Duncanville, Texas produced the 7-foot-2 center who helped Kansas reach the 1993 Final Four and left as the leading shot blocker in Jayhawks and Big 8 history. The Jazz drafted him 28th in 1995, and he manned the middle for nine seasons, defending Olajuwon, Robinson and O'Neal on the runs to back-to-back Finals in 1997 and 1998. He retired in 2006 to a standing ovation, never having played for a losing team.
In 2002 he donated a kidney to his sister Amy, becoming the first NBA player to return after giving an organ. Back in Texas he ran a bar and grill, a construction firm, sold real estate and substitute taught — and in May 2026 was elected mayor of Mount Vernon, a volunteer post.
HOW HE CAME & WENTUtah took him 28th overall in 1995 and he gave the club nine straight seasons. His contract ran out in 2004 and he signed with Sacramento, where the minutes dried up. The August 2005 five-team trade brought him home, and he retired here to a standing ovation.
No photograph of this signature is online yet.
| SEASON | TEAM | G | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | UTA | 57 | 11.6 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 | .473 | — | .667 |
| 1996–97 | UTA | 77 | 23.6 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 2.0 | .515 | .000 | .678 |
| 1997–98 | UTA | 63 | 20.4 | 4.7 | 5.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 2.1 | .481 | — | .479 |
| 1998–99 | UTA | 48 | 27.9 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 2.7 | .476 | — | .620 |
| 1999–00 | UTA | 81 | 19.8 | 4.5 | 6.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.1 | .464 | .000 | .636 |
| 2000–01 | UTA | 81 | 18.4 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.8 | .495 | .500 | .556 |
| 2001–02 | UTA | 74 | 15.0 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.5 | .453 | — | .485 |
| 2002–03 | UTA | 81 | 23.8 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.8 | .518 | — | .510 |
| 2003–04 | UTA | 78 | 27.6 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.8 | .476 | .000 | .579 |
| 2005–06 | UTA | 60 | 13.5 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | .492 | — | .500 |
| JAZZ TOTAL | 10 SEASONS | 700 | 20.3 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.8 | .487 | .125 | .575 |
Season by season, regular season, with this franchise only. More info: Basketball-Reference ↗ · Wikipedia ↗