Matt Geiger
Matthew Allen Geiger (born September 10, 1969) is a retired National Basketball Association player who played at the center position.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 10, 1969 Salem, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 243 lb (110 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Countryside (Clearwater, Florida) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1992 / Round: 2 / Pick: 42nd overall |
| Selected by the Miami Heat | |
| Playing career | 1992–2001 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 52 |
| Career history | |
| 1992–1995 | Miami Heat |
| 1995–1998 | Charlotte Hornets |
| 1999–2001 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 5,059 (9.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,158 (5.7 rpg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Collegiate career
Geiger played for Countryside High School in Clearwater, Florida and was recruited to play college basketball at Auburn University. He played with Auburn before transferring to Georgia Tech for more playing time.
NBA career
His successful college career led Geiger to be selected by the Miami Heat in the second round (42nd pick overall) of the 1992 NBA Draft. He played in the NBA for 10 seasons from 1992–2002 with 3 teams: Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers.[1]
In the summer of 2000, Matt Geiger's refusal to waive a $5 million trade kicker clause in his contract stopped a four-team deal between Philadelphia, the Hornets, the Detroit Pistons and the L.A. Lakers that would have sent All-Star player Allen Iverson to the Pistons.[2] He was suspended for 2 games during the 2000-01 season for a violation of the NBA/NBPA's steroid policy.[3]
Geiger signed a contract in 2001 with the Philadelphia 76ers but knee injuries forced him to retire in 2002 after a ten-year career. For his career, he averaged 9.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Personal life
Geiger currently resides in Tarpon Springs, Florida where he is a real estate investor. His 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) estate, reported as the largest in the county,[4] sold on January 3, 2011 for 8 million dollars. The estate was originally listed for 20 million dollars and was on the market for four years.[5] The Punisher used this home as the residence of John Travolta's character Mr. Saint.
In January 1992, during Geiger's senior year at Georgia Tech, his fraternal twin Mark Geiger was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at the age of 22.[6] Because his brother lost his hair during chemotherapy, Matt Geiger shaved his head during his NBA career in support of his brother.[7]
References
- Matt Geiger Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards Archived November 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ESPN - Mavs forward George blocks trade of Kidd to Mavs - NBA
- NBA.com: Matt Geiger Bio Archived December 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Sports: Livin' large
- "Geiger's Mansion finally sells — at deep discount". Archived from the original on January 8, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
- David Teel (March 13, 1992). "Matt Geiger Toughens Up The Hard Way". Daily Press. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- Phil Jasner (March 26, 2011). "Iverson might be available vs. Bucks". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved May 14, 2011.