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Augsburg's Devean George in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks! DALLAS MAVERICKS HOMEPAGE -- CLICK HERE Augsburg College alum Devean George '99 has made history for small-college basketball players by thriving during his career in the National Basketball Association, currently with the Dallas Mavericks. In 1999, the Minneapolis native (Benilde-St. Margaret HS) became the first Division III player ever selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, when the Los Angeles Lakers made him the 23rd overall selection. He became one of only seven players in NBA history to be a member of championship squads in each of his first three seasons in the league, as his Lakers squads won three straight titles (2000-02). George spent his first seven professional seasons (429 games, 66 starts) with the Lakers, averaging 6.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game (18.9 minutes per game). He also appeared in 75 playoff games (26 starts) in his Lakers career. During the 2005-06 season with the Lakers, he appeared in 71 games, with per-game averages of 6.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists (21.7 minutes per game).
In his NBA career (542 games, 87 starts), George is averaging 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game. George's college jersey number, 40, was retired by Augsburg in 2003. He wore No. 3 while with the Lakers, but returned to his old college number when he joined the Mavericks.
George was the third Augsburg player to ever be drafted by an NBA team (Augsburg was an NAIA school prior to 1985), and the second to play professionally at the sport's highest level. Dan Anderson '65 was drafted in the 12th round by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1965. He later played in the ABA with the New Jersey Americans (later New Jersey Nets) from 1967-70. Greg Boone '81, who played for the Auggies from 1979-81, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 10th-round pick in 1981, but never played in the NBA. In his career at Augsburg, George led the Auggies to two Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season championships and berths in the NCAA Division III national playoffs (1997-98 and 1998-99), earning conference MVP honors both times. He earned multiple Division III All-American honors his senior season.
As a pro, he was a member of Lakers teams that won NBA titles in 1999-2000 (4-2 over Indiana), 2000-01 (4-1 over Philadelphia) and 2001-02 (4-0 over New Jersey). The Lakers also appeared in the NBA Finals in 2003-04, falling in five games to Detroit. His playing time increased throughout his career, from being a role player off the bench in his early years to playing in all 82 games and starting 48 (including 19 starts in 22 playoff games) in the 2003-04 season. He struggled with injuries in the 2004-05 season before returning to a role as a key reserve in the 2005-06 season. LINKS TO MORE DEVEAN GEORGE INFORMATION: Augsburg's Devean George college career summary (PDF)
The list of players who have been a member of championship teams in each of their first three seasons in the NBA: Whitey Skoog, Minneapolis Lakers, 1952-54 The D-III List All-time NBA players who have played at least part of their careers at the NCAA Division III level (schools were members of the NCAA Division III when these players played college basketball): Michael Harper, North Park (Portland, 1980-82)
Devean George, who was the first-ever NCAA Division III player drafted in the first round by an NBA team, is the third Augsburg player to be drafted by an NBA/ABA team (Augsburg was an NAIA school prior to 1985). Dan Anderson '65 was drafted in the 12th round by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1965. He later played in the ABA with the New Jersey Americans (later New Jersey Nets) from 1967-70. Greg Boone '81, who played for the Auggies from 1979-81, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 10th-round pick in 1981, but never played in the NBA.
To return to Augsburg Men's Basketball, click here To return to Augsburg Athletics, click here Augsburg College, a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. This is
the official web site for Augsburg College athletics. |
In 2006, he signed a 
He is one of only seven players who played Division III basketball to see playing time in the NBA, and he remains the only player who played Division III basketball to ever play in the NBA Finals [Jack Sikma (Illinois Wesleyan '77, Seattle in the finals 1978-79) and Terry Porter (Wisconsin-Stevens Point '85, Portland in the finals 1990-92) played at what are now NCAA Division III schools, but those schools were members of the NAIA during those players' careers.].
He finished his college career with 2,258 career points and 868 career rebounds, both second in school history. While playing in just 96 career games, he fell only 13 points short of the school's scoring record, held by Brian Ammann (1981-85), of 2,271 in 106 games (21.4 per game). George finished his career with a 23.5 points-per-game average, best in school history. Anderson (1961-65) holds the school's career rebounding record with 1,211 (11.5 per game). George finished his career with a 9.0 rebounds-per-game average.
