Marreese Speights
Collegiate Career
Mareese Speights was a freshman on the 2007 National Champion Florida Gators. He averaged only 6 minutes per game that season behind future NBA All-Stars Joakim Noah and Al Horford. He saw his minutes increase during the 2007-2008 season averaging 14.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. After his sophomore season Speights declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft.
Professional Career
The 6’10 255 lb. Speights was drafted 16th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of such formidable players as Roy Hibbert, Serge Ibaka, Ryan Anderson, JaVale McGee, Nikola Pekovic, Nicolas Batum, George Hill, DeAndre Jordan, and Goran Dragic.
A talented player offensively, Speights has been known as a defensive liability throughout his career and saw his minutes drop from 16 per game during his first 2 seasons to 11.5 per game when Doug Collins became the head coach of the 76ers during the 2010-2011 season. Midway through the 2012 season Speights was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. With Memphis Speights saw a career revival as he started 54 of 60 games with the Grizzlies in 2012 due to Zach Randolph appearing in only 28 games that season with recurring knee issues and then Grizzlies backup F Darrell Arthur missing the entire season with a torn Achilles. Speights averaged career-highs in points (8.8) and rebounds (6.2) that season.
The Grizzlies signed Speights to a 2-year $8 million contract in the Summer of 2012, but traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby on January 22, 2013 in a salary dump as the Grizzlies sought to avoid paying the luxury tax.
After declining the player option of the deal he signed with the Cavaliers, Speights became a Free Agent which allowed him to sign a 3-year $11 million contract with the Warriors. Speights doesn’t bring the defense the Warriors could always use, but he does bring toughness to the bench. While Speights can not replace what Carl Landry brought the Warriors, he does provide stability to the bench as he can switch between PF/C and can be insurance for the already injured Ezeli and the Andrew Bogut if need be.
Speights was ranked #233 in ESPN’s 2013-2014 player rankings.
Personal Life
Speights is involved with inRecruit which provided high school athletes with a away to categorize and ascertain their own priorities. Speights has taken a leadership role in this group and will help fulfill it’s future.
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