Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins (born August 14, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player who played for nine different NBA teams throughout his career.

Chucky Atkins
Atkins with the Denver Nuggets in 2007
Personal information
Born (1974-08-14) August 14, 1974 (age 50)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolMaynard Evans (Orlando, Florida)
CollegeSouth Florida (1992–1996)
NBA draft1996: undrafted
Playing career1996–2010
PositionPoint guard
Number31, 7, 9, 32, 3, 12, 8, 17
Career history
1996–1997La Crosse Bobcats
1997–1999Cibona Zagreb
1999–2000Orlando Magic
20002004Detroit Pistons
2004Boston Celtics
2004–2005Los Angeles Lakers
2005–2006Washington Wizards
20062007Memphis Grizzlies
20072009Denver Nuggets
2009Oklahoma City Thunder
2009–2010Detroit Pistons
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points6,863 (9.9 ppg)
Rebounds1,186 (1.7 rpg)
Assists2,396 (3.4 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  United States
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1995 Fukuoka Team competition

Basketball career

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Atkins played college basketball at the University of South Florida from 1992 to 1996. As of November 2020 he still owns three team records. He is a member of the USF Athletic Hall of Fame.

Atkins was undrafted in the 1996 NBA draft. In 1996–97, he played with the LaCrosse Bobcats in the now-defunct CBA before going overseas to play for the Cibona Zagreb club in Croatia from 1997 to 1999.

Atkins started his NBA career in 1999 with his hometown Orlando Magic, with immediate impact, playing in all 82 games and averaging nine points and four assists per game. The following year, the Magic dealt Atkins and center Ben Wallace to the Detroit Pistons for star forward Grant Hill, who was acquired by Orlando in a sign-and-trade deal. In 2004, Atkins was acquired by the Boston Celtics in a three-team deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sending Mike James and Rasheed Wallace to Detroit, helping the Pistons win the 2004 NBA Finals.

In the offseason of 2004, Atkins, Chris Mihm, and Jumaine Jones were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Gary Payton and Rick Fox. During the 2004–05 NBA season, Atkins played well, registered career-highs in points (14 ppg) and minutes (35), playing and starting in all 82 regular season contests for the Lakers.

In the summer of 2005, Atkins was traded along with Caron Butler to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit in the 2005 offseason. As Atkins appeared sparingly throughout the season, the Wizards bought out the remainder of his contract on January 18, 2006. Atkins had voiced displeasure with the amount of playing time he was receiving, and he and the team both felt a change of scenery was needed.[citation needed]

On January 23, 2006, Atkins signed as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies, replacing the injured Damon Stoudamire. Atkins averaged in double figures in his half-season stint in Memphis.

Atkins signed as a free agent in July 2007 with the Denver Nuggets. A hernia injury plagued him throughout most of the year, and he failed to have a significant impact in the 2007–08 NBA season.

On January 7, 2009, the Nuggets traded Atkins, along with a 2009 first round draft pick and cash considerations, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Johan Petro and a 2009 second round draft pick.[1]

On July 27, 2009, Atkins was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Damien Wilkins for center Etan Thomas and two future second-round draft picks.[2] On September 22, 2009, Chucky Atkins was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves.[3] He signed a non guaranteed contract with the Detroit Pistons on September 28, 2009. Atkins played 40 games for the Pistons in his second stint with them during the 2009–2010 season .[4]

On September 27, 2010, Atkins signed with the Phoenix Suns. He was waived on October 11, 2010.[5]

After retiring from the game in 2011, Atkins went on to coach his alum high school in 2012–13 and 2013–14 before quitting the job on the eve of the 2014–15 season after he was arrested on charges of driving under the influence twice within three months.[6]

NBA career statistics

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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
 *  Led the league

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1999–00 Orlando 82 0 19.8 .424 .350 .729 1.5 3.7 .6 .0 9.5
2000–01 Detroit 81 75 29.2 .399 .357 .692 2.1 4.1 .8 .1 12.0
2001–02 Detroit 79 62 28.9 .466 .411 .692 2.0 3.3 .9 .1 12.1
2002–03 Detroit 65 7 21.5 .361 .355 .816 1.5 2.7 .4 .1 7.1
2003–04 Detroit 40 0 18.8 .374 .323 .721 1.2 2.4 .5 .0 6.2
2003–04 Boston 24 24 33.0 .418 .351 .778 1.9 5.3 1.1 .0 12.0
2004–05 L.A. Lakers 82 82* 35.4 .426 .387 .803 2.4 4.4 .9 .0 13.6
2005–06 Washington 28 2 19.7 .379 .359 .710 1.6 2.5 .5 .0 6.7
2005–06 Memphis 43 39 27.0 .401 .352 .811 1.7 3.0 .7 .1 11.4
2006–07 Memphis 75 23 27.5 .434 .379 .810 1.9 4.6 .7 .1 13.2
2007–08 Denver 24 0 14.7 .344 .316 .444 1.3 2.0 .4 .0 4.7
2008–09 Denver 14 0 8.2 .333 .294 1.000 .4 2.0 .1 .1 1.9
2008–09 Oklahoma City 18 0 16.6 .291 .250 .917 1.0 1.7 .4 .1 3.9
2009–10 Detroit 40 11 16.1 .363 .301 .926 .7 2.3 .4 .0 4.0
Career 696 325 24.9 .412 .364 .772 1.7 3.4 .7 .0 9.9

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2002 Detroit 10 10 29.4 .364 .359 .765 2.4 3.4 .6 .1 11.3
2003 Detroit 17 3 18.4 .352 .367 .808 1.2 1.5 1.0 .0 6.1
2004 Boston 4 4 33.3 .436 .300 .895 3.5 3.8 .8 .0 13.5
2006 Memphis 4 4 25.8 .405 .364 .625 .8 3.0 .5 .0 9.8
2008 Denver 1 0 3.0 .000 .000 .000 1.0 .0 .0 .0 .0
Career 36 21 23.5 .374 .355 .800 1.7 2.4 .8 .0 8.6

References

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  1. ^ "Nuggets trade Atkins, first-round pick to Thunder". nba.com. January 7, 2009. Archived from the original on August 30, 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  2. ^ "Minnesota Acquires Wilkins and Atkins from Thunder". NBA.com. July 27, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  3. ^ "Timberwolves Waive Guard Chucky Atkins". nba.com. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  4. ^ "Chucky Atkins". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  5. ^ "Veteran Chucky Atkins waived by Suns". ESPN. October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  6. ^ Chucky Atkins out as Evans basketball coach
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