He was a professional basketball player, executive director and coach. He won an Olympic gold medal two times and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2010, as a member of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team. This impressive track record belongs to Christopher Paul Mullin. More about his career and life read at i-brooklyn.
Favorite No. 17
Mullin was born in Brooklyn in 1963. While playing in New York, he studied the games of such prominent Knicks players as Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe. Larry Bird was his favorite. In honor of John Havlicek, he wore #17. In his childhood, he often traveled to the Bronx and Harlem, which were inhabited by African Americans. There, he played against the best basketball players in the city. He began to gain attention as a basketball player at the Catholic Youth Organization of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. He also won the Elks Hoops Shoot in 1974, a national free-throw competition for young people.
Besides playing basketball at the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas, Mullin attended Lou Carnesecca’s basketball camp. There were also Xavier’s Roger McCready, Danny Tracey, Jimmy Howard, Gerard Shepard, Mike O’Riley, Joe and Pete Cannizzo, who became his future teammates.
School basketball
Mullin began his career at Power Memorial Academy, where he played with Mario Elie. In 1981, he moved to Xavier High School. Thanks to him, they reached a New York State championship. Carnesecca, a coach from the Hall of Fame, recruited him to play for St. John’s University in Queens. Mullin scored 16.6 points per game in his first year. Over the next three years, when he played for the Redmen, he was recognized as Big East Player of the Year three times. He was also included in the All-American team, won a gold medal with the 1984 Olympic team, received the Wooden Award in 1985 and was named USBWA College Player of the Year.
Mullin, who scored 19.8 points per game, helped St. John’s reach the Final Four in 1985, where they became winners for the first time from 1951. He was the top goalscorer who made 2,440 points throughout his career. He holds another record as one of three players to have won the Haggerty Award between 1983 and 1985. This prize is awarded to the best college player in New York. Mullin won the Big East Conference Player of the Year from 1983 to 1985. He became the only male basketball player to obtain this honor in three different seasons.
The beginning of a professional career
Chris was chosen by the Golden State Warriors in the 1985 NBA Draft in the first round with the seventh pick. During his first three seasons, Mullin played mostly as a guard with Eric “Sleepy” Floyd.
In the 1986-87 season, under coach George Karl, the Warriors reached the Western Conference semifinals. There, they were defeated by the future NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. The following season, D. Nelson became the coach of the team. He decided to make Chris a forwarder. From 1988 to 1993, Mullin consistently scored at least 25 points and made five rebounds. The Warriors also reached the playoffs five times during this period. Mullin, along with Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway, formed a powerful trio.
Mullin confessed to Nelson that he was addicted to alcohol during his third NBA season. Chris skipped a few practices, got suspended and ended up in a rehabilitation program for addicts.