Chris Mullin (basketball) - NBA Career

NBA Career

In Mullin's first three seasons with the Warriors, he was primarily a spot-up shooting guard playing in the backcourt alongside Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. In his second season, 1986–87, the Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals under George Karl, where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.The next season, Don Nelson became the Warriors' coach and had plans to move Mullin to small forward. After missing several practices, Mullin was suspended, then entered an alcohol rehabilitation program. He averaged a career-high 20.2 points in 60 games.He became one of the NBA's best forwards for the next five seasons.

For five consecutive seasons, from 1988 until 1993, Mullin scored an average of 25 or more points and five rebounds. Additionally, the Warriors made five straight playoff appearances. Mullin, Mitch Richmond, and 1989 first-round draftee Tim Hardaway formed the trio "Run TMC" that were the focal stars of this playoff run. A five-time All-Star, Mullin also won Olympic gold twice—as a member of the 1984 amateur team, and for the 1992 Dream Team.

In 1993–94, Mullin's and the Warriors' fortunes began to change. Nelson traded for Chris Webber on NBA Draft day, hoping to make the Warriors stronger in the frontcourt. Mullin's body began breaking down, however, and he began to miss significant numbers of games. The Warriors had a successful first season with Webber, but he and Nelson began to bicker over his use as a player. This led Nelson to resign, and subsequent coaches saw Mullin as injury-prone and began to center the team around Latrell Sprewell. Mullin was traded after the 1996–97 season to the Indiana Pacers for second-year center Erick Dampier and NBA journeyman Duane Ferrell.

Mullin had a successful first season with the Pacers, coached by Larry Bird. He started all 82 games, averaged 11.3 points per game, and helped the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in seven games. Bird, however, began to phase Mullin out and give more time to Jalen Rose at small forward. Mullin did, however, appear in three games of the 2000 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. After that season, Mullin was waived by the Pacers. He then once again signed with Warriors for the 2000–01 season, his last season as a player.

Effort more than physicality marked Mullin's playing style. Somewhat lanky at 215 pounds and six-foot seven inches, Mullin managed to hold his own. He was a dead-eye outside shooter and could go to either his left or right and shoot with either hand, despite being naturally left-handed. This made him difficult for many NBA small forwards to guard. In fact, he was compared to NBA legend Larry Bird because both players lacked speed, had a great outside shot and had the innate ability to put their defender off guard. He was on the All-NBA second team (1989 and 1991), third team (1990), and first team (1992). Mullin also appeared in the 1995 Billy Crystal movie Forget Paris.

After his playing days were over, Mullin was hired as a special assistant by the Warriors, and was named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the team on April 22, 2004. On May 11, 2009, the team announced that Mullin's expiring contract would not be renewed. He was replaced by Larry Riley as the Warriors' General Manager.

He is currently an NBA analyst for ESPN.

On Feb. 28, 2011, Chris Mullin was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Induction took place at the Hall of Fame on Nov. 20, 2011 as part of a three-day celebration that includes the CBE Classic at Sprint Center.

On April 4, 2011, Chris Mullin was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place on August 12, 2011.

On March 19, 2012, Mullin's number was retired by the Golden State Warriors.