Chris Mullin

Mullin was born in Brooklyn, New York. As a young player in New York, he studied the games of Knicks stars Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe while admiring Larry Bird and wearing #17 in honor of John Havlicek.[4] As a youth, he regularly traveled to the Bronx and Harlem, in predominately black neighborhoods, to play against the best basketball players in New York City. His name began to spread while playing CYO basketball at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish on Flatlands Avenue.[4] He was also a winner of the 1974 "Elks Hoops Shoot" which is a national free throw contest for youth.[5]

Along with playing CYO basketball at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Mullin attended Lou Carnesecca's basketball camp with future Xaverian teammates Roger McCready, Danny Treacy, Jimmy Howard, Gerard Shepard, Mike O'Reilly, Joe Cannizzo and Pete Cannizzo.[6]

Mullin began his high school career at Power Memorial Academy, where he was a teammate of Mario Elie. He transferred as a junior to Xaverian High School and led them to a New York Class A state championship in 1981.[7]

Mullin was recruited by the Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca to play for St. John's University[6] in nearby Queens. After signing, Mullin averaged 16.6 points per game in his freshman year (also setting the school freshman record for points scored). In his subsequent three years for the Redmen (now known as the Red Storm), he was named Big East Player of the Year three times, named to the All-America team three times, played for the gold medal-winning 1984 Olympic team, and received the 1985 Wooden Award and USBWA College Player of the Year.

As a senior who averaged 19.8 points per game, Mullin led St. John's to the 1985 Final Four and its first #1 ranking since 1951.[8] Mullin, who averaged 19.5 points per game, finished his career as the Redmen's all-time leading scorer with 2,440 career points.[6] He also holds the distinction of being one of only three players in history to win the Haggerty Award (given to the best college player in the New York City area) three times (1983–1985). From 1983 to 1985, Mullin was also named the Big East conference's player of the year, making him the only men's basketball player to receive this award three different seasons.[9]

During the 1992 Summer Olympics, Mullin, who started two games, averaged 12.9 points per game, shot 61.9% from the field and 53.8% from the three-point line.[9] He was a member of the "Dream Team," which is widely regarded as one of the greatest sports teams ever.

Mullin also won gold medals in the 1992 Tournament of the Americas with the "Dream Team", the 1984 Summer Olympics, the 1983 Pan American Games, the 1982 Jones Cup, and the 1982 Seoul Invitational. [12]

After his playing days were over, Mullin was hired by the Warriors as a special assistant, dealing with daily business operations. On April 22, 2004, he was named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the team.[17] On May 11, 2009, the team announced that Mullin's expiring contract would not be renewed.[18] He was replaced by Larry Riley as the Warriors' General Manager.

Mullin began working with the Sacramento Kings in May 2013 when Vivek Ranadivé became owner.[19] In September 2013, the Sacramento Kings hired him as an advisor.[20] As an advisor, Mullin's duties were not only to provide advice to Ranadive and D'Alessandro on player transactions, but to also supervise the organization's college and overseas scouting program.[21]

Mullin has worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN.[22] On October 22, 2010, Mullin made his network debut as an ESPN studio analyst on Kia NBA Countdown.[23]

In December 2011, Mullin worked with the ESPN broadcasting crew for Mark Jackson's coaching debut with the Golden State Warriors. Mullin joined his former television colleagues, Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen to announce the game against the Los Angeles Clippers in the season opener and Christmas finale.[24]

In September 2019, after leaving St. John's University, Mullin was announced as a pregame and postgame studio analyst for Warriors games on NBC Sports Bay Area.[16] He also will contribute to Warriors coverage on radio affiliate KNBR.[25]

In 2010, Mullin was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the "Dream Team".[26]

On February 28, 2011, Mullin was elected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

On April 4, 2011, Mullin was inducted again to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, this time for his individual career.

On March 19, 2012, Mullin's number 17 was retired by the Golden State Warriors, making him the sixth player in team history to have his jersey retired.[27]

Mullin is a devout Roman Catholic, and has stated that he relies upon his faith daily.[28] He and his wife, Elizabeth ("Liz"), live in Flower Hill, New York.[29][30] They have four children. Mullin was very good friends with former teammate, Sudanese NBA player Manute Bol.[31][32] After Bol was badly injured in a taxi cab incident in 2004, Mullin and the Warriors offered to raise money for Bol's medical bills by organizing a fantasy camp. On November 19, 2004, the Warriors, Mullin and his former teammates Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway participated in the fantasy camp named "Run With TMC".[33]

In March 2012, PG&E joined the Golden State Warriors to restore a pair of basketball courts in Mullin's honor. Both courts were named the "Chris Mullin Basketball Courts at Arroyo Recreation Center Presented by PG&E". [34]

In July 2014, Mullin was featured at a wheelchair basketball charity and opportunity event hosted in Puerto Rico by Max International. Before the event, he was presented a jersey from Federacion de Baloncesto en Silla de Ruedas de Puerto Rico (FEBASIRU), the local wheelchair basketball team. In this event, Mullin participated in a wheelchair basketball game for the very first time with Max International Associate Héctor Marcano Lopez and the local Puerto Rican wheelchair basketball team (FEBASIRU). He participated in "Max and Mullin Legends Classic Exhibition Game" with 20 local Puerto Rican basketball legends.[35]

• Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
• List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
• List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chris Mullin (basketball).

• St. John's University coaching bio
• NBA bio of Mullin (from 2000)
• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com  and Basketball-Reference.com