Maurice Cheeks

The NBA Point Guard You Haven’t Heard Of

Maurice Cheeks is the epitome of consistency, selflessness, and even an elite level BBall IQ. One of the all-time greats at point guard during his NBA career, Cheeks was known for a calm, smooth style on the floor that helped him win not just in uniform but also in his career as a coach and leader. Widely regarded as one of the original true point guards, Cheeks was a critical part of the success that the 76ers experienced in the 1980s and is still fondly remembered as a legend in NBA history to this day.

This Is a Quiet Leader With Hall of Fame Impact

Early Life Born on September 8, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois, Maurice Cheeks rose from a poor West Side neighborhood to become known as one of the NBA’s most consistent and respected point guards. His college ball was at West Texas State University, and his natural ability to make plays and lock down ball handlers garnered some attention. Disregarded for the most part during his passage to the pros, Cheeks was chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round of the 1978 NBA Draft—a team with whom he would go on to etch his name in stone.

Cheeks’ early years with the Sixers were marked by unmistakable growth and impact. Playing alongside all-timers like Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Andrew Toney under head coach Billy Cunningham, Maurice Cheeks took the reigns as the floor general of one of the NBA’s powerhouse squads. Cool, unselfish, elite decision-maker, were all reasons why he was great fit alongside the team’s explosive scorers.

Cheeks won an NBA Championship in 1983, by helping the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Los Angeles Lakers in four games to win the Finals. There, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.3 steals, to cement his status as a defensive menace and steady offensive distributor.

IMPRESSIVE ON THE DEFENSIVE END AND GREAT COURT VISION

One of Cheeks’s more unappreciated features was that he was a defensive genius. He retired with over 2,300 steals, ranking among steals leaders such as the N.B.A.’s all-time leader. It was his lateral quickness, his anticipation and his basketball instincts that was an absolute horror for opposing guards. Together with his game manipulation, Maurice Cheeks personified the true meaning of a typical point guard.

An NBA four-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive Team selection, Cheeks played 15 NBA seasons in total. He played the majority of his career with the 76ers, but had short stints with the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks and New Jersey Nets.

And he retired with career averages of 11.1 points, 6.7 assists and 2.1 steals a game, numbers that reflect both his quiet consistency and his deceptive efficiency as a player over time.

Player to Coach: The Second Act of Maurice Cheeks

After retiring as a player, Maurice Cheeks became a coach. He coached in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons, and was known as a good coach for player development and leadership. His tranquil on-court demeanor seamlessly transferred to the bench, especially in teaching young point guards.

Cheeks also was an assistant coach with several N.B.A. teams, among them the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he helped mold stars like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

In recognition of this playing career and strong work ethic, MAURICE CHEEKS was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.

Maurice Cheeks MasterFocus as a killer

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From the championship teams he led as a player in Philadelphia, to the All-Stars he nurtured as a coach, Maurice Cheeks has always been one of the most underrated presences the game has known. If you guys optimize content for Maurice Cheeks (guilty twice) you’re sure to engage fans of basketball history and fans who want to be like Mike.