Antoine Labotte Carr (born July 23, 1961) is a retired 16-year National Basketball Association Journeyman (sports) player well known for the sunglass shades he wore onto the court. He was nicknamed the Big Dog.
Early life[]
Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A tall, garrulous youngster, Carr was a star basketball player at Wichita Heights High School (class of 1979), landing a scholarship to play locally at Wichita State University. A four-year player, Carr was a major contributor on a team that also included future NBA players Xavier McDaniel and Cliff Levingston, averaging 17 points per game while shooting over 55% during his college career.
He played for the US national team in the 1982 FIBA World Championship, winning the silver medal.
Pro career[]
Coming off a senior season where he'd averaged 22.5 points and 7.6 rebounds a game in a strong college program, Carr was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round (eighth pick overall) of the 1983 NBA Draft out of Wichita State. Despite being a top-ten pick, Carr played the 1983-84 season in Italy with Simac Milano. Returning to the NBA in the 1984-85 season, he played six full seasons with the Atlanta Hawks before moving to the Sacramento Kings in the middle of the 1989-90 campaign. While in Sacramento, Carr averaged 20 points per game and was the team's star. He scored 1,551 points that season, by far his best scoring season (aside from that season, he never scored more than 1000 points). Carr also played for the San Antonio Spurs, where he led the team in Field goal percentage. He also played a notable first round series in 1994 against the Karl Malone-lead Utah Jazz. Carr was filling in for an injured David Robinson, who had a fractured hand. Carr put on what could be considered the best games of his career, but the Spurs still lost the series 1-3. Carr was signed as a free agent by the Utah Jazz on October 29, 1994, where he was a periodic starter at the Center (basketball) position beside Power forward (basketball) Karl Malone. When not starting, he settled in as his role as the energetic and jovial Sixth man. Coach Jerry Sloan utilized Carr extensively during the two years that the Jazz reached the NBA finals – relying on his experience and ability to control the ball. Carr led the Jazz to victory in Game 5 of the 1998 Finals against the Chicago Bulls with several clutch jumpshots. Carr finished his career with the Houston Rockets and Vancouver Grizzlies, playing 18 games with Houston and 21 with Vancouver in a reserve role.
Carr scored 9,176 points in his NBA career. Carr had a strong ability to manage the ball down low, even as a small center. He is known for his power and dunking, and his ability to hit medium to long jump shots under pressure. He made 50% of his attempts from the floor and shot 78% from the free throw line. After receiving an eye injury, Carr wore orange-tinted Oakley sunglasses for the rest of his career.
Carr now lays carpet for a carpet company in Salt Lake City, Utah.
His brother Henry Carr also played for Wichita State University, and was drafted in 1987 by the Los Angeles Clippers.