Larry Nance

This article is about Larry Nance Sr.. For his son, see Larry Nance, Jr.

Larry Nance Sr.

Personal information
Born	(1959-02-12) February 12, 1959 Anderson, South Carolina
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school	McDuffie (Anderson, South Carolina)
College	Clemson (1977–1981)
NBA draft	1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Playing career	1981–1994
Position	Forward
Number	22, 6
Career history
1981–1988	Phoenix Suns
1988–1994	Cleveland Cavaliers
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA All-Star (1985, 1989, 1993) NBA All-Defensive First Team (1989) 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1992–1993) NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1984) No. 22 retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Career NBA statistics
Points	15,687 (17.1 ppg)
Rebounds	7,067 (8.0 rpg)
Blocks	2,027 (2.2 bpg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Larry Donnell Nance Sr. (born February 12, 1959) is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) forward from Clemson University, Nance played 13 seasons (1981–1994) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers.

College career

Nance played for the Clemson Tigers, who made it to the Elite Eight in his junior year.

Playing career

Nance scored 15,687 career points and grabbed 7,352 career rebounds, but he is perhaps best known as the first winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1984, earning him the nickname "The High-Ayatolla of Slamola". Nance was a model of consistency throughout his NBA career. He averaged over 16 points and 8 rebounds per game for all eleven seasons as a starter. His best scoring average year was in the 1986–1987 NBA season, where he averaged 22.5 points per game. Always among the highest in field goal percentage, Nance was an excellent mid-range shooter as well as a talented inside player.

Phoenix Suns

Nance was involved in a trade between the Suns and the Cavaliers in 1988. Nance's stint in Phoenix came to an end on Feb. 25, 1988, when, with the Suns struggling to a 16–35 mark, he was traded with Mike Sanders and Detroit's No. 1 pick in 1988 (used to pick Randolph Keys) to Cleveland for Kevin Johnson, Mark West, Tyrone Corbin and Cleveland's first (used for Dan Majerle) and second round (used for Dean Garrett) picks in 1988 and the Lakers' second round pick in 1989.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The trade worked out for both teams, as Nance proved to be the missing piece the Cavs needed to contend for a title in the East, while at the same time playing the role of frontcourt post partner to Cav center Brad Daugherty before a series of back injuries forced Daugherty to retire. For the Suns, Johnson and Majerle became key players in the team's late 1980s and early 1990s success.

Larry Nance was a 3-time NBA All-Star 1985, 1989, and 1993, and an NBA All-Defensive Team First Team member in 1989, and a Second Team Member in 1992 and 1993. He was also consistently one of the league's better shot blockers, averaging 2.2 blocks per game during his career. Upon his retirement, he held the league record for most blocked shots by any player other than a center.

Son

Nance's son, Larry Nance, Jr., was formerly a player for the University of Wyoming Cowboys men's basketball team. He was selected in the first round as the 27th pick of the 2015 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Daughter

Nance's daughter, Casey Nance, played for the University of Dayton Flyers women's basketball team. She also hosted a video blog called Casey and Co.

See also

• List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
• List of National Basketball Association players with 10 or more blocks in a game

External links

• www.larrynance22.com
• Career statistics