Iowa History Daily: On January 2, 1981, Sioux City West and NBA basketball player Kirk Hinrich was born. Iowa’s Mr. Basketball in 1999, the Wolverine star went on to help Kansas to back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances before going no. 7 in the NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls.
Born into a basketball family, Hinrich played for his father Jim at Sioux City West. The Wolverines went 82-9 over Hinrich’s four-year career, capturing a state championship during his senior year. Hinrich also excelled at Sioux City West while playing quarterback on the gridiron and as a starting pitcher on the baseball diamond. Hinrich won Iowa’s Mr. Basketball in 1999, an honor he shared with his future Kansas roommate and teammate Nick Collison of Iowa Falls.
Hinrich originally committed to play his college ball in Ames for Iowa State, but decided to go to Kansas when Cyclone coach Tim Floyd left to take a job with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Hinrich shined on the hardwood for the Jayhawks over a four-year career which included a trip to the NCAA National Championship in his senior season.
When the Bulls selected Hinrich 7th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Hinrich narrowly avoided playing for Tim Floyd for a second time when the coach resigned the year prior. In an NBA career spanning 2003-2016, Hinrich averaged 10.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.9 rebounds while playing for the Chicago Bulls, the Washington Wizards, and the Atlanta Hawks. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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