The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Thompson to represent Men's Basketball in the NBA Finals
05.30.2016 | Men's Basketball
This marks sixth consecutive year that a former Texas player has participated in The Finals.
AUSTIN, Texas — Former University of Texas forward Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers) will play in the 2016 NBA Finals, scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 2 in Oakland, Calif. This marks the sixth consecutive year and eighth time in the last 10 seasons that a former UT player has participated in the NBA Finals.
Thompson will make his second straight appearance with the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. He is the eighth former University of Texas player to be on a roster of a participating team in the NBA Finals, joining Slater Martin (seven appearances), Daniel Gibson, Chris Mihm, Dexter Pittman (two appearances), Kevin Durant, Royal Ivey and Cory Joseph (two appearances).
Martin, Pittman and Joseph are the three former Longhorns to be a part of an NBA Championship team. Martin won five titles during his Hall of Fame career – four championships with the Minneapolis Lakers (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) and one with the St. Louis Hawks (1958). Pittman was inactive but with the Miami Heat's 2012 NBA Championship team, while Joseph played with the San Antonio Spurs' 2015 NBA Championship team.
Thompson and the Cavaliers, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, topped the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals. Thompson has played and started in all 14 games this postseason and is averaging 4.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game (second on the team) in the Playoffs.
Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Central on Thursday, June 2.
Former Texas Players on Rosters of Teams in the NBA Finals
|
Year |
Player |
Team |
Result |
|
1950 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
|
1952 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
|
1953 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
|
1954 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
|
1957 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
Lost |
|
1958 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
Won |
|
1960 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
Lost |
|
2007 |
Daniel Gibson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Lost |
|
2008 |
Chris Mihm |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Lost |
|
2011 |
Dexter Pittman |
Miami Heat |
Lost |
|
2012 |
Kevin Durant |
Oklahoma City Thunder |
Lost |
|
2012 |
Royal Ivey |
Oklahoma City Thunder |
Lost |
|
2012 |
Dexter Pittman |
Miami Heat |
Won |
|
2013 |
Cory Joseph |
San Antonio Spurs |
Lost |
|
2014 |
Cory Joseph |
San Antonio Spurs |
Won |
|
2015 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Lost |
|
2016 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
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