{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1973)}} {{distinguish|Corey Alexander Belser}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Cory Alexander | image = Cory Alexander.jpg | width = | caption = Alexander in 2020 | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 185 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|6|22}} | birth_place = Waynesboro, Virginia, U.S. | high_school = *Waynesboro<br>(Waynesboro, Virginia) *Flint Hill (Oakton, Virginia) *Oak Hill Academy<br>(Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) | college = Virginia (1991–1995) | draft_year = 1995 | draft_round = 1 | draft_pick = 29 | draft_team = San Antonio Spurs | career_start = 1995 | career_end = 2005 | career_position = Point guard | career_number = 1, 7, 2, 12 | years1 = {{nbay|1995|start}}–{{nbay|1997|end}} | team1 = San Antonio Spurs | years2 = {{nbay|1997|end}}–{{nbay|1999|end}} | team2 = Denver Nuggets | years3 = {{nbay|2000|end}} | team3 = Orlando Magic | years4 = 2002–2003 | team4 = Roanoke Dazzle | years5 = 2003–2004 | team5 = Virtus Roma | years6 = 2004–2005 | team6 = Roanoke Dazzle | years7 = {{nbay|2004|end}} | team7 = Charlotte Bobcats | highlights = * All-NBDL First Team (2005) * All-NBDL Second Team (2003) * Second-team All-ACC (1993) * McDonald's All-American (1991) * First-team ''Parade'' All-American (1991) * Virginia Mr. Basketball (1991) | stats_league = NBA | stat1label = Points | stat1value = 1,677 (5.5 ppg) | stat2label = Rebounds | stat2value = 481 (1.6 rpg) | stat3label = Assists | stat3value = 834 (2.7 apg) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}} {{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA U21 World Championship}} {{MedalGold| 1993 Valladolid | National team}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA U20 Americas Championship}} {{MedalSilver| 1993 Rosario | National team}} }}
'''Cory Lynn Alexander''' (born June 22, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who is a college basketball analyst for ESPN. He was a ''Parade'' and McDonald's All-American while he played basketball at Oak Hill Academy. Alexander played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers and was selected in the 1995 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. He played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Charlotte Bobcats. Alexander also played in the NBA Development League and overseas in Italy.
After retiring as a player, Alexander worked as an analyst for the University of Virginia radio network and the Raycom Sports-produced ACC Network. He joined ESPN in 2009 as a college basketball analyst.
==Early life== Alexander developed his passion for basketball through playing at a YMCA in Waynesboro, Virginia, where a man his mother, Bonita Wallace, dated served as the program director.<ref name=dp /> He started his high school basketball career at Waynesboro High School.<ref name=doughty90>{{cite web |last1=Doughty |first1=Doug |title=TRANSFER OF POWER MAKES OAK HILL A FORCE FOR '91 |url=https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1990/rt9006/900607/06070097.htm |website=The Roanoke Times |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=June 7, 1990}}</ref> Alexander transferred to Flint Hill School for his junior season and emerged as among the top college basketball prospects.<ref name=doughty90 />
Alexander transferred to Oak Hill Academy for his senior season in 1990–91.<ref name=doughty90 /> He had played as a shooting guard throughout his high school career but moved to point guard at Oak Hill Academy.<ref name=dp /> Alexander averaged 15.9 points, 9.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game during his senior season.<ref name=dp /> He was selected as a member of the ''Parade'' All-American first-team and played in the 1991 McDonald's All-American Game.<ref name=doughty91>{{cite web |last1=Doughty |first1=Doug |title=ALEXANDER REVEALING HIS COLLEGE CHOICE ON APRIL 20 |url=https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1991/rt9103/910321/03210115.htm |website=The Roanoke Times |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=March 21, 1991}}</ref>
Alexander narrowed his college basketball team decision down to the Virginia Cavaliers and Arizona Wildcats.<ref name=doughty91 /> He chose to play for the Cavaliers and attend the University of Virginia which was close to his home.<ref name=dp />
