Mario Chalmers hit the game tying three point shot to push the title game to overtime, where his Jayhawks took home the trophy. Before that he played in the 2004 RCS for the Pump n Run
encyclopedia
Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers (born May 19, 1986 in Anchorage, Alaska)[1] is an American professional basketball player. On July 10, 2008, Chalmers signed a contract to with the Miami Heat of the NBA.[2] He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Chalmers played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007-08 national championship team, shooting the final shot of regulation to send the game against the Memphis Tigers into overtime, with Kansas eventually winning the game.[3]
In the 2006-2007 Big 12 Coaches Awards, Chalmers was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Marcus Dove of Oklahoma State. Chalmers was also voted on the All Big 12 Third Team, and the All Big 12 Defensive Team.
In the 2007-2008 season, Chalmers was named Big 12 All-Defensive First Team and All Big 12 Second Team. He was also named Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Championship.[4]
[edit] Elementary school
From the first day of the AAEAA (All-American Elementary Athletic Association) people knew Mario was a star. With his team down 12-14 in the waning seconds of the AAEAA championship game he hit a 3-pointer to edge his team, the Alaska Salmon, over the Memphis Trumpets to win 15-14. He finished up the season averaging 7.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 2.3 stls.
[edit] Junior high school
While in junior high, Chalmers played for the Alaska STARS in local YMCA basketball competitive leagues.
[edit] High school
Chalmers attended Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. Chalmers was named 4A State Player of the Year three times in a row, joining Trajan Langdon as the only other player to do so. Chalmers also led his school to two state championships in 2002 and 2003, and two runner up finishes in 2004 and 2005.
[edit] College
Chalmers was rated the #1 overall point guard in the 2005 recruiting class. He considered Arizona, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech before finally committing to KU on May 21, 2004.
[edit] Freshman year
Chalmers began his college career on the bench behind guard Jeff Hawkins, but worked his way into the starting rotation in January 2006. He finished the season starting 21 of the final 22 games (missing only senior night). He finished his freshman year averaging 11.5 points per game, second on the team. His 15 points against Bradley in the NCAA tournament totaled four straight 15 point games. He became the second freshman in Big 12 history to win Conference Player of the Week honors and was named National Freshman of the Week twice. He also set the KU and Big 12 record for most steals in a season by a freshman with 89. Chalmers won KU's Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award (co- with Julian Wright), and the Dutch Lonborg Free Throw Percentage Award (78.8%).
| Year |
Games Played |
Minutes/Game |
Points/Game |
Rebounds/Game |
Assists/Game |
Turnovers/Game |
Assist/Turnover |
Steals/Game |
Steals/Season |
| 2005-2006 |
33 |
26.0 |
11.5 |
2.2 |
3.8 |
2.8 |
1.37 |
2.7 |
89 |
[edit] Sophomore year
Chalmers was second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, recording four 20 point games during the 06-07 season. In the Big 12 Coaches Awards, Chalmers was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Marcus Dove of Oklahoma State. Chalmers was also voted on the All Big 12 Third Team, and the All Big 12 Defensive Team, and was the Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player. His season total of 97 steals put him in first place in Kansas basketball history for steals in a single season.
| Year |
Games Played |
Minutes/Game |
Points/Game |
Rebounds/Game |
Assists/Game |
Turnovers/Game |
Assist/Turnover |
Steals/Game |
Steals/Season |
| 2006-2007 |
38 |
29.2 |
12.2 |
3.0 |
3.3 |
2.4 |
1.36 |
2.6 |
97 |
[edit] Junior year
Chalmers averaged 12.8 points per game during his junior year. He also led the team in assists per game, with 4.3; 3-point shooting accuracy, at 46.8%; and steals, with 97. His 97 steals tied the school's single season record, a record he set as a sophomore. He scored 30 points in Kansas' win in the Big 12 Conference tournament title game against Texas.
