333, , .704, , 2.8, , .5, , .4, , .0, , 2.5

References

External links

NBA statistics
at

Basketball-Reference Sports Reference, LLC, is an American company which operates several sports-related websites, including Sports-Reference.com, Baseball-Reference.com for baseball, Basketball-Reference.com for basketball, Hockey-Reference.com for ice hockey, Pro ...

College statistics
at

Sports-reference Sports Reference, LLC, is an American company which operates several sports-related websites, including Sports-Reference.com, Baseball-Reference.com for baseball, Basketball-Reference.com for basketball, Hockey-Reference.com for ice hockey, Pro ...

CBA statistics
at justsportsstats.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Nealy, Ed 1960 births Living people American men's basketball players Basketball players from Kansas Chicago Bulls players Golden State Warriors players Kansas City Kings draft picks Kansas City Kings players Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball players People from Pittsburg, Kansas Phoenix Suns players Power forwards (basketball) San Antonio Spurs players Sarasota Stingers players Tampa Bay Thrillers players