Aaron Joseph Granger (born April 24, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 24, 1978 Findlay, Ohio, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Liberty-Benton (Findlay, Ohio) |
| College | Michigan State (1996–2000) |
| NBA draft | 2000: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2000–2004 |
| Position | Forward |
| Career history | |
| 2000–2001 | Milon B.C. |
| 2001 | Adecco Milano |
| 2003–2004 | Artland Dragons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
College career
editGranger attended Liberty-Benton High School in his hometown of Findlay, Ohio, where he won the Division IV basketball championship in 1995[1] and was an all-state selection in 1995 and 1996.[2] As a junior he averaged 15 points per game, and as a senior he posted averages of 22 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists per game.[3] He also competed in track and field, and he was Ohio State Champion in discus throw in 1996.[4]
He committed to Michigan State in 1996 and coach Tom Izzo played him consistently, giving him the starting nod in 7 games at the end of his freshman season.[5] His sophomore year saw him play all 30 games, averaging 12 minutes per game as a reserve,[6] and he averaged 2.6 points. He showed improvement in his shooting, especially his 3-point shooting: while he shot 0/1 in all his freshman season, he started to take more shots in his second year, attempting a total of 19 shots and scoring 5.[5] The 3-point shooting became one of the characteristics of Granger's game.[7] At the end of his sophomore year he received the Scholar-Athlete Award by his university, an award he would receive also in his senior season.[8]
His junior year saw an increased playing time and a further improvement in his stats, and he recorded a 53.2 field goal percentage. He also shot significantly better from the free throw line, going from 59% in his sophomore year to 71% in his junior year. Granger averaged 6.6 points and shot 50% from the 3-point line (62.1% during the NCAA Tournament). His performances during the 1999 NCAA Tournament earned him a selection in the 1999 All-Midwest team.[5]
Granger's senior season was his most successful: he was named team captain and he became one of the main players of the Spartans team.[5][7] His combination of size, post game and 3-point shooting made him hard to guard for the opposing teams,[7] and despite starting the year as a reserve, he became a starter as the season progressed.[5] He started 35 out of 39 games,[9] and averaged 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds for the season, shooting 89.3% from the free throw line and 45% from 3. In the 2000 championship game against Florida won by Michigan State he played 34 minutes, scoring 19 points (a career high) along with 9 rebounds and 1 assist.[10] He was again selected in the NCAA All-Regional Team[11] and he also was part of the NCAA All-Tournament Team.[12] At the end of his career he was 4th in Michigan State history in 3-point field goal percentage with 44% of made shots.[5]
College statistics
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Michigan State | 22 | 7 | 8.3 | .344 | .000 | .455 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| 1997–98 | Michigan State | 30 | 0 | 12.0 | .405 | .263 | .591 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 2.6 |
| 1998–99 | Michigan State | 38 | 5 | 20.7 | .532 | .500 | .714 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 6.6 |
| 1999–00 | Michigan State | 39 | 35 | 28.8 | .500 | .450 | .893 | 5.3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 9.5 |
| Career | 129 | 47 | 17.5 | .488 | .440 | .760 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 5.6 |
Professional career
editAt the end of his senior year, Granger was automatically eligible for the 2000 NBA draft. At the 2000 NBA Draft Combine He was measured at 6 ft 7.5 in without shoes, with an 8 ft 7 in standing reach, a 6 ft 9.5 in wingspan and weighted 227 lbs.[13] He went undrafted and after briefly participating in a camp with the Vancouver Grizzlies, he signed for the Greek team Milon BC.[14] In 20 games in the 2000–01 Greek Basket League he averaged 17.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
He then transferred to Italy, where he signed for Adecco Milano. In 5 games played he averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. In 2003 he joined Artland Dragons in Germany.[15] During the 2003–04 season he averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 25 games played.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Sports: Findlay's top sports figures". Findlay2000plus.com. June 8, 2012.
- ^ "Men's Basketball Travels To Wright State". msuspartans.com. December 29, 1999.
- ^ "43 A.J. Granger". Archived from the original on November 27, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
- ^ "OATCCC Hall of Fame". Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches.
- ^ a b c d e f "A.J. Granger". ESPN.
- ^ "Men's Basketball Player Makes Tour". msuspartans.com. July 1, 1998.
- ^ a b c Katz, Andy. "Pivotal Player: A.J. Granger". ESPN.com.
- ^ 2009-10 Spartans, Michigan State University, 2009, p. 125.
- ^ "1999-2000 Final Season Statistics". Archived from the original on December 14, 2005. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
- ^ 2009-10 Spartans, Michigan State University, 2009, p. 191.
- ^ 2009-10 Spartans, Michigan State University, 2009, p. 123.
- ^ "NCAA All-Tournament Teams". Fox News. April 9, 2013.
- ^ "Draft Combine Anthro". NBA.com.
- ^ Albom, Mitch (March 16, 2001). "GRANGER EXPERIENCES NEW SPARTAN EXISTENCE". mitchalbom.com.
- ^ "Selbstbewusste Dragons zu Gast in Schleyerhalle" (in German). Schoenen-dunk.de. December 23, 2003.
- ^ "Aaron-Joseph GRANGER" (in German).