Chris Dudley

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This article is about the basketball player and politician. For the keyboardist for Underoath, see Christopher Dudley.

Chris Dudley
Dudley in 2013
Personal details
Born (1965-02-22) February 22, 1965 (age 59)
Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationYale University (BA)
Basketball career
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High schoolTorrey Pines
(San Diego, California)
CollegeYale (1983–1987)
NBA draft1987: 4th round, 75th overall pick
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Playing career1987–2003
PositionCenter
Number22, 24, 52, 14
Career history
1987–1990Cleveland Cavaliers
1990–1993New Jersey Nets
1993–1997Portland Trail Blazers
1997–2000New York Knicks
2000–2001Phoenix Suns
2001–2003Portland Trail Blazers
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points3,473 (3.9 ppg)
Rebounds5,457 (6.2 rpg)
Blocks1,027 (1.2 bpg)
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Christen Guilford Dudley (born February 22, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player and politician. He played 886 games across 16 seasons in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns. A journeyman center, he was known primarily for his defensive skill as a rebounder and shot blocker. In his second season with the Knicks, he played in the 1999 NBA Finals.

In 2010, he was the Republican nominee for Governor of Oregon; he lost the election to Democrat John Kitzhaber.

Early life and education[edit]

Dudley was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Elizabeth Josephine (née Kovacs, c.1941–present), a teacher, and Guilford Dudley III (c. 1932–present), a minister.[1][2][3][4] His maternal grandfather, also a minister, immigrated from Hungary, and his maternal grandmother's parents were also Hungarian.[5] His paternal grandfather was Guilford Dudley, who was U.S. ambassador to Denmark under the Nixon and Ford presidential administrations.[2][6]

Dudley played high school basketball at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, California.[7] He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 16.[8] Like his parents, grandfather, and uncle, Dudley attended Yale University. At Yale he played NCAA basketball for the Bulldogs from 1983 to 1987, was a member of Timothy Dwight College, and earned a degree in political science and economics.[9][10]

NBA career[edit]

Cleveland Cavaliers (1987–1990)[edit]

Dudley began playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 1987–88 NBA season. During his rookie season, he played in 55 of 82 games, averaging three points per game.[7]

New Jersey Nets (1990–1993)[edit]

Chris Dudley, playing for the New Jersey Nets, squares off with Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls on March 28, 1991

During the 1989–1990 season, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets for a 1991 second-round pick and a 1993 second-round pick. He played three years with the Nets, including the 1990–91 season, in which he produced a career-best 7.1 points per game in 61 contests.[7] The 1991–1992 season marked the first time he played all 82 games in a season, a feat he would replicate three seasons later with the Blazers. In the 1992–1993 season, he was a bench contributor as the Nets went to their second playoff spot in two years.[7]

Portland Trail Blazers (1993–1997)[edit]

During the 1993 offseason, Dudley signed a seven-year, $11-million free agent contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, but he suffered a broken ankle on December 10 in the Blazers' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, ending his season after just six games.[11] He returned for all 82 games in 1994-95 and missed only three games in the next two seasons.

New York Knicks (1997–2000)[edit]

After playing 161 games for the Blazers between 1995 and 1997, Dudley was traded to the New York Knicks in a three-team deal with the Toronto Raptors, sending John Wallace from New York to Toronto, a 1998 first-round pick from New York to Portland, a 2007 second-round pick from Toronto to Portland and a 2000 first-round pick from Toronto to New York. During his stint with the Knicks, Dudley primarily backed up Patrick Ewing for three seasons.[7] On March 28, 1999, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal made a dunk while guarded by Dudley, whom O'Neal subsequently physically thrust himself upon and shoved to the ground. Dudley responded by angrily throwing the ball at O'Neal. Both men received technical fouls for their actions.[12][13] The next month, on April 16, he grabbed his 5,000th NBA rebound during a game between the Knicks and the Detroit Pistons.[7]

In 1999, Dudley reached the NBA Finals for the only time in his career. The 1999 Knicks, the first 8th seeded team in NBA history to reach the Finals, lost to the San Antonio Spurs, four games to one. Dudley's Finals averages were 1.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.6 blocks, and 2.8 fouls across 15.6 minutes per game.[14]

Phoenix Suns (2000–2001)[edit]

After his stint with the Knicks, Dudley was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Luc Longley, participating in 53 games in the 2000–01 season. During this season, he averaged 1.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 fouls in 11.6 minutes per game.

On July 18, 2001, Dudley, along with superstar point guard Jason Kidd, was traded back to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Soumaila Samake, Johnny Newman, and Stephon Marbury. He was waived by the Nets the following month.