==College basketball career== Alexander played for the Virginia Cavaliers from 1991 to 1995. He was selected to the All-ACC second-team as a sophomore in 1993 when he averaged 18.8 points per game.<ref name=vehorn>{{cite web |last1=Vehorn |first1=Frank |title=SECOND SEASON ENDS FOR CORY ALEXANDER |url=https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950210/02100633.htm |website=The Virginian-Pilot |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=February 10, 1995}}</ref> Alexander suffered a broken right ankle during the opening game of the 1993–94 season and did not return for the year.<ref name=vehorn /> He was granted a redshirt but announced in October 1994 that he would not play out his fifth year of eligibility and instead turn professional in 1995.<ref name=vehorn /> He averaged 16.6 points per game during the 1994–95 season until he suffered another season-ending broken right ankle during a game on February 8, 1995.<ref name=vehorn /><ref>{{cite web |title=Spurs sign Cory Alexander |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/10/05/Spurs-sign-Cory-Alexander/1344812865600/ |website=UPI |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=October 5, 1995}}</ref>
Alexander's 401 career assists are eighth highest in Cavaliers history and he ranks 24th on the team's all-time scoring list with 1,286 points.<ref name=espnpr />
==Professional career== Alexander was selected by the San Antonio Spurs as the 29th overall pick of the 1995 NBA draft.<ref name=espnpr /> He had his best season in the National Basketball Association in 1996–97 when he averaged 7.2 points and 3.2 assists.<ref name=nba05>{{cite web |title=Bobcats Sign Cory Alexander, Waive Jahidi White |url=https://www.nba.com/hornets/news/release_moves_050228.html |website=NBA |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=February 28, 2005}}</ref> Alexander was relegated to a little-used reserve with the Spurs and was waived on February 27, 1998.<ref name=lopez>{{cite web |last1=Lopez |first1=Aaron J. |title=Nuggets happy to avoid history |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/sports/1998/04/11/nuggets-happy-to-avoid-history/50566373007/ |website=South Coast Today |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=January 11, 2011}}</ref> Alexander was sought after as a free agent and signed with the Denver Nuggets five days later.<ref name=lopez /> He re-signed with the Nuggets on January 22, 1999.<ref>{{cite news |title=NBA TRANSACTIONS |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/01/23/nba-transactions/b6fb8ebb-9e59-4ec4-9363-ba8ea0e68bc2/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=January 23, 1999}}</ref> Alexander averaged 2.8 points, 2.0 assists and 1.4 rebounds per game with the Nuggets during the 1999–2000 season.<ref name=upi01>{{cite web |title=Magic sign Alexander |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/01/29/Magic-sign-Alexander/3159980744400/ |website=UPI |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=January 29, 2001}}</ref> On January 29, 2001, he joined the Orlando Magic on a 10-day contract.<ref name=upi01 /> Alexander spent the rest of the season with the Magic although he received limited playing time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jones Hurt As Miami Holds Off The Pistons |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/03/06/jones-hurt-as-miami-holds-off-the-pistons/ea8b8137-3e2f-4b15-9fe8-af15963d1cc2/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=March 6, 2001}}</ref>
Alexander joined the Roanoke Dazzle of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) during the 2002–03 season.<ref name=nba05 /> He totalled 306 assists which was an NBDL single-season record.<ref name=nba05 /> Alexander played in Italy for Virtus Roma during the 2003–04 season and averaged 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.<ref name=nba05 /> He returned to the Dazzle for the 2004–05 season and averaged 16.4 points and a league-leading 8.3 assists per game.<ref name=nba05 /> On February 28, 2005, Alexander signed with the Charlotte Bobcats as the team needed to improve their depth at the point guard position.<ref name=nba05 /> It was his last stint in the NBA.<ref name=espnpr />
==National team career== Alexander played for the United States national team at the 1993 FIBA Under-21 World Championship where he won a gold medal.<ref name=espnpr />
== NBA career statistics == {{NBA player statistics legend}}
=== Regular season === {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1995}} | style="text-align:left;"|San Antonio | 60 || 0 || 9.3 || .406 || .394 || .640 || 0.7 || 2.0 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 2.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1996}} | style="text-align:left;"|San Antonio | '''80''' || 6 || 18.2 || .396 || .373 || .736 || 1.5 || 3.2 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 7.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1997}} | style="text-align:left;"|San Antonio | 37 || 3 || 13.5 || .414 || .313 || .676 || 1.3 || 1.9 || 0.7 || 0.1 || 4.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1997}} | style="text-align:left;"|Denver | 23 || '''19''' || '''34.7''' || '''.435''' || .411 || '''.846''' || '''4.3''' || '''6.0''' || '''2.0''' || '''0.3''' || '''14.0''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1998}} | style="text-align:left;"|Denver | 36 || 4 || 21.6 || .373 || .286 || .841 || 2.1 || 3.3 || 1.0 || 0.1 || 7.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1999|trunc=y}} | style="text-align:left;"|Denver | 29 || 2 || 11.3 || .286 || .257 || .773 || 1.4 || 2.0 || 0.8 || 0.1 || 2.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2000}} | style="text-align:left;"|Orlando | 26 || 0 || 8.7 || .321 || .250 || .667 || 1.0 || 1.4 || 0.6 || 0.0 || 2.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2004}} | style="text-align:left;"|Charlotte | 16 || 1 || 12.6 || .327 || '''.421''' || .750 || 1.8 || 2.3 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 3.1 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 307 || 35 || 15.8 || .389 || .354 || .756 || 1.6 || 2.7 || 0.9 || 0.1 || 5.5 {{S-end}}
