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Steve Colter
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Steve Colter (born July 24, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who played in eight NBA seasons for six different teams. He played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Bullets, Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers. A 6'3" guard from New Mexico State, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1984 NBA draft.[1]
Key Information
In his NBA career, Colter played in 526 games and scored a total of 3,319 points. His best year as a professional came during the 1985–86 season as a member of the Trail Blazers, appearing in 81 games (51 starts) and averaging 8.7 points per game. From 1991 until 1994 he did not play in the NBA, but returned to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers for one more season before retiring in 1995.[1] He also became an import in the Philippine Basketball Association played with the Shell Rimula X in 1992.[citation needed]
Colter won a Continental Basketball Association (CBA) championship with the Omaha Racers in 1993.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Steve Colter". Basketball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ "1992-93 Omaha Racers Statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
External links
[edit]- NBA stats @ databasebasketball.com
 | This biographical article relating to a United States basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1960s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Steve Colter
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Steve Colter (born July 24, 1962, in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American former professional basketball player who played as a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for eight seasons across six teams.[1][2]
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall, Colter attended New Mexico State University from 1980 to 1984, where he became one of the program's leading scorers with 1,333 career points and averaged 19.5 points per game in his senior year, earning First Team All-Big West honors and honorable mention All-American recognition.[3][2] He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (33rd overall pick) of the 1984 NBA Draft.[2][4]
Colter's NBA career began with the Trail Blazers in the 1984–85 season, where he appeared in 78 games as a rookie, and continued with stints on the Chicago Bulls (1986–87), Philadelphia 76ers (1986–88), Washington Bullets (1987–90), Sacramento Kings (1990–91), and Cleveland Cavaliers (1994–95), totaling 526 regular-season games with averages of 6.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.[2][5] During this period, he also played in 24 playoff games and recorded a career-high 35 points in a single game against the Washington Bullets on March 6, 1985.[2] Between NBA seasons, Colter competed in other professional leagues, including the Continental Basketball Association.[2]
In recognition of his college contributions, Colter was inducted into the New Mexico State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.[3] He is also a member of the National Basketball Retired Players Association.[6]
Notable performances included a 31-point outing against UTEP during his junior season in 1982-83.[3]
Colter earned All-Missouri Valley Conference Second Team honors in 1982-83 and All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association First Team recognition in 1983-84, along with honorable mention All-American honors, for his offensive impact.[12][3] In 1991, he was inducted into the New Mexico State Athletics Hall of Fame, acknowledging his enduring contributions to the program.[3]
Early life
Upbringing in Phoenix
Steve Colter was born on July 24, 1962, in Phoenix, Arizona, to a family deeply embedded in the local community.[2] His father, Andrew Colter, played a pivotal role in his early life, serving as a community figure who organized Saturday morning pickup basketball games at Harmon Park in south Phoenix for decades and continued playing until the age of 77.[7] The family resided in south Phoenix, an area during the 1960s and 1970s characterized by a diverse, predominantly minority population facing socioeconomic challenges, including limited housing opportunities outside the neighborhood and environmental pressures from urban expansion.[8] Colter's formative years were shaped by his exposure to basketball at Harmon Park, a historic community hub where his earliest memories date back to infancy. Andrew Colter frequently brought his young son to the park's gymnasium in a stroller as an infant.[9] By age six, with his father's permission, Colter began playing on the outdoor court alongside his older brothers and friends, fostering an early passion for the sport amid the growing regional enthusiasm for basketball following the establishment of the Phoenix Suns NBA franchise in 1968.[9] This family-supported environment at Harmon Park provided Colter's initial immersion in local youth basketball culture, emphasizing community involvement over formal leagues at that stage. In recognition of his contributions, the outdoor basketball court at Harmon Park was later named after Andrew Colter.[9] Details on the Colter family's broader socioeconomic context remain limited in public records, but Andrew's longstanding dedication to the park's recreational programs highlights a supportive household rooted in south Phoenix's resilient community networks during a period of rapid urban growth and cultural shifts in the Southwest.[9] Colter later channeled this foundation into his high school basketball pursuits at Phoenix Union High School.High school career
Steve Colter attended Phoenix Union High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he played basketball from approximately 1976 to 1980.[2] As a 6-foot-3 guard, Colter quickly emerged as a standout player, recognized for his ability to score rapidly and his exceptional defensive prowess, which had no equal among his peers.[10] He earned local acclaim for his playmaking and scoring skills, solidifying his role as a key contributor on the varsity team.[10] Colter was ranked fifth on The Arizona Republic's list of the top 10 Arizona high school boys basketball players of the 1980s and is regarded as one of the greatest to emerge from Phoenix Union, a program renowned for its basketball tradition during that era.[10] His high school performance drew recruitment interest from colleges, culminating in his commitment to New Mexico State University.[2]College career
Time at New Mexico State
Steve Colter enrolled at New Mexico State University in 1980 as a freshman guard, recruited out of Phoenix Union High School in Arizona where he had excelled in basketball.[2] He spent his entire four-year college career with the New Mexico State Aggies under head coach Weldon Drew, who led the program from 1979 to 1985.[11] As a 6-foot-3 point guard, Colter adapted to the rigors of college basketball, including its increased defensive intensity and faster pace, while honing his skills in scoring, playmaking, and perimeter shooting.[12] During his freshman season in 1980–81, he adjusted to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) level with limited playing time, contributing sparingly as the Aggies finished with a 10–17 overall record and sixth place in the conference.[13] In his sophomore year of 1981–82, Colter saw an expanded role, showing marked improvement in his contributions on the court as the team improved to a 17–11 record and fourth-place MVC finish.[14] By his junior season in 1982–83, still in the MVC, he had developed into a key starter, helping guide the Aggies to an 18–11 overall mark and third-place conference standing.[15] Entering his senior year in 1983–84, Colter assumed a leadership position for the Aggies, now competing in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA), where the team posted a 13–15 record and fifth-place finish despite a challenging season.[16] Throughout his tenure, Colter's progression from a reserve to a primary ball-handler underscored his growth within the program, culminating in his recognition as a standout performer.[3]Key achievements and statistics
Over his four seasons at New Mexico State University from 1980 to 1984, Steve Colter amassed 1,333 points in 107 games, placing him among the Aggies' all-time scoring leaders.[12][3] He also recorded 411 rebounds and 347 assists, demonstrating his versatility as a guard with strong playmaking and rebounding abilities for his position.[12] Colter shot 49.3% from the field and 75.7% from the free-throw line across his career, contributing significantly to team offenses in conference play.[12] Colter's scoring output peaked in his senior year of 1983-84, when he averaged 19.5 points per game while logging a nation-leading 40.0 minutes per contest.[12][3] His development as an all-around contributor is evident in his yearly averages:| Season | Games | Points | Rebounds | Assists | FG% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-81 | 22 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | .383 | .683 |
| 1981-82 | 28 | 9.1 | 3.6 | 2.7 | .485 | .759 |
| 1982-83 | 29 | 16.2 | 4.7 | 4.5 | .505 | .754 |
| 1983-84 | 28 | 19.5 | 4.9 | 4.5 | .500 | .783 |