He was named Big 12 All-Defensive First Team and All Big 12 Second Team.[5]
Chalmers helped his team win the 2008 NCAA Championship with a three-point shot with 2.1 seconds left in the final game. His three at the end of regulation brought the game into overtime, when Kansas would take over and beat the Memphis Tigers.[3] Chalmers was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. It was the Jayhawks' fifth national title. He was on the defensive first team in the NCAA.[4]
| Year |
Games Played |
Minutes/Game |
Points/Game |
Rebounds/Game |
Assists/Game |
Turnovers/Game |
Assist/Turnover |
Steals/Game |
Steals/Season |
| 2007-2008 |
39 |
30.0 |
12.8 |
3.1 |
4.3 |
1.9 |
2.25 |
2.5 |
97 |
[edit] NBA career
After working out for 13 teams, Chalmers was drafted with the 34th overall pick in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. When asked immediately after being drafted how many times he had watched his overtime-forcing three-pointer against Memphis in the NCAA championship, Chalmers responded, "a million times." The rights to Chalmers were later included in a trade with the Miami Heat.[6]
On September 3, 2008, Chalmers and fellow former Kansas Jayhawks teammate Darrell Arthur were excused from the NBA's rookie transition program for a marijuana-related incident. [7] Police responding to their hotel room following a fire alarm at 2:00 a.m. claimed that the room smelled strongly of marijuana but none was found and no charges were filed. Fellow NBA rookie Michael Beasley was also reported to have been in the room at the time, but was not asked to leave camp.[8][9] Beasley was later fined $50,000 for his involvement in the incident.[10] Chalmers denied any connection with marijuana and was later fined $20,000 by the league for missing the rookie camp, but was not fined or suspended for any drug-related violations.[11]
On November 5, 2008 Chalmers set a new Miami Heat team record for steals with 9 in his fourth game in the NBA.[12] Chalmers is on track to reach the Rookie Season Steal Record set by Dudley Bradley (Indiana, 1979-80) with 211 steals for the season.
Chalmers is averaging 9.9 pts, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, he is also averaging 1.8 steals per game and shooting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent shooting from the three-pointer through 36 games.
[edit] Personal life
Chalmers was born to Ronnie and Almarie Chalmers. He has an older sister named Roneka, who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also has a son, named Zachiah A’mario Johnson. Chalmers is the cousin of former Los Angeles Clippers guard and Xavier standout Lionel Chalmers, and former Minnesota Timberwolves guard Chris Smith.[6] He has four tattoos: on his shoulders he has his grandmother’s names and the day she was born and the day she died with a dollar in the middle because she would give all the children a dollar, the tattoo on the bottom of his wrist says "quickness" and "confidence", the two words his grandmother told him all the time, the one on top of his left wrist is his mother’s name, on his back he has one that says "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth".[13]
Bio VIA JayHawks website:
Overview A two-year starter who broke a 26-year KU record by recording 97 steals in 2006-07... Was named 2007 co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, the first year the award was selected... Has led the Big 12 in steals his freshman and sophomore seasons... Has been named to the Big 12 All-Defensive team each of the last two seasons... One of 30 players invited to try out for Team USA at the Pan Am Games in summer 2007... Will contend for postseason accolades as he received many following his freshman and sophomore campaigns... Has a great court sense and can play either guard spot.
Sophomore Season (2006-07)Started 37 of 38 games and was second on the team in scoring at 12.2 ppg (20th in the Big 12)... Had 97 steals which broke the KU school season record held by Darnell Valentine (92 in 1981)... An All-Big 12 Third Team selection who led the Big 12 in steals at 2.55 per contest (19th nationally)... Had 27 multi-steal games, including a career-best-tying six three times against USC (Dec. 4), Oklahoma State (Jan. 10) and UCLA in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight... Was 10th in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.36 per contest... Led Kansas in scoring 12 times and in steals on 20 occasions... Produced four 20-point games - 22 vs. Boston College (Dec. 23), 22 vs. Detroit (Dec. 28), 21 vs. Colorado (Jan. 27) and 21 vs. Texas (March 3)... His nine field goals agasinst BC were a career best... Made multiple threes 18 times, including a 5-for-5 effort against Texas in the regular-season finale on March 3... The five treys were a career high... Led KU in assists in 10 outings, including a career-high-tying eight twice - vs. WSSU (Dec. 19) and against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament second round... Ranked 12th in the Big 12 with 3.26 assists per contest and had five-plus dimes in nine games... Led KU in free-throw percentage at 77 percent and made a career-best 10 FTs at Oklahoma (Feb. 26)... Made 40.4 percent from three-point range... Was named to the Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament team after averaging 13 points in victories versus Ball State and No. 1 Florida... Made clutch shots, including the game-tying three, in scoring 17 points in KU's overtime win against Texas in the Big 12 Championship.
