Former NBA All-Star Michael Finley becomes third player in Wisconsin men's basketball history to have jersey retired
During halftime of their pivotal Big Ten matchup on Sunday, the Wisconsin men's basketball program took some time to honor one of the greatest players in Badgers history.
Finley, who played with Wisconsin for four seasons from 1991 to 1995, is just the third player in team history to have his number retired, joining Ab Nicholas (jersey retired posthumously in 2017) and Frank Kaminsky (2018). During his time with the Badgers, Finley earned first-team All-Big Ten honors twice and helped lead the team back to the NCAA Tournament in 1994 for the first time since 1947, while picking up their first tournament win since 1941.
The now-48-year-old was selected 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded along with Sam Cassell, A.C. Green and a future draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks for Tony Dumas, Jason Kidd and Loren Meyer in December 1996. Finley earned first-team All-Rookie honors during his lone full season in Phoenix, but would then go on to spend the next nine years with the Dallas Mavericks.
Over 1,103 career regular-season games in the NBA, Finley posted 15.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 34.4 minutes per contest and had a .444/.375/.811 shooting line. He made two All-Star teams (both with the Mavericks), won an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and led the league in minutes per game three times.
Finley is currently the vice president of basketball operations for the Mavericks.
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