Joe Wright (basketball)

For other people named Joe Wright, see Joe Wright.

Joseph Eugene Wright (born April 1, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. Wright holds the single season scoring record in the Úrvalsdeild karla when he averaged 46.6 points per game during the 1992–1993 season. In 1992 he set the single game scoring record in the Korisliiga when he scored 79 points.^[1][2][3]

Joe Wright

Personal information
Born	(1963-04-01) April 1, 1963 (age 61) Carthage, Missouri
Nationality	American
Listed height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Career information
High school	Carthage (Carthage, Missouri)
College	State Fair CC (1982–1984) Kansas State (1984–1986)
NBA draft	1986: undrafted
Position	Guard
Career history
1991–1992	Turun NMKY
1993	Breiðablik
1994	Grindavík
2002–2003	Lenadores Durango
Career highlights and awards
Korisliiga scoring champion (1992) Úrvalsdeild scoring champion (1993) Icelandic All-Star 1993

College career

Wright began his college basketball career with State Fair Community College before transferring to Kansas State University in 1984.^[4][5] On January 23, 1985, he made 11 of 11 field goals against Oklahoma State, setting a Big 8 Conference record.^[6][7] Wright was named Big 8 Player of the Week in both 1985^[8] and 1986.

Club career

Wright started his professional career in Austria in 1988. He played in Germany before signing with Turun NMKY in Finland in 1991.^[9]

Finland

Wright played Turun NMKY for one and a half season. In 1991–1992 he led the Korisliiga in scoring, averaging a league leading 44.1 points per game and finishing second in three point percent with 47,1%^[10][11][3]

On February 12, 1992, Wright set the Korisliiga single game scoring record when he scored 79 points against Pantterit.^[12][3]

Iceland

Wright joined Úrvalsdeild club Breiðablik in January 1993.^[13] In his first game, he scored 55 points in a 108-110 loss against Keflavík^[14][15] and followed it up by scoring 53 points against Haukar in his next game.^[16] On 29 January, Wright led Breiðablik to its second victory of the season by scoring 67 points against Njarðvík,^[17] the second highest single game scoring in the Úrvalsdeild karla history.^[18] In his first five games, he averaged 52.8 points per game.^[19] In February, he was selected for the Icelandic All-Star game.^[20] For the season he averaged a league leading 44.1 points per game but was unable to help Breiðablik stave off relegation.

In September 1994, Wright Joined Grindavík^[21] and played with them two games against M7 Basket in the FIBA Korać Cup.^[22] In the two games he scored 33 and 27 points.^[23][24]

References

1. "Heildartölfræði einstaklinga á einu tímabili". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
2. "Joe Wright - Tölfræði". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
3. "Sarjan historia". korisliiga.fi (in Finnish). Korisliiga. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
4. Tom Shatel (6 December 1984). "Transfer Joe Wright gives K-State extra weapon off bench". The Kansas City Star. p. 3C. Retrieved 16 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
5. Mark Janssen (10 December 1985). "Wright:Having more fun, having less fun". The Manhattan Mercury. p. B1. Retrieved 16 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
6. Mark Janssen (25 January 1985). "Wright admits to bad attitude". The Manhattan Mercury. p. A13. Retrieved 16 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
7. "Joe Wright - State Fair Community College". sfccmoroadrunners.com. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
8. "Wright wins Big 8 honor". The Manhattan Mercury. 28 January 1985. p. A9. Retrieved 16 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
9. Skapti Hallgrímsson (2 February 1993). "Ferðast um landið í vor". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. B2. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
10. "Stórskytta til Breiðabliks". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 7 January 1993. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
11. "Stigakóngur Finnlands til Blika". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 5 January 1993. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
12. "Antti Kanervo mässäili divaripelissä: 64 pistettä". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 16 March 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
13. "Joe Wright mættur til Breiðabliks". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 7 January 1993. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
14. "Wright skoraði 55 stig". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 11 January 1993. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
15. "Joe Wright með 55 stig". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 12 January 1993. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
16. "Joe Wright með annan stórleikinn". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 January 1993. p. 16. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
17. "Joe Wright med 67 stig fyrir UBK". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 30 January 1993. p. 47. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
18. Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (21 January 1999). "Met á dag". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
19. "Verður Wright stigahæstur?". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 February 1993. p. 16. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
20. "Stjörnuliðin valin". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 12 February 1993. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
21. Ægir Már Kárason (2 September 1994). "Joe Wright snýr aftur". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
22. Ægir Már Kárason (7 September 1994). "Gott að fara heim með 12 stig". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). pp. 16–17. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
23. Skúli Unnar Sveinsson (7 September 1994). "Grindvíkingar langt frá sínu besta". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. C4. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
24. Eyjólfur Harðarson (12 September 1994). "Tæpt hjá Grindavík". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 19. Retrieved 31 July 2018.

External links

• Joe Wright profile at latinbaslet.com
• Joe Wright Korisliiga stats at korisliiga.fi
• Joe Wright Úrvalsdeild stats at kki.is
• Joe Wright - FIBA Europe profile at fibaeurope.com
• NCAA stats at sports-reference.com
• Joe Wright - SFCC Roadrunners profile