Andrae Patterson

Andrae Patterson is a former American basketball player who was born in Riverside, California, moved around the world as part of a military family, went to high school in Texas, and played for  Indiana University from 1994-1998. Patterson participated in the NCAA Tournament in four out of four seasons. After playing at IU, Patterson was drafted 46th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After playing in the NBA for two seasons, Patterson finished his career in Europe from 2000-2009, playing for five different teams. After his playing career, Patterson spent two years as an assistant coach at University of Texas at Arlington, before taking front office roles in the NBA. Patterson started as a personnel/player programs coordinator for the Utah Jazz in 2015 and then moved on to becoming the director of basketball administration for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, where he still serves today.

Andrae Patterson Biography

• Name: Andrae Malone Patterson
• Nationality: USA
• Age: 47 years old
• Birthday: November 12, 1975
• Born: Riverside, CA
• High School: Cooper (Abilene, TX)
• Height: 6’8″ (2.03 m)
• Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
• Position: Forward
• Seasons: 4 (1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1996-1997, 1997-1998)
• NBA Draft: 1998 / Round 2 / #46 overall by the Utah Jazz
• Jersey: #45
• Post-playing career: Director of Basketball Administration, Cleveland Cavs

Andrae Patterson’s Seasons with the Hoosiers

Andrae Patterson’s Indiana University Statistics

Andrae Patterson’s Early Life and High School Career

At Cooper High School (the same high school attended by former Colts RB Dominic Rhodes), Patterson recorded an impressive list of accomplishments. Coached by Jack Aldridge, he was the first three-time District MVP, the first time that had happened in “Big Country” history. Big Country is a reference to a large swath of land in Central Texas. Patterson also gained two first team all-state selections in Class 5A and was named 5A Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. Patterson concluded his high school career with McDonald’s and Parade All-American honors.

1994 McDonald’s All-American Rosters

East

West

Legendary head coaches Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and Mike Krzyzewski all recruited him, as well as Rick Pitino and Steve Fisher. In March 2013, Patterson was inducted into the Big Country Hall of Fame. Outside of school, Patterson was an accomplished singer. John Laskowski’s book, Tales from the Indiana Hoosiers Locker Room, mentioned that Patterson sang in a group called “Harmony in Motion” in high school. Also, at IU, coach Knight said that “with proper training and instruction, Patterson might have a world-class singing voice.” Knight was likely more bothered with how Patterson performed on the basketball court.

Andrae Patterson’s Indiana University Career

At Indiana, Patterson had somewhat of a role from the beginning, even at a time when freshmen didn’t play as much as they do today. In his first season, Patterson appeared in 28 games, made 20 starts, and averaged 7.3 PPG and 3.8 RPG. His season ended with a bit of a thud, though, as he went scoreless in 14 minutes, as IU fell to Missouri, 65-60, in the NCAA Tournament.

In year two, Knight showed more trust in Patterson. Alan Henderson‘s departure created more opportunity for the 6’8″, 240 lb. big man. Patterson saw his minutes per game increase from 19.3 to 25.9, his PPG go up from 7.3 to 11.3, and RPG climb from 3.9 to 6.2. Patterson told Sports Illustrated, “Coach is trying to get me to be like him on the basketball court. Off the court I’m laid back, but he says on the court I need to be a warrior.” Late in the season against Ohio State, Patterson set career-highs at the time of 26 points and 13 rebounds.

Once again, though, IU went one-and-done in the “Big Dance”, falling to Boston College, 64-51. Patterson led the team with 13 points and 12 rebounds, but IU’s 3-16 performance from downtown led to its demise.

As a junior, Patterson entered the year as one of IU’s leading returning scorers. During the preseason NIT, one of the most prestigious non-conference tournaments, Patterson had a couple of performances that long-time Indiana fans still remember today. Against Evansville in the semifinals, Patterson knocked down a jumper at the buzzer to give IU a 74-73 win at Madison Square Garden. Two days later, against Coach K’s 6th-ranked Duke squad, Patterson scored a remarkable 39 points to lead #20 Indiana to the title.

