Matt Steigenga

Matt Steigenga
Personal information
Born	March 27, 1970 (age 54); Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school	South Christian; (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
College	Michigan State (1988–1992)
NBA draft	1992: 2nd round, 52nd overall pick
	Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career	1992–2000
Position	Small forward
Number	6
Career history
1992	Tau Cerámica
1992–1993	Grand Rapids Hoops
1993	Rochester Renegade
1993–1996	Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins
1996–1997	Quad City Thunder
1997	Chicago Bulls
1997–1998	Quad City Thunder
1998–2000	Rockford Lightning
Career highlights and awards
	McDonald's All-American (1988); Second-team Parade All-American (1988);
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference
Men's basketball
Representing United States
Pan American Games

Matthew Todd Steigenga (born March 27, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a 6'7", 220-40 lbs. small forward who most notably played a part of one season with the Chicago Bulls and a season in the Liga ACB. He is currently a broadcaster for Michigan State basketball games.

Early life

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steigenga showed athletic ability at an early age, winning the 1978 National Football League Punt, Pass, and Kick competition.

Basketball career

As a high schooler, Steigenga had starred for South Christian High School, leading them to the 1988 Michigan Class B title while being named Mr. Basketball of Michigan. In the year's McDonald's All American game, Steigenga won the slam dunk contest.

As a collegian, Steigenga started his final three years at Michigan State University, averaging 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in his four years. He finished the Spartans 11th all-time leading scorer and currently stands 17th with 1296 career points, and was also the school's leading career shot blocker with 97 until 2008, when Drew Naymick surpassed this total. The Jud Heathcote-coached Spartans in 1990 won Big Ten championship and reached the NCAA tournament sweet 16.

A second round pick of the Chicago Bulls in the 1992 NBA draft (52nd pick overall), Steigenga was signed late in the 1996-97 season when the Bulls needed to fill an injury-depleted roster. He appeared in two games playing a total of 12 minutes and scoring three points. Athletic, he scored his only field goal on an alley oop dunk, against the Toronto Raptors at the United Center.

Steigenga would again sign with the Bulls in January 1999, but was put on waivers a few weeks later, without appearing in any games. Despite playing so little, Steigenga was awarded an NBA championship ring as the Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, won the 1997 NBA Championship.

Additionally, Steigenga played the 1995-96 pre-season with the Atlanta Hawks, but failed to make the regular season roster. From 1992 to 2000, the Bulls notwithstanding, he represented the CBA's Grand Rapids Hoops (1992–93), Rochester Renegade (1993), Quad City Thunder (1996–98) and Rockford Lightning (1998–2000), also playing abroad in Spain (Taugrés, 1993) and Japan (Mitsubishi Electric Melco Dolphins, 1995–96).

At the international level, Steigenga was on the silver-medalist 1999 Pan American Games US team. He was also a member of NBA Ambassador teams who played in league championships in South America during the summer of 1999, and China the following summer.

External links