Jeff Hornacek
From Hoopedia
Jeffrey John Hornacek (IPA: [ˈhoʊr.nə.sɛk]); (born May 3, 1963 in Elmhurst, Illinois) is a retired American basketball player who played at the shooting guard position in the NBA from 1986–2000. He was known primarily as one of the last consummate shooters in the league.
Attended Lyons Township High School graduating in 1981. He led his team to the Illinois Sweet 16 in his senior year coached by Ron Niksevich. Also played shortstop for the baseball team.
Redshirted at Iowa State University (ISU) in 1981, he was a campus walk-on from 1982–1986, the son of a high school basketball coach became an all-conference player in the Big Eight Conference, playing for legendary coach Johnny Orr. As a point guard he guided the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 of the 1986 NCAA tournament. His shining moment came at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota when, after first hitting a shot to tie the game and send it to overtime, Jeff hit the game winning shot in overtime, a 26-ft jumper at the buzzer, to give ISU its first NCAA tournament victory since 1944, beating Miami (Ohio), March 14 1986, 91-79 (Ron Harper was the starting shooting guard for Miami). Two days later, he led the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet Sixteen," in a 72-69 upset of second seed Michigan. Orr, who left Michigan to coach at Iowa State, called it the greatest victory of his career. Hornacek left ISU with a Big-8 record of 665 career assists, still an Iowa State school record, and 1,313 career points.
He was the 22nd pick in the 2nd round (46th overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft, by the Phoenix Suns. He became the star of the Suns, but after his sixth and most productive season, he was traded (along with Andrew Lang and Tim Perry) to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley. With Hersey Hawkins, the Sixers' leading scorer in the shooting guard position, Hornacek was assigned point guard responsibilities. Although he had a career high 6.9 assists per game in his only complete season with the Sixers (1992-1993 season), his stint as a point guard was not a success (26 wins, 56 losses). Midway through the 1993-1994 season (February 24) he was traded to the Utah Jazz (for Jeff Malone) where he could return to his natural shooting guard position along side John Stockton. Hornacek was also one of the best on offense in the NBA in moving without the ball, something essential for a shooting guard. He was an instrumental part of the Jazz's drive to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, where the Jazz lost to the Chicago Bulls both times. He remained with the Jazz until knee problems forced his retirement in 2000. On November 23 1994, he set a then-NBA record eight consecutive three-pointers in a single game without a miss against the Seattle SuperSonics. That same season, he also tied an NBA record 11 consecutive three-pointers without a miss, from December 30, 1994 through January 11, 1995.
One of the best free throw shooters in the league, once making 67 in a row (November 12 1999 – January 6 2000), one of his most well-known mannerisms was stroking his cheek three times before every free throw attempt. That was his way of saying hello to his three children during the game. He holds a career free throw percentage of 87.7 (13th highest in NBA history).
Hornacek's #14 jersey was retired by the Utah Jazz, for whom he played from 1994 to 2000, and helped get them to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Coach Jerry Sloan referred to Jeff affectionately as "Horny".
He currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona with wife Stacy and their children, Ryan, Tyler and Abigail. There has been extensive speculation that he will eventually return to basketball as a coach at either the high school, college, or professional levels, but, as of yet, this speculation remains merely that, although he has done workouts with several of the new class of Jazz shooters.
Hornacek's father coached Isiah Thomas in high school in the 1970s.
Hornacek won the NBA three-point competition twice, and along with Natalie Williams, star of the Utah Starzz, won the All-Star 2-Ball Challenge.