He hit 3-pointers. He hit turnarounds. He hit driving layups. He popped in shot after shot from the outside. In a 68-second sequence midway through the second half, he hit a 10-foot jumper, then a 15-footer, then shaked-and-baked his defender left, right and left again before arching in an 8-footer. He put Indiana in front, and every time Duke threatened, he hit another big shot.

New York Times’ recap of Patterson’s career game

Video of the game is included at the bottom of the article. Sports Illustrated proclaimed Patterson the “Lord of the Rims”. Patterson was named tournament MVP for his efforts, and IU climbed up to 8th in the AP Poll as a result.

After a 14-1 start, Indiana stumbled during Big Ten play. IU split the 18 conference games and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as a #8 seed. For a 3rd straight year, IU fell in the first round, this time to Colorado. Former Piston and current ESPN NBA analyst Chauncey Billups led the Buffaloes with 24 points. Patterson had 9 points and 8 rebounds.

In his senior season, Patterson and the Hoosiers came in with great expectations. Even with the transfer of fellow vaunted 1994 recruiting class member Neil Reed, IU was looking for its first Big Ten title in five seasons. Knight hired his eventual successor Mike Davis as an assistant on the staff before the 1997-98 season. The Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia, written by Jason Hiner, discussed Patterson’s senior year potential.

Patterson still had the potential to be one of the top players in the country. The 6’8″, 230 lb. power forward had breathtaking physical gifts–quickness, strength, and agility–and had shown potential for greatness. He had never put it all together for a full season.”

Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia on Andrae Patterson

Indiana started the year ranked #17 in the AP poll, but fell to #24 Temple in Philadelphia to start the season. IU lost three of its first six games and had to go back to the drawing board. The Hoosiers rattled off 15 wins in their next 19 games, including an 80-62 win over #17 Michigan, in which Patterson scored 19 points in 18 minutes. IU slumped at the end of the season, losing three straight, beginning with a 112-64 drubbing in Ann Arbor. In the first ever Big Ten Tournament, Patterson put up 25 points and five rebounds in a win over OSU. The 25 points were an IU event record that stood until Devonte Green topped it last year against the Buckeyes as well. Patterson followed that game up with 24 and 8 against Purdue, but the Hoosiers fell in a close one, 76-71.

IU went 19-11 (9-9) overall, which was good for a #7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. In a thrilling 94-87 OT win over Oklahoma, Patterson played 42 minutes, scored 26 points, and grabbed five rebounds. Indiana won their first NCAA tournament game in four years. In the round of 32 battle against Connecticut, who had future NBA players Richard Hamilton, Jake Voskuhl, and Khalid El-Amin, the Hoosiers held a halftime lead, but were thumped 78-62. In Patterson’s final collegiate game, he scored 23 points.

Patterson finished his IU career with 1,365 pts, good for 17th in Hoosier history at the time. Today, that total ranks 25th; Juwan Morgan passed Patterson last year in IU’s NIT loss to Wichita State. Patterson also ranks 19th all-time at IU with 687 rebounds and 10th with 127 blocks.

Andrae Patterson’s Pro Basketball Career

The Minnesota Timberwolves took Patterson with the 46th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Patterson was one of 37 college seniors taken in the annual selection event. Stuck behind other quality forwards like Kevin Garnett, Joe Smith, and Dennis Scott, Patterson only played a total of 40 games with the Timberwolves over two years. He then played overseas for nearly a decade in Spain, Croatia, Israel, and Greece.

Andrae Patterson’s Career after Basketball

Even after his playing career ended, Patterson stayed in the game of basketball in a managerial role. He joined the University of Texas at Arlington as a basketball director of operations before getting promoted to an assistant coaching role. He spent four years in total at UTA.

He then found a spot in the Utah Jazz front office as a player personnel coordinator, after spending a season as an assistant coach on the Jazz’s exclusive D-League (now G League) affiliate, the Idaho Stampede. Two years later, the Cleveland Cavaliers brought him in to be their director of basketball administration, where he still serves today.

Andrae Patterson Videos

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