Eric Burks

Eric Burks ( born February 22, 1972 in Atlanta, Georgia ) is a former American- British professional basketball player. After studying Burks played professionally, first in the British Basketball League (BBL ), where he was honored in 1998 as the "Most Valuable Player " (MVP). Later Burks got British citizenship and he tried to gain a foothold as a professional on the European mainland. After he did not succeed, he returned to his home country. In 2005 he was briefly active for a professional Mexican team.

Career

Burks began a study at Clemson University in South Carolina, which is adjacent to his native state of Georgia. From 1990 to 1992 he played for the college team Tigers in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC ), the NCAA, first in his first season as a " freshman " in the starting lineup, from which he was ousted in his second college season. Burks then moved the university and went to the Charleston Southern University in the same U.S. state whose high school team plays in the Buccaneers against the ACC in basketball unequal weaker Big South Conference. After Burks had suspended a year from championship games in accordance with the regulations of the NCAA after his change of college, he was with the Buccaneers in 1995 in the final season of his collegiate career, the Big South Championship tournament win, which had become a " Most Valuable Player " ( MVP ) of the Finals Tournament was chosen. This was enough for either the Buccaneers to participate in the statewide NCAA finals yet for Burks as a recommendation for the NBA Draft. Burks was recorded in 2006 in the " Athletic Hall of Fame" ( German Hall of Fame Sports) his university.

After completing his studies in 1996 was Burks professional in the British Basketball League (BBL ), where he was taken by the Leopards from London under contract. This team gave off against duels with local rivals London Towers, with the semi-finals of the cup competition " National Cup" permeated the Leopards and at the end won the title, while the quarter-finals of the League Cup BBL Trophy, the Towers had the upper hand and were able to win the competition. The Leopards pulled as main round first with Burks ' countryman and teammate John White as the MVP of the season in the play-offs one in which you were inferior in the finals with just one point difference to the main round Second Towers. In the following season they went again as the main round first with Burks as MVP in the play-offs, in which one however in the first round after opening victory at the Manchester Giants lost the following two home games. In the summer break Burks tried the NBA club Miami Heat in the squad to play and returned after this attempt had failed, despite lucrative offers from European leagues to the Leopards back. In the season 1998/99 was reached, however, as eight of the main round just as even the play-offs of the BBL, where you eliminated in the first round. Then left Burks ' coach, agent and mentor Billy Mims the Leopards.

Burks in 1999 moved within the BBL to the Lions from Milton Keynes, who just a year earlier had just reached the play-offs as the Leopards and were eliminated in the first round. He then played for the London Towers, which were also / 01 represented internationally in the newly introduced ULEB Euro League 2000, where they could avoid with a win in ten games due to the improved direct comparison against the Opel Skyliners the last place in the group stage. In the play-offs of the Championship is eliminated in the semifinals. In the 2001 / 02 season, Burks played for the Thames Valley Tigers from Guildford, but in the end had the four -worst record of any team and missed the play-offs. At the end of the season he moved to SLUC from Nancy in the French LNB Pro A, who had recently won the last edition of the European club competition Korać Cup. In four appearances for the main round Make the French league but Burks could not prevent their Erstrundenaus in the play- offs to the French championship against defending EB Pau Orthez -. In the season 2002/ 03 Burks was initially a contract with Edimes of Pavia in the Italian league second Legadue. In late November the contract and Burks was returned to Billy Mims in the BBL back, who coached the Riders from Leicester. Mims had won two years earlier with the Riders in 2001 the play-offs of the BBL. In the season 2002/ 03, the Riders were beaten off at the end of the table and should win at the end of the season only three of 40 games. Burks took six games for the Riders before the Italian second division early January 2003 took him again under contract. Pavia reached with balanced point of balance in sixth place play-off for promotion, in which the later promoted Pallacanestro Messina they lost in the first round. Then Burks was only active in 2005 with a Mexican team from Guamúchil.