Return to Portland (2001–2003)[edit]

Dudley returned to the Trail Blazers in 2001 as a free agent. In his first season back, he played 43 games (two starts), with averages of 1.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, alongside 40% field goal shooting. Dudley retired after playing 11 total minutes in three games during the 2002–03 season.[7]

Player profile[edit]

In a career total of 886 NBA games, Dudley scored 3473 points (3.9 points per game), had 375 assists (0.4 assists per game), blocked 1027 shots (1.2 blocks per game) and had 5457 rebounds (6.2 rebounds per game).[7]

In 1990, Dudley missed 13 consecutive free throws, setting an NBA record.[9][15] In 1989, he set the record for most free throws missed in a single trip to the foul line, missing five consecutive free throws after the opposing team committed three lane violations.[16]

NBA Honors[edit]

He was the recipient of the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 1996,[6] and USA Today's Most Caring Athlete Award in 1997.[17]

Post-NBA[edit]

Dudley meeting with President George W. Bush

In 1994, he created the Chris Dudley Foundation, an Oregon-based group intended to improve the lives of diabetic children and in the summer of 1996 the Foundation started a basketball camp for children with diabetes. He received an NBA award as well as other community awards for founding the organization. From 2005 to 2007, he was a volunteer assistant coach for the Lake Oswego High School boys' basketball team, where he mentored UCLA-bound star Kevin Love.[18]

In early 2006, Dudley became vice president of M Financial Wealth Management.[19] Since October 2008, he has been a wealth management partner with Filigree Advisors.[20]

2010 Oregon gubernatorial campaign[edit]

Lawn sign in Hillsboro during the primary campaign
Dudley at the 2010 Dorchester Conference in Seaside, Oregon
See also: 2010 Oregon gubernatorial election

In the summer of 2009, Dudley, a Lake Oswego resident, was encouraged by the Republican Party to consider a run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Dudley declined to run for Congress, preferring to spend more time in the state.[21] On October 11, 2009, The Oregonian reported that Dudley was considering entering the Republican primary for Oregon governor in 2010.[22] In November 2009 he formed a campaign committee and raised roughly $340,000 by early December of the same year.[23] Dudley formally announced his entry into the race on December 16.[24][25] On March 6, 2010, The Oregonian reported Dudley had raised over $1 million, aided by a $50,000 donation from Nike co-founder Phil Knight.[26]

In May 2010, Dudley won 39% of the vote in a crowded Republican primary to win the GOP nomination, and prepared to face former governor John Kitzhaber in the November general election.[27] On September 29, 2010, The Register-Guard reported that Chris Dudley's campaign had received $5.6 million, more than twice what was raised by the Kitzhaber campaign. His primary sponsors included the national Republican Governors Association, in-state timber companies, industry trade groups, and Portland area business executives.[28] Nike chairman and co-founder Phil Knight gave Dudley's campaign $400,000.

Kitzhaber beat Dudley 49%–48%, or just over 22000 votes.[29] While Dudley carried the majority of Oregon's counties, he was unable to overcome a deficit of over 120,000 votes in Multnomah County, the most populous in the state.[30] Dudley raised and spent a total of $10.3 million, the largest amount ever in an Oregon governor's campaign.[31] Kitzhaber raised and spent $7.4 million.[31] The combined $17.7 million was the most ever spent on an Oregon political race until it was surpassed by the 2018 gubernatorial election.

Personal life[edit]

Dudley and his wife, also named Chris, have two sons and one daughter.[8] In April 2012, Dudley announced that his family was moving from Lake Oswego, Oregon, to San Diego, California so that his wife could pursue a business opportunity. He also indicated that his political career is likely over.[32] Dudley closed his Oregon campaign committee, which could have been used for future races, in April 2014.[33]

During his playing career, Dudley donated $300,000 to a non-profit organization to help pay the cost of college tuition for a class of fourth-graders at Vernon Elementary School in Portland.[2]

Two of Dudley's children have been associated with Division I college basketball. His son Charles was on the roster of the 2017–18 Bryant Bulldogs, but never played.[34] Dudley's daughter Emma was a reserve forward for the Utah State Aggies from 2018–2020. During 29 career games over two seasons, she averaged 0.9 points and 1.4 rebounds across 6.3 minutes per game.[35]

Alleged altercation[edit]

In October 2018, it was reported that Dudley and current United States Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh were in a bar fight in September 1985,[36][37][38][39] which involved throwing ice and a drinking glass at a man whose physical appearance was allegedly similar to that of Ali Campbell of UB40.[40][41] Through an article published in The Guardian, Campbell wrote that whomever Dudley and Kavanaugh fought was not him, and that he was not at the bar that night.[40]

Career statistics[edit]

