Background and career
Robert Keith Horry ( ORR-ee; born August 25, 1970) is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs. Nicknamed "Big Shot Rob", Horry was a member of seven NBA championship winning teams over his 16-year career and is regarded as one of the most clutch shooters in NBA history.
Robert Keith Horry was born on August 25, 1970, in Harford County, Maryland. Soon afterwards, his father, Staff Sergeant Robert Horry Sr., divorced his mother, Leila, and moved to South Carolina. Horry grew up in Andalusia, Alabama. Later, when Robert Sr. was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, the father and son met weekly. As a senior at Andalusia High School, Horry won the Naismith Alabama High School Player of the Year Award.
Horry attended the University of Alabama, where he played college basketball for Coach Wimp Sanderson, and he was a teammate of fellow future NBA player Latrell Sprewell. At Alabama, Horry played from 1988 to 1992. He started 108 of the 133 games he played and helped the Tide win three Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament titles and twice reached the NCAA's Sweet 16 round. Alabama compiled a 98–36 record during his four seasons. He set a school record for career blocked shots (282). He was selected to the All-Southeastern Conference, the SEC All-Defensive and the SEC All-Academic teams. Years later, Horry returned to the university to finish his degree and graduated in spring 2021.
Horry was selected 11th overall in the 1992 NBA draft in the first round by the Houston Rockets as a small forward. He spent his first four seasons with the Rockets, helping them win the NBA championship in 1994 and 1995. He set an individual NBA Finals record with seven steals in a game. During his years with the Rockets, Horry wore number 25. In Game 7 of the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals against the Seattle SuperSonics, he hit a jump shot with the shot clock expiring and 33 seconds left in regulation to put the Rockets up 93–91. The Rockets lost in overtime and lost the series. In February 1994, he and Matt Bullard were traded to the Detroit Pistons for Sean Elliott, but Elliott failed a physical because of kidney problems, so the trade was rescinded. Horry said that the trade falling through probably saved his career. Horry went on to be a key member of the Rockets' title teams. He began to build his "Big Shot" reputation in the 1995 playoffs: first, with a game-winning jumper with 6.5 seconds left in Game 1 of the 1995 Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, then hitting a three to put Houston up 104–100 with 14.1 seconds left in a 106–103 win in Game 3 of the 1995 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic. The Rockets went on to win Game 4 and their second championship. Horry later said that out of his seven championship victories, this was the one he was the most proud of because the Rockets were the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
On August 19, 1996, before the 1996–97 NBA season, Horry was traded to the Phoenix Suns, along with Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown and Mark Bryant, for former NBA Most Valuable Player Charles Barkley. Horry had been criticized in Houston for not taking enough shots and felt that was what prompted the Rockets to trade him. On January 5, 1997, in a game against the Celtics, he had an on-court altercation with head coach Danny Ainge. Horry had been performing poorly and had just been substituted out. As he was leaving the floor, Horry walked up to Ainge and the two shared some words. As he was walking away, Horry screamed obscenities at Ainge and then threw a towel at his face. Horry was promptly suspended by the Suns for two games. Suns GM Jerry Colangelo wanted to suspend Horry for longer but, at that time, the Collective Bargaining Agreement only allowed a maximum of two games.
Due to his attitude problems and lackluster performance, Horry, along with Joe Kleine, were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on January 10, 1997, for Cedric Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson. Because the Lakers had retired jersey number 25 to honor Gail Goodrich, Horry wore the number 5. On May 6, 1997, he hit seven three-point shots in a row, setting the NBA playoff record for most three-point shots without a miss. During the 1999–2000 season, Horry played behind A.C. Green, but frequently played more minutes off the bench than the starters, especially during the playoffs. In the 2000 Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Lakers took a 2–1 lead into Game 4 in Indiana. The game went into overtime. Shaquille O'Neal fouled out, but Kobe Bryant led a run to seal the Laker victory. Horry finished with 17 points in 37 minutes, his high for the Finals. The Lakers won the 2000 NBA Finals in six games. Horry averaged 7.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game throughout the 2000 playoffs. In the 2000–01 season, Horry played behind Horace Grant, but once again played big minutes in the playoffs. He played in 16 Lakers 2001 playoffs games, averaging 5.9 points. In the Finals, the Lakers dropped Game 1 before winning Game 2. In Game 3, in Philadelphia, he scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a critical three-pointer with 47.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter to make it 92–88. He followed this with four consecutive free throws in the last 21 seconds to help seal a 96–91 Laker victory. In Game 4, Horry made three of the Lakers' 10 total three-pointers as the Lakers rolled to a 100–86 victory. The Lakers won Game 5, 108–96, to clinch their second straight championship. He has said this victory was the second-proudest of his career, after the 1995 NBA Finals.
