Mark Price

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Price revolutionized how point guards attacked pick-and-rolls, pioneering the art of splitting double teams. Former teammate Steve Kerr noted that while many teams began blitzing screens to strip the ball from guards, Price would "duck right between them and shoot that little runner in the lane." This technique was so unique at the time that Kerr stated nobody else was doing it until Price showed them how. On the statistical front, during the 1988–89 season, Price became only the second player after Larry Bird to join the exclusive 50–40–90 club (shooting 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the line). He finished his career with a remarkable 90.4% free throw percentage and a 40% mark from deep. Price also won the Three-Point Contest in both 1993 and 1994. His franchise records were staggering; he ranked second all-time in Cavaliers steals with 734, a record that stood until LeBron James surpassed it on December 9, 2008.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Price's career was one of dominance followed by a sharp decline due to physical toll. After establishing the Cavaliers as contenders, injuries began to plague him late in his tenure, leading to a trade to the Washington Bullets prior to the 1995–96 season. He played just one year in Washington before signing as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors in July 1996, where he appeared in 70 games averaging 11.3 points per game. His journey continued on October 28, 1997, when he was traded to the Orlando Magic for David Vaughn III and Brian Shaw. After spending one season with the Magic, Price was waived on June 30, 1998, effectively ending his playing days. Despite the injury-shortened finish, his legacy remained intact; shortly after retirement, the Cleveland Cavaliers retired his number 25 jersey.

Reader's Guide

Fans can trace Mark Price's impact through specific statistical milestones and coaching transitions. He holds all-time Georgia Tech records for consecutive games started (126) and minutes played (4,604) from 1983–86. In the NBA, he remained an assist leader until LeBron James surpassed his Cavs record of 4,206 assists on March 11, 2015. Price's coaching path began immediately after retirement in 1998 at Duluth High School before moving to Georgia Tech as an assistant under Bobby Cremins in 1999–2000. He later served as head coach for the Australian NBL's South Dragons (fired after a 0-5 start), and held various shooting consultant roles with the Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, and Golden State Warriors. His final coaching stint was as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets during the 2018–19 season. Off the court, Price is a Christian and attended church, while his family remained deeply involved in sports; his father Denny played for Oklahoma, his brother Brent played ten NBA seasons, and his son Josh played college basketball.

Did You Know?

• Price was selected 25th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1986 draft but was traded to Cleveland on draft day.
• He is one of only eight players in NBA history to join the 50–40–90 club while meeting the league minimum makes in each category.
• Price's jersey number 25 was retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his father Denny was a successful player at Oklahoma before becoming a coach.
• He won back-to-back Three-Point Contest titles in 1993 and 1994.
• The city of Enid, Oklahoma renamed its basketball arena 'Mark Price Arena' to honor the high school star.