Freshman Season (2005-06)Started 21 of the final 22 games of the season (missing only senior night) and was second on the team in scoring at 11.5 points per game, including 14.3 in Big 12 play... Named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Championship where he averaged 16 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in Kansas' title run... An All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection who was also on the conference's all-rookie and all-defensive teams... Became only the second freshman in the 10-year history of the conference to earn Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week honors (joining Oklahoma's Drew Lavender in 2003-04)... Twice won national freshman of the week honors and once the Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week... Won the team's Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award (co- with Julian Wright)... Set the Kansas and Big 12 freshman steals record with 89 and was the first freshman to lead the conference in steals per game at 2.70 (14th nationally)... His 89 steals from 2005-06 are rank fifth on the KU single-season list and his 2.70 average is fourth... Ended the season ranked on nine KU and two Big 12 freshman top 10 lists... Registered three or more steals in 19 games... Earned the Dutch Lonborg Free Throw Percentage Award, led KU and was fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 78.8 percent... Made 21 straight free throws early during the Big 12 season... Had five games of 6-for-6 or better from the line... Was eighth in the league in assists with a 3.85 average... Was 14th in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.37... Scored in double figures 20 times, including 14 of the final 16 games of the season... Was second on the team with 48 three-point field goals made... Scored 15 points against Bradley to mark his fourth straight 15-plus scoring effort... Totaled a team-best 48 points to go with 16 assists and 13 rebounds during the Big 12 Championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors... Hit on 4-of-7 from behind the arc in the conference championship game against Texas... Had a career high in points (23) against Iowa State (Feb. 11)... Scored 20 points at Nebraska (Feb. 2), including four three-pointers... Hit the game-winning bucket with 19.8 seconds left on the clock to defeat Oklahoma... Set a career-high with six steals at Iowa State (Jan. 28)... Tied a career high in assists (eight) at Texas A&M... Had career highs in minutes (40), assists (eight) and free throw attempts (10) at Missouri (Jan. 16)... Scored 15 points in his debut against Idaho State.
High SchoolMcDonald's All-American and Parade All-American following his senior season where he averaged 25.3 points per game... Was coached by his father, Ronnie, in high school... Guided Bartlett High School to two state titles in 2002 and 2003 and two runner-up finishes in 2004 and 2005... Named the Alaska 4A Player of the Year three times joining former Duke star Trajan Langdon as the only other player from the state to do so... Led the state in three-point shooting his senior season... Was an all-conference selection all four years... Averaged 23.2 points, 6.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds as a junior for the Golden Bears... Best game of his high school season was 46 points, 10 steals and eight assists... Took control in the second half of the McDonald's All-American game, where he scored 17 of his team-high 20 points.
Off The CourtFull name is Almario Vernard Chalmers... Born May 19, 1986, in Anchorage, Alaska... Undecided on a major... Parents are Ronnie and Almarie Chalmers... Ronnie was named KU Director of Basketball Operations in summer 2005... Cousin Lionel Chalmers led Xavier in scoring in 2003-04 with 16.6 ppg and currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves... Cousin Chris Smith played in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 1992-95.
Career honors: Summer 2007: Team USA Pan Am trials.
2006-07: Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year... All-Big 12 Third Team by Big 12... All-Big 12 Honorable Mention by AP... All-Big 12 Defensive Team ... AP Big 12 All-Defense Team... Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team... Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
2005-06: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention... Big 12 All-Rookie Team... Big 12 All-Defensive Team... AP All-Big 12 Third Team... Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player... Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team... Rivals.com Freshman of the Week (March 13)... Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 13)... Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Jan. 30)... CBS
