Eric Montross, who was born on September 23, 1971, in Indianapolis, became a renowned figure in American basketball. His journey in basketball started at Lawrence North High School, where he made a name for himself. Montross was named a McDonald’s All-American in 1990. In that same year, he was also named to the USA Today All-USA First Team, which solidified his reputation as a top high school basketball player.
Apart from basketball, Eric Montross was also a great baseball pitcher in high school. His talent in baseball led to his selection by the Chicago Cubs with the 1,547th pick overall in the 1994 MLB draft. However, basketball remained his primary passion, and after his successful high school career, Montross committed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to play for the Tar Heels.
People forget just how good the 1993 UNC Basketball team was.
Brian Reese
Eric Montross
George Lynch
Derrick Phelps
Kevin Salvadori
Donald WilliamsNCAA Champions
5 NBA players on roster
Only 3 regular season losses
ACC Regular Season ChampsHighlights:pic.twitter.com/rVb89mL0S1
— UNC Humor (@UNC_Humor) July 27, 2021
At UNC, Montross played a key role in the team that won the NCAA Championship against Michigan in 1993. He was named an All-American as a junior and senior, showing his consistent performance and skill. Over his four seasons at UNC, Montross played 139 games, averaging 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Eric Montross averaged 4.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.6 blocks, and 0.4 assists per game in 465 NBA games
Eric Montross’s professional basketball career started when he was selected by the Boston Celtics with the ninth overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft. He averaged ten points a game in his rookie season in the NBA. This performance earned him a place in the 1995 Rookie All-Star Game and a spot on the NBA All-Rookie 2nd Team.
Montross played for various teams during his NBA career. After two seasons with the Celtics, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1996. His time with the Mavericks was short as he was part of a multi-player trade to the New Jersey Nets in 1997. Montross’s career continued to involve several trades, taking him to the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and finally the Toronto Raptors.
Montross’s NBA career was cut short due to a foot injury, leading to his retirement announcement on August 26, 2003. He was officially waived by the Raptors in February 2004. Despite the challenges of his professional career, Montross left a lasting legacy in the world of basketball.