Kevin Martin

Martin finished the season 6th in the NBA in scoring at 23.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.1 APG and averaging 45% from the court and 40% from three-point range.

However, he missed 17 games due to a groin injury.

Kevin Dallas Martin Jr. (born February 1, 1983) is an American retired professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He played college basketball for Western Carolina University, where in his junior year, he averaged 24.9 points per game, which ranked second in the nation.

On November 22, 2002, Martin scored a college career-high 46 points in a loss against Coastal Carolina.

On November 21, 2003, Martin scored 44 points in a loss against Georgia.

He ranks fourth all-time on Western Carolina's scoring list with 1,838 points.

Martin averaged 23.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game during his three years in college.

Martin was a standout while at Western Carolina.

After three years at Western Carolina, he entered the 2004 NBA draft and was selected with the 26th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings.

Martin was born in Zanesville, Ohio, to Kevin Sr. and Marilyn Martin.

He grew up idolizing Michael Jordan.

He played for Zanesville High School and was fourth in the voting for Ohio Mr. Basketball as a Senior, finishing behind the first Sophomore winner LeBron James.

He received a full scholarship to Western Carolina University, where he majored in sport management.

Due to his success, he was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 26th overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft.

In the 2004–05 season, Martin averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game, and played sparingly, averaging just 10 minutes a game.

Martin showed much improvement the following year, averaging 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.

Martin also started from time to time during the 2005–06 season in part by the injury of Bonzi Wells.

This included a start at small forward due to Ron Artest being suspended for Game Two of the team's first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs following a flagrant foul (elbow to the head) on Manu Ginóbili.

He is best known in that series for making the game winning buzzer beater in Game 3 in Sacramento that gave the Kings a 1–2 series against the Spurs.

His shot was also over the San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan.

When interviewed on a segment by TNT during a game, Martin credited Doug Christie for helping him learn how to defend in the NBA.

Likewise, Martin also credited Cuttino Mobley for helping him with his shooting.

Martin played behind both guards during their tenure with the Kings.

In the general managers' survey at the start of the 2006–07 NBA season, Martin tied for second as the player most likely to have a breakout campaign, behind the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard.

During the 2006–07 season, Martin proved himself to be among the top scorers in the NBA, averaging 20.2 points per game, while averaging 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists, all career highs.

He is also one of the best shooters in the league with a 47.3% shooting percentage from the field and 38.1% from beyond the three-point arc (along with 84.4% FT shooting).

Martin finished second to Monta Ellis in the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Ellis edged Martin by three points in the closest voting in the award's history.

On March 17, 2007, Martin led the Kings to a 95–83 road win over the Orlando Magic and joined Nate Archibald as the only other player in NBA history to score at least 20 points in a game with only one field goal made.

Martin tallied 20 points on 1-8 FG from the field (1–1 3pt) while knocking down 17-20 FT from the foul line.

On August 28, 2007, the Sacramento Kings and Martin agreed to a 5-year, $55 million deal.

Martin got off to a fast start to the NBA season, while in the first 15 games was the NBA's leading scorer with 29.6 PPG.

Also during the year, on March 7, 2008, Martin scored 48 points in a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Martin became the leader of the team following the Ron Artest trade during the offseason.

He started the season strong, however he suffered an ankle injury which kept him out 15 games.

He returned, but re-aggravated his injury shortly thereafter.

After returning again, he helped the Kings snap a 6-game losing streak.

Martin averaged 24.6 points per game during the remainder of the season, including an overtime loss on April 1, 2009, against the Golden State Warriors, in which he scored a career-high 50 points and became the first King to score 50-plus since Chris Webber in 2001.

On November 2, 2009, Martin scored 48 points including 7–10 from three-point range to lead the Kings to an overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.