NBA[edit]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 *  Led the league

Regular season[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1987–88 Cleveland 55 1 9.3 .474 – .563 2.6 .4 .2 .3 3.1
1988–89 Cleveland 61 2 8.9 .435 .000 .364 2.6 .3 .1 .4 3.0
1989–90 Cleveland 37 22 18.5 .389 – .338 5.5 .5 .5 1.1 5.0
1989–90 New Jersey 27 8 24.9 .441 – .305 8.1 .7 .8 1.1 6.1
1990–91 New Jersey 61 25 25.6 .408 – .534 8.4 .6 .6 2.5 7.1
1991–92 New Jersey 82 21 23.2 .403 – .468 9.0 .7 .5 2.2 5.6
1992–93 New Jersey 71 16 19.7 .353 – .518 7.2 .2 .2 1.5 3.5
1993–94 Portland 6 3 14.3 .240 – .500 4.0 .8 .7 .5 2.3
1994–95 Portland 82* 82* 27.4 .406 .000 .464 9.3 .4 .5 1.5 5.5
1995–96 Portland 80 21 24.1 .453 .000 .510 9.0 .5 .5 1.3 5.1
1996–97 Portland 81 14 22.7 .430 – .474 7.3 .5 .5 1.2 3.9
1997–98 New York 51 22 16.8 .406 – .446 5.4 .4 .3 1.0 3.1
1998–99 New York 46 16 14.9 .440 – .475 4.2 .2 .3 .8 2.5
1999–00 New York 47 3 9.8 .343 – .333 2.9 .1 .1 .4 1.2
2000–01 Phoenix 53 33 11.6 .397 – .389 3.5 .3 .3 .5 1.4
2001–02 Portland 43 2 7.6 .400 .000 .533 1.9 .3 .1 .5 1.1
2002–03 Portland 3 0 3.7 .000 – – .7 .0 .0 .0 .0
Career 886 331 18.4 .412 .000 .458 6.2 .4 .4 1.2 3.9

Playoffs[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1988 Cleveland 4 0 6.0 .500 – .500 1.5 .5 .0 .0 1.3
1989 Cleveland 1 0 4.0 .000 – – .0 .0 .0 .0 .0
1992 New Jersey 4 0 19.3 .357 – .500 6.5 .8 .5 2.5 3.5
1994 Portland 4 2 20.3 .400 – .500 3.8 .0 1.5 .0 2.3
1995 Portland 3 3 19.7 .667 – .375 5.0 .3 .0 .3 2.3
1996 Portland 5 0 18.4 .385 – .667 5.4 .2 .4 .4 2.8
1997 Portland 4 0 17.3 .455 – .333 7.0 .8 .5 1.3 3.0
1998 New York 6 3 8.8 .333 – .500 3.0 .0 .2 .3 1.3
1999 New York 18 6 16.3 .421 – .393 4.6 .3 .5 .4 2.4
2000 New York 5 2 8.6 .500 – 1.000 2.4 .4 .2 .2 .8
2001 Phoenix 3 0 8.7 .500 – – 2.3 .0 .3 .3 .7
2002 Portland 2 0 1.5 .000 – – .5 .0 .0 .0 .0
Career 59 16 18.4 .407 – .455 4.0 .3 .4 .5 2.0

College[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1983–84 Yale 26 19 30.2 .464 .467 5.1 .4 .3 .7 4.7
1984–85 Yale 26 26 30.6 .446 .533 10.2 .8 .7 2.0 12.6
1985–86 Yale 26 26 29.1 .539 .482 9.8 1.0 .3 1.4 16.2
1986–87 Yale 24 24 31.2 .569 – .542 13.3 .6 .6 2.8 17.6
Career[42] 102 95 27.4 .513 – .512 9.5 .7 .5 1.7 12.6

Electoral history[edit]

Main article: 2010 Oregon gubernatorial election
2010 Oregon Republican gubernatorial primary[43]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chris Dudley 122,855 39.11
Republican Allen Alley 99,753 31.76
Republican John Lim 47,339 15.07
Republican Bill Sizemore 23,522 7.49
Republican William Ames Curtright 12,497 3.98
Republican Rex O. Watkins 3,060 0.97
Republican Write-ins 2,001 0.64
Republican Clark Colvin 1,206 0.38
Republican Darren Karr 1,127 0.36
Republican Bob Forthan 727 0.23
Total votes 314,087 100.00
2010 Oregon gubernatorial election[44]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John Kitzhaber 716,525 49.29% -1.43%
Republican Chris Dudley 694,287 47.76% +5.01%
Constitution Greg Kord 20,475 1.41% -2.23%
Libertarian Wes Wagner 19,048 1.31% +0.09%
Write-ins 3,213 0.22%
Majority 22,238 1.53% -6.45%
Turnout 1,453,548
Democratic hold Swing