=== Playoffs === {{NBA player statistics start}} |- |style="text-align:left;"|1996 |style="text-align:left;"|San Antonio | 9 || 0 || 7.8 || .417 || .200 || .714 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 2.9 {{S-end}}
==Post-playing career== ===Broadcasting career=== On October 1, 2008, Alexander was announced as the analyst of Virginia Cavaliers basketball radio broadcasts alongside play-by-play announcer Dave Koehn for the 2008–09 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cory Alexander Joins the Virginia Sports Network |url=https://virginiasports.com/news/2008/10/01/cory-alexander-joins-the-virginia-sports-network/ |website=Virginia Sports |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=October 1, 2008}}</ref> He joined the radio team because he had ambitions of joining the coaching staff of Cavaliers head coach Dave Leitao.<ref name=reid /> Alexander worked in the role for three seasons until his departure in 2011 because he wanted to prioritize his television and coaching pursuits.<ref name=berman>{{cite web |last1=Berman |first1=Mark |title=UVa radio analyst Cory Alexander not returning |url=https://roanoke.com/archive/uva-radio-analyst-cory-alexander-not-returning/article_3a0a4f77-b7bb-54e0-91b4-4631afd1b583.html |website=The Roanoke Times |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=September 25, 2019}}</ref>
Alexander joined ESPN as a broadcaster in 2009.<ref name=espnpr />
===Coaching career=== On September 26, 2011, Alexander was announced as an assistant coach for the NCAA Division III basketball team at Hampden–Sydney College.<ref>{{cite journal |title=UVa Legend and NBA Player Cory Alexander to Join Hoops Staff |url=https://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/men/2011-12/contrib/20111030i2ztiy |website=D3Hoops |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=September 26, 2011}}</ref> He served in a part-time volunteer role.<ref name=berman /> Alexander wanted to join a Division III staff so he could still instruct at his Cory Alexander Basketball School,<ref name=berman /> which he founded in 1995.<ref name=espnpr>{{cite web |title=Cory Alexander |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/cory-alexander/ |website=ESPN Press Room |access-date=December 22, 2023}}</ref> He had ambitions of receiving a coaching job at an NCAA Division I school.<ref name=berman />
Alexander has served as an assistant coach at Oak Hill Academy.<ref name=reid />
==Personal life== Alexander's son, Cory II, played baseball for the Old Dominion Monarchs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cory Alexander II |url=https://odusports.com/sports/baseball/roster/cory-alexander-ii/4013 |website=Old Dominion University Athletics |access-date=December 22, 2023}}</ref> His cousin, Kenny Brooks, played college basketball for the James Madison Dukes.<ref name=dp>{{cite web |title=SUNDAY SPECIAL: ALEXANDER THE GREAT |url=https://www.dailypress.com/1993/02/14/sunday-special-alexander-the-great/ |website=Daily Press |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=August 17, 2019}}</ref>
Alexander runs Castles Real Estate which is based in Richmond, Virginia.<ref name=reid>{{cite web |last1=Reid |first1=Whitelaw |title=Q&A: Former Wahoo Star Alexander Talks 'Hoos, Hunter and NCAA Tourney |url=https://news.virginia.edu/content/qa-former-wahoo-star-alexander-talks-hoos-hunter-and-ncaa-tourney |website=UVA Today |access-date=December 22, 2023 |date=March 14, 2018}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== {{basketball stats}}
{{1995 NBA draft}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Cory}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Virginia Category:Charlotte Bobcats players Category:College basketball announcers in the United States Category:Denver Nuggets players Category:ESPN people Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans Category:Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) alumni Category:Orlando Magic players Category:Virtus Roma players Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Category:People from Waynesboro, Virginia Category:Point guards Category:Roanoke Dazzle players Category:San Antonio Spurs draft picks Category:San Antonio Spurs players Category:Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball players Category:Waynesboro High School alumni