Ricky Grace

HTML <h2><strong>No</strong><strong> 86 RICKY GRACE</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>6 feet 1 inch (185cm) Guard</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>2000 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>Ricky Ray Grace was born August 20th, 1966 in Dallas, Texas, USA. He started playing basketball with his older brother when he was nine years old. His brother was five years older so Ricky didn’t get to play much but he was “hooked”. Ricky credits his mother as being his greatest influence in those early days. “She was my motivation.....working two jobs a day as a single mum and still find time to make everyone one of my games as well as look after the family.”</p>

HTML <p>Ricky always wanted to go to College but his family finances would not allow that so he decided that basketball was the only way, if he could gain a scholarship.</p>

HTML <p>After a stand-out basketball career at High School he was offered scholarships to some four year Colleges (Universities) but instead chose to go to Junior College (Midland College) in the theory that if he performed well at that level he would get a scholarship to a major college. His tactics paid off when after two years at Junior College he was offered a scholarship at Oklahoma University, a major College.</p>

HTML <p>Ricky had an outstanding career at Oklahoma University. Alongside future NBA player Mookie Blaylock, Ricky helped the Oklahoma “Sooners”to reach the NCAA championship game in 1988 where they were defeated by the Kansa Jayhawks. He finished his career at Oklahoma first in three point shooting percentages (.441) in the 1986/87 season, first in assists (280) in the 1987/88 season and equal first in steals (7) in a NCAA game (against Iowa in March 1987)</p>

HTML <p>When he graduated (after gaining a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree) he was chosen in the third round as the number 67th pick in the 1988 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft by the Utah Jazz. He concentrated for the next eighteen months in playing in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) as he tried to break into the NBA.</p>

HTML <p>In 1990 Ricky’s basketball career took a major change when he was recruited by Cal Bruton to the Perth Wildcats in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). Ricky was to go on and play for the Wildcats for sixteen seasons and in 478 games until his retirement after the 2005/06 NBL season.</p>

HTML <p>In his time at the Wildcats, Ricky played in six NBL Grand Finals, winning the NBL Championship four times (1990, 1991, 1995, and 2000). Twice he was awarded the Grand Final Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award (1990 and 1993). He was elected to the NBL First Team fourtimes (1991, 2001, 2002, and 2003) and the NBL 25th Anniversary Team (2003-04). Ricky also won the Wildcats prestigious Gordon Ellis Medal (Perth Wildcats MVP) in 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002.</p>

HTML <p>In 1994 Ricky secured a contract with the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA (with Oklahoma team-mate Mookie Blaylock) and was to play three games with the Hawks.</p>

HTML <p>Nicknamed “Amazing Grace” by the Perth and NBL media Ricky was a household name in the NBL and in Perth. He was also a member of the Wildcats team that travelled to London after the 1995 NBL season to play in the McDonald’s World Club Championship where the Wildcats lost to the Houston Rockets and then secured 3rd position after beating European Champions Real Madrid in the playoffs.</p>

HTML <p>His Perth Wildcats Coach Dr Adrian Hurley remarks, “Having Ricky on the team was like having a coach on the floor. He knew what to do and when to do it. He was a fantastic leader, court general, and team-man. It was a privilege to coach him.”</p>

HTML <p>In 1996 Ricky Grace became an Australian citizen which meant he could now play for Australia in FIBA competitions. </p>

HTML <p>He debuted for the Australia Men’s Team (Boomers) against the Magic Johnson All Stars in 1995 and toured to Europe with the Boomers to play games in Portugal, Spain and Holland.</p>

HTML <p>The next year (1996) Ricky played for the Boomers against the NBA Legends touring team. He was right in the mix for selection for the Boomers for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Ricky was not selected for the 1996 Olympic Games as the selectors chose to go “big” with the team. He did however sign a six year contract with the Wildcats.</p>

HTML <p>Ricky did not play for Australia over the next three years nor was he selected for the 1998 World Championships.</p>

HTML <p>In 2000 the Perth Wildcats and Ricky were playing great basketball and they would go onto win the NBL crown. His form was so impressive that he forced his recall to the Boomers squad after a three year hiatus. He was chosen to play for the Boomers in the Olympic Test event and for the series against the touring Russian National Team. His play was very impressive and he was mounting a very strong case for selection for the Sydney Olympics. He toured with the Boomers to Italy and France and was named to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Team.</p>

HTML <p>This was a long way to come for the young player from Dallas, Texas, to play at an Olympic Games. Ricky played for the Boomers in the FIBA Diamond Ball in Hong Kong. His form at this tournament was excellent and signalled that he would be a big asset in Sydney.Prior to the Olympic Games the Boomers played the USA in Melbourne and Lithuania in Wollongong.</p>

HTML <p>Ricky played very well at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and perhaps he would have played a lot more if he had not been behind Shane Heal and Andrew Gaze in the guard position. After a slow start the Aussies played outstandingly and finished the Games in 4th place an equal best result for the Boomers at an Olympic Games. The 2000 Sydney Olympics were Ricky’s last games for Australia.</p>

HTML <p>After the 2000 Olympics Ricky made the All NBL First Team on two more occasions (2002/03, 2003/04) and led the Wildcats to the Grand Final in the 2002/03 season where they lost to the Sydney Kings. Ricky was not able to reach Larry Sengstock’s record of playing on five NBL championship winning teams.</p>

HTML <p>Ricky Grace finished his Wildcats career first in games played (482), first in points scored (8802), first in assists (3470) and first in steals (734). He retired as a true champion, one of the finest ever for the Wildcats, in the NBL, and for Australia.</p>

HTML <p>In 2003 Grace was selected to the NBL 25th Anniversary Team. He played for two more seasons, with the Wildcats with his last game a loss in an elimination final against the Melbourne Tigers in February 2005.</p>

HTML <p>After his playing career had finished Ricky stayed in basketball including as the director of Role Models WA where the organization offers sport and development programs for indigenous communities in WA.</p>

HTML <p>Ricky Grace was truly “amazing” in the way he played the game of basketball. His high basketball IQ, smooth skills, fierce competitiveness, leadership, defence, and all out will to win made him one of the finest players ever to play in the NBL and one the greats of his generation.</p>

HTML <p>In 2010 Ricky Grace was inducted into the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame. In 2013 he was named to the Perth Wildcats Thirty Year Anniversary Team.</p>

HTML <p>Ricky Grace drives baseline for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL (Perth Wildcats)</p>

HTML <p>Ricky Grace scores a lay-up for the Perth Wildcats (Perth Wildcats)</p>

HTML <p>Ricky Grace playing in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks (R. Grace/Atlanta Hawks)</p>

HTML <p>RR</p>

HTML <p>Ricky</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>RR</p>

HTML <p>RR</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>Ricky</p>

HTML <p>RR</p>

HTML <p>RR</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>A</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>R</p>

HTML <p>Above: Ricky Grace with his Olympic uniform (R. Grace)</p>