Frank Brickowski

Francis Anthony Brickowski (born August 14, 1959) is an American retired professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Frank Brickowski
Personal information
Born (1959-08-14) August 14, 1959
Bayville, New York
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolLocust Valley Central School
(Locust Valley, New York)
CollegePenn State (1977–1981)
NBA draft1981 / Round: 3 / Pick: 57th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career1981–1997
PositionPower forward / Center
Number34, 33, 43, 40
Career history
1981–1982Cagiva Varese
1982–1983Reims CAUFA
1983–1984Maccabi Tel Aviv
19841986Seattle SuperSonics
1986–1987Los Angeles Lakers
19871990San Antonio Spurs
19901994Milwaukee Bucks
1994Charlotte Hornets
1995–1996Seattle SuperSonics
1996–1997Boston Celtics
Career NBA statistics
Points7,302 (10.0 ppg)
Rebounds3,410 (4.7 rpg)
Assists1,384 (1.9 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

College and overseas career

Born in Bayville, New York, Brickowski played college basketball for four years as a power forward/center for Penn State. He won the John Lawther Award in 1980 as Penn State's MVP.[1]

Brickowski was then selected with the 11th pick of the third round of the 1981 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. The Knicks considered him not quite ready for the NBA, so he began his professional basketball career in Italy.[2] After a year in Italy, he played for another year in France, and the Knicks relinquished their draft rights after the 1982–83 NBA season.[1] Brickowski then played another season overseas for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel.

NBA career

Seattle SuperSonics

Brickowski signed with the Seattle SuperSonics for the 1984–85 season on September 23, 1984, arriving in the league three years after being drafted.[1] He played in Seattle two seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers

He signed on with the Los Angeles Lakers on October 8, 1986 but only played part of one season.

San Antonio Spurs

The Lakers traded him to the San Antonio Spurs, along with Pétur Guðmundsson, two draft choices and cash, for Mychal Thompson.[3] Although Brickowski only played 7 games the rest of that season, he played 3 more productive seasons for San Antonio, including scoring a career-high 16 points per game during the 1987–88 season.

Milwaukee Bucks

During the 1990 off-season, the salary cap went up, which led to Brickowski being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Paul Pressey, to which the Bucks agreed due to an injury to Larry Krystkowiak.[4] He was a productive player during his time in Milwaukee, but not without trouble: during 1991–92, Brickowski was found with an ounce of marijuana at his Montana ranch. He pleaded guilty,[5] and was forced to pay a $2,000 fine and undergo drug counseling.[6]

Charlotte Hornets

At the 1994 trading deadline, The Bucks traded Brickowski to the Charlotte Hornets with a first-round draft pick for Mike Gminski.[7] He spent the rest of the season with Charlotte.

Sacramento Kings

The next season Brickowski joined the Sacramento Kings.[8] However, he injured his shoulder during preseason, aggravating the injury in a practice in January, and ended up being lost for the entire season.[9] Although he had a second year on his contract with the Kings he signed with Seattle.

Return to Seattle

Brickowski signed on for a second stint with Seattle, in which he became a surprising contributor in terms of three-pointers, hitting 32 of 79 (.405). He helped Seattle make it to the 1996 NBA Finals against Chicago Bulls. During that series, Brickowski became notorious in his very physical defense against Dennis Rodman that led to several technical and flagrant fouls.

Boston Celtics

Brickowski signed as a free agent with the Boston Celtics on August 1, 1996.[1] After only 17 games, he was released on July 7, 1997,[1] and retired, holding career averages of 10 points, 5 rebounds and two assists per game, in 731 contests.

After the NBA

One year after he retired in 1997, Brickowski joined a team of retired NBA players on a tour of China for a series of exhibition games against the Chinese national team.[10]

Brickowski currently works with the NBA Players Association and lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He is married to Meaghan McCarthy.[11]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1984–85 Seattle 78914.3.492.000.6693.31.30.40.24.9
1985–86 Seattle 4027.8.517.6671.40.50.30.22.0
1986–87 L.A. Lakers 37010.9.564.6782.60.30.40.13.9
1986–87 San Antonio 7011.9.333.000.9092.70.70.90.34.3
1987–88 San Antonio 706831.8.528.200.7686.93.81.10.516.0
1988–89 San Antonio 646028.5.515.000.7156.32.01.60.513.7
1989–90 San Antonio 781218.4.545.000.6744.21.30.80.56.6
1990–91 Milwaukee 757325.5.527.000.7985.71.71.10.612.6
1991–92 Milwaukee 656023.9.524.500.7675.31.90.90.411.4
1992–93 Milwaukee 666431.4.545.308.7286.13.01.20.716.9
1993–94 Milwaukee 434033.5.482.167.7756.53.81.20.415.2
1993–94 Charlotte 28623.3.502.500.7464.52.01.00.410.1
1995–96 Seattle 63815.7.488.405.7092.40.90.40.15.4
1996–97 Boston 17215.0.438.350.7142.00.90.30.24.8
Career 73140422.3.519.324.7404.71.90.90.410.0

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1988 San Antonio 3337.7.5001.000.6847.34.72.00.719.3
1990 San Antonio 10016.1.574.6544.41.10.80.17.9
1991 Milwaukee 3336.7.533.000.5008.71.00.30.718.3
1996 Seattle 2139.8.421.273.7501.40.50.30.22.0
Career 37915.9.514.280.6353.31.10.60.36.3

Recognition

Brickowski's surname is believed to be the inspiration for the character Emmet Brickowski from The Lego Movie.

References

  1. "Boston Celtics player statistics: Frank Brickowski". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved February 28, 2007.
  2. "McKoy to Europe". The New York Times. September 12, 1981. Retrieved February 28, 2007.
  3. "Moncrief activated". The New York Times. February 14, 1987. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  4. "Salary cap goes up". The New York Times. August 2, 1990. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  5. "Brickowski pleads guilty to marijuana possession". The New York Times. February 8, 1992. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  6. "Brickowski is sentenced". The New York Times. May 20, 1992. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  7. "NBA breaks trend with exciting 2001 trading deadline". CNN. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  8. "Kings tell Tisdale no and Brickowski yes". The New York Times. August 20, 1994. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  9. "Kings' Brickowski is lost for season". The New York Times. January 19, 1995. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  10. "The Big O: News & Background". Archived from the original on July 28, 2005. Retrieved February 28, 2007.
  11. Canzano, John (February 9, 2013). "The rules for millionaire matchmaking with Greg Oden". The Oregonian.
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