Portal:Chicago/Selected biography/27

Kirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player, currently starting at point guard for the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He is also a member of the USA National Team.

Hinrich was exposed to basketball at an early age, due to his father, Jim, being a high school basketball coach in Sioux City, Hinrich's father coached him from the third grade through high school. As a high school senior, Hinrich was named the 1999 Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball, along with future college teammate and roommate, Nick Collison. Hinrich originally committed to play basketball at Iowa State but when the coach at the time Tim Floyd took the head coaching position for the NBA's Chicago Bulls, Hinrich changed his mind and decided to attend the University of Kansas. While playing college basketball for Kansas, Hinrich helped his team reach the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament in 2002 and the championship game against the Carmelo Anthony led Syracuse University in 2003. Hinrich played all four years at Kansas before being drafted to the NBA. Hinrich is often referred to as "Captain Kirk" due to the fact that he has been voted a team captain for the Bulls for four consecutive years.