Rick Hughes (born August 22, 1973) 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 Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player. He was the French League Best Scorer, in 2004 and 2011.

College career

Hughes graduated from

Walnut Hills High School Walnut Hills High School is a public college-preparatory high school in Cincinnati, Ohio. Operated by Cincinnati Public Schools, it houses grades seven through twelve. The school was established in 1895 and has occupied its current building s ...

, in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, in 1991, and afterwards, he attended Thomas More College. He was a four-year standout while at TMC, during the 1992–1996 seasons. He is the only player in the now defunct conference (AMC), to have been the Rookie of the Year, a four-time Player of the Year, a four-time Conference First Team Selection, a three-time Tournament MVP, a four-time Tournament First Team selection, and a four-time scoring leader. Hughes was also a Division 3 All-American during his junior and senior seasons. He left Thomas More as the school's all-time scoring leader with 2,605 points, and currently holds ten additional records. In 2002, Hughes was selected to Thomas More College's Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Not drafted as a senior, Hughes was forced to go the free agent route, earning a spot with the

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

, for the Summer Pro League in Los Angeles. Eventually, he went to

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

to play, and excelled in his first professional season. He averaged over 26 points and 13 rebounds per game, and once again garnered interest from the

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

, this time from 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 Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...

. With the NBA lockout looming, Hughes went back overseas; this time to Lebanon. During the 1998–1999 season, Hughes averaged over 36 points and 15 rebounds per game. After a stint with the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

, he went back to Europe, in January 2000, and began the next step in his pro career. Having played in Cyprus, Lebanon, Italy, Spain, and France, Hughes won multiple titles, promotions to higher divisions, and MVP awards, along with numerous scoring titles, showing his ability to adapt and compete at an advanced age.

College career

Professional career

External links