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Chris Dudley ancestry". Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Oregon Republicans like what Chris Dudley brings to governor's race
  3. ^ CHRIS DUDLEY IS NOT CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
  4. ^ Elizabeth Kovacs Will Be Married To a Clergyman; Yale Divinity Student Engaged to the Rev. Guilford Dudley 3d Sandin--Drews
  5. ^ "Chris Dudley ancestry". Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  6. ^ a b Markowitz, Dan (January 25, 1998). "Knick player reaches for more time on court". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Chris Dudley NBA Statistics". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  8. ^ a b "About Chris Dudley". ChrisDudley.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  9. ^ a b "Chris Dudley bio". NBA.com. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  10. ^ "Former Bulldog Dudley '87 wins Rep. gov. primary in Oregon". Yale Daily News. May 22, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  11. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (December 10, 1993). "Trail Blazers Lose Dudley". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  12. ^ Smith, Corbin (September 26, 2018). "Brett Kavanaugh's Latest Defender: The Eminently Useless Chris Dudley". Vice. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  13. ^ Astramskas, David (March 28, 2017). "Remembering The Most Disrespectful Dunk Ever: Shaq's Revenge Dunk & Push on Chris Dudley". ballislife.com. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Chris Dudley 1998-99 Game Log". Basketball Reference. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "Indiana Pacers at New Jersey Nets, April 14, 1990". BasketballReference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
  16. ^ "This Day in Sports: Chris Dudley's Trip To The Line Goes Horribly Wrong". ESPN.com. January 29, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
  17. ^ "Chris Dudley". nba.com/blazers. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  18. ^ Konecky, Chad (April 12, 2007). "RISE presents Gatorade National Boys' Basketball Player of the Year, Kevin Love". RiseMag.com. Retrieved June 30, 2007.
  19. ^ Eggers, Kerry (March 21, 2006). "Dudley's right on the money". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 30, 2007.
  20. ^ Chris Dudley profile Archived December 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Epstein, Ethan. "Dudley Do-Right." The Weekly Standard. Web. June 30, 2010. <http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/dudley-do-right>.
  22. ^ Mapes, Jeff (October 11, 2009). "Former Blazers star looking at governor's race". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 13, 2009.
  23. ^ Mapes, Jeff (December 3, 2009). "Dudley has impressive cash haul to start campaign". The Oregonian. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  24. ^ "Dudley jumps into Oregon governor's race". Lake Oswego Review. December 16, 2009. Archived from the original on September 22, 2010. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  25. ^ "Dudley for Governor". Archived from the original on December 16, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  26. ^ Mapes, Jeff (March 6, 2010). "Former Blazer Chris Dudley seeks to outpoint Republican rivals at state GOP conference". The Oregonian. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  27. ^ "Oregon 2010 Primary Results: Governor". The Oregonian. May 18, 2010. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  28. ^ "Dudley doubles donor dollars". projects.registerguard.com. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  29. ^ Steves, David (November 3, 2010). "Democrat Kitzhaber wins unprecedented third term as Oregon governor". The Register-Guard. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  30. ^ "Our Campaigns - OR Governor Race - Nov 02, 2010".
  31. ^ a b "Oregon Secretary Of State". secure.sos.state.or.us. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  32. ^ Mapes, Jeff (April 7, 2012). "Chris Dudley, ending his political aspirations, says move to San Diego makes sense for his family". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  33. ^ "Oregon Secretary Of State". secure.sos.state.or.us. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  34. ^ "Charles Dudley". Bryantbulldogs.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  35. ^ "2019-20 Women's Basketball Roster: Emma Dudley". utahstateaggies.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  36. ^ Bazelon, Emily; Protess, Ben (October 1, 2018). "Kavanaugh Was Questioned by Police After Bar Fight in 1985". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  37. ^ Cross, Ian (October 2, 2018). "Former Cav was allegedly in bar fight in 1985 with Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh". WEWS-TV. Cleveland: E. W. Scripps Company. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  38. ^ Mathis-Lilley, Ben (October 2, 2018). "Friend Who Said Kavanaugh Wasn't Aggressive When Drunk Was Arrested in Bar Fight Kavanaugh Allegedly Started". Slate. United States: The Slate Group. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  39. ^ Feldman, Dan (October 1, 2018). "Former NBA player Chris Dudley alleged to have partnered with Brett Kavanaugh in bar fight". Yahoo! News. United States: Oath Inc. NBC Sports. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  40. ^ a b "Ali Campbell on UB40, Brett Kavanaugh and an ugly bar brawl". The Guardian. Kings Place, London. October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  41. ^ Jaquiss, Nigel (October 1, 2018). "Police Responded to 1985 Bar Fight Involving Brett Kavanaugh and Former Blazer Chris Dudley, New York Times Reports". Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspapers. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  42. ^ "Chris Dudley". Sports Reference. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  43. ^ "Official Results: May 18, 2010 Primary Election". records.sos.state.or.us. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  44. ^ "Official Results: November 2, 2010 General Election". records.sos.state.or.us. Retrieved April 2, 2020.

External links[edit]

Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of Oregon
2010 		Succeeded by
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