Bernard Hopkins (basketball)

Bernard Anthony Hopkins White (born January 13, 1973) is an American-Spanish retired professional basketball player. Hopkins is a 6'6", 235-pound power forward. He played college ball at Hagerstown Community College for two seasons before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for his final two. As a senior in 1995–96, Hopkins was named the 1996 CAA men's basketball tournament MVP as well as the Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year.

Bernard Hopkins

Personal information
Born	(1973-01-13) January 13, 1973 Baltimore, Maryland
Nationality	American / Spanish
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school	Overlea (Baltimore, Maryland)
College	Hagerstown CC (1992–1994) VCU (1994–1996)
NBA draft	1996: undrafted
Playing career	1996–2012
Position	Power forward
Career history
1996–1997	Yakima Sun Kings
1997–1998	CB Gran Canaria
1998–2003	Valencia BC
2003–2005	Tenerife CB
2005–2007	CB Valladolid
2007–2010	Gipuzkoa BC
2010–2012	Obradoiro CAB
Career highlights and awards
CBA Rookie of the Year (1997) No. 4 retired by Obradoiro CAB CAA Player of the Year (1996) First-team All-CAA (1996) CAA tournament MVP (1996)

College career

Hopkins, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, was a standout basketball player in high school and graduated in 1992. He spent his first two seasons playing approximately one hour away in nearby Hagerstown at its community college. He then transferred to VCU to play for the Rams, and in just two years became a highly decorated player in the school's history. During his junior season, Hopkins shot 58.5% from the field and finished with the 25th best shooting percentage in the country. He then broke out during his senior year when he scored 538 points, grabbed 333 rebounds (third highest ever at VCU), compiled 19 double-doubles and guided the Rams to both the conference regular season and tournament championships. In the first round of the 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, which the Rams would lose to Mississippi State by seven, Hopkins was named the CBS Chevrolet Player of the Game. Also as a senior, he became the CAA's first player to record 500+ points, 300+ rebounds, 70+ assists and shoot better than 50% from the field in a single season. He was named the CAA Tournament MVP as well as the CAA Player of the Year. For his career, Hopkins scored 950 career points.

Professional career

Hopkins was invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament following his senior season, the only postseason camp conducted for just the top NCAA seniors. It is a chance to impress National Basketball Association (NBA) scouts to possibly get drafted in that respective year's NBA draft. Hopkins was named the MVP of the tournament yet failed to get drafted a month later. Instead, the Continental Basketball Association's Yakima Sun Kings selected him third overall in their draft. He played for the Sun Kings for one season where he was named the Rookie of the Year and got selected to the all-rookie and all-league teams.

Since 1998–99 he has played for various teams, all in Spain, and became a naturalized citizen of that country. His career highlights include being named a Liga ACB All-Star in 1999 and 2001, a five-time Player of the Month and a 24-time Player of the Week.

On November 6, 2012, Blu:sens Monbús, his last team in Spain, announced it will retire his number 4 at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Personal

Hopkins became a naturalized citizen of Spain during his time playing in that country.

References

1. "Bernard Hopkins: Hall of Fame". VCURams.com. Virginia Commonwealth University. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
2. "VCU Rams All-Time Team". VCURams.com. Virginia Commonwealth University. January 24, 2000. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
3. "CAA Announces Silver Anniversary Teams for Men's Basketball". CAAsports.com. Colonial Athletic Association. October 6, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
4. "1998 USA Men's Basketball Rosters". Eskimo.com. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
5. "Three Rams Named to CAA Men's Basketball Silver Anniversary Team". VCURams.com. Virginia Commonwealth University. October 7, 2009. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
6. "Bernard Hopkins Player Profile". Doudiz Basket. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

External links

• Liga ACB profile