Mario Little

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Mario Little

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| position = Small forward / shooting guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 6

| weight_lb = 218

| league =

| team = Free agent

| number =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1987|12|29}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| high_school = George Washington
(Chicago, Illinois)

| college =

Chipola College (2006–2008)
Kansas (2008–2011)

| draft_year = 2011

| career_start = 2011

| career_end =

| years1 = 2011–2012

| team1 = Dnipro-Azot Dniprodzerzhynsk

| years2 = 2012–2015

| team2 = Tulsa 66ers / Oklahoma City Blue

| years3 = 2015

| team3 = Manresa

| years4 = 2015–2016

| team4 = Anyang KGC

| years5 = 2016

| team5 = TNT KaTropa

| years6 = 2016

| team6 = Changwon LG Sakers

| years7 = 2016

| team7 = Seoul SK Knights

| years8 = 2016–2017

| team8 = Changwon LG Sakers

| years9 = 2017

| team9 = Maccabi Ashdod

| years10 = 2017

| team10 = Guaros de Lara

| years11 = 2017–2018

| team11 = VL Pesaro

| years12 = 2018

| team12 = Guaros de Lara

| years13 = 2018–2019

| team13 = Zadar

| years14 = 2019–2020

| team14 = Ifaistos Limnou

| years15 = 2020–2021

| team15 = Aris Thessaloniki

| years16 = 2021–2022

| team16 = Levski Sofia

| years17 = 2023

| team17 = Al-Rayyan

| years18 = 2023

| team18 = Trotamundos de Carabobo

| highlights =

Venezuelan League champion (2018)

}}

Mario Deantwan Little (born December 29, 1987){{cite web|url=http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Mario-Little-19211/stats/|title=DraftExpress NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Mario Little, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook|work=DraftExpress.com|accessdate=March 23, 2014}} is an American professional basketball player who last played for Trotamundos de Carabobo of the Superliga Profesional de Baloncesto. He played college basketball for Chipola College and Kansas before beginning his professional career in Ukraine. After three years in the NBA Development League, Little began an overseas career that spanned Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

High school career

Little attended George Washington High School in Chicago, Illinois, where as a senior in 2005–06, he averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks per game.{{cite web|title=Mario Little - 2010-11 Men's Basketball|url=http://www.kuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3803|work=kuathletics.com|accessdate=January 8, 2016}}

College career

File:Mario Little guarding Melvin Ejim.jpg in January 2011]]

Little played his first two college seasons at Chipola College, where he was named Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman, before being named both Player of the Year in the Panhandle Conference and an NJCAA All-American as a sophomore.

In 2008, Little joined the Kansas Jayhawks.[http://www.wibw.com/sports/headlines/11298446.html Kansas Men’s Basketball Inks Philadelphia’s Morris Twins and Chicago’s Mario Little on First Day of Fall Signing Period] However, his first season as a Jayhawk resulted in him playing just 23 games due to injury.{{Cite web |title=Mario Little College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/mario-little-1.html |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} Little decided to redshirt the 2009–10 season in order to give his surgically repaired lower left leg time to heal.[http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/feb/25/mario-little-making-strides-red-shirt-campaign/ Mario Little making strides in red-shirt campaign] As a senior in 2010–11, Little served suspension between December 16 and January 12 after he was arrested on charges of battery, criminal damage and criminal trespassing following a pre-dawn fight with his girlfriend and others.[https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/news/story?id=5926025 Kansas guard Mario Little suspended][https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/41768/year/2011/mario-little Mario Little Game-by-Game Stats – 2010–11] In 32 games as a senior, he averaged 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game.

Professional career

Little's professional career began in December 2011 with Ukrainian team Dnipro-Azot Dniprodzerzhynsk.[http://www.eurobasket.com/Ukraine/basketball.asp?NewsID=253547 DniproAzot release Rinalds Sirsnins, invite Mario Little] In 20 games for Dnipro, he averaged 11.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

For the 2012–13 season, Little joined the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/tulsa/meet_the_66ers_mario_little_140107.html |title=Meet the 66ers - Mario Little |work=NBA.com |date=January 7, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323134208/http://www.nba.com/dleague/tulsa/meet_the_66ers_mario_little_140107.html |archivedate=March 23, 2014}} He saw limited action during the 2012–13 season, an experience he described as humbling.[https://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/66ers/mario-little-shows-big-improvement-for-tulsa-ers/article_37698264-8d89-5de6-b22e-a4ebfcc8e3aa.html Mario Little shows big improvement for Tulsa 66ers] He returned to Tulsa for the 2013–14 season and was one of the top scorers on the team. After a Summer League stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Little returned to the Tulsa 66ers for the 2014–15 season, with the franchise now known as the Oklahoma City Blue.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/oklahomacity/training_camp_141104.html |title=Oklahoma City Blue Announces Training Camp Roster |work=NBA.com |date=November 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106170010/http://www.nba.com/dleague/oklahomacity/training_camp_141104.html |archivedate=November 6, 2014}} However, his third season was cut short after being released in January 2015.[http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4919378 Blue Acquires Rodney Williams]

In March 2015, Little had a four-game stint in Spain with Bàsquet Manresa, before an injury saw him be replaced in the line-up by D. J. Seeley.[http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/154185/manresa-adds-mario-little.html Manresa adds Mario Little][http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/157875/manresa-agreed-to-terms-with-dj-seeley.html Manresa agreed to terms with DJ Seeley]

For the 2015–16 season, Little played in South Korea for Anyang KGC. He remained in the area during the off-season, as he had a four-game stint with Filipino team TNT KaTropa during the 2016 PBA Governors' Cup.{{cite news |last=Badua |first=Snow |url=http://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/news/tnt-mario-little-marcus-simmons-of-phoenix-complete-12-import-cast-in-pba-governors-cup |title=TNT's Mario Little, Marcus Simmons of Phoenix complete 12-import cast for PBA Governors Cup |work=Spin.ph |date=June 26, 2016 |accessdate=June 26, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Dy |first=Richard |url=http://www.foxsportsasia.com/news/mychal-lemar-ammons-replaces-mario-little-tnt-braces-tough-stretch/ |title=Mychal Lemar Ammons replaces Mario Little as TNT braces for tough stretch |work=FoxSportsAsia.com |date=August 12, 2016 |accessdate=August 13, 2016}} He then returned to Korea for the 2016–17 season, beginning with Changwon LG Sakers, then having a seven-game stint with Seoul SK Knights in December, and then returning to LG Sakers for the rest of the season.

In March 2017, Little moved to Israel and joined Maccabi Ashdod.{{cite news |url=http://sports.walla.co.il/item/3053082 |script-title=he:מכבי אשדוד: מריו ליטל חתם עד תום העונה, יחליף את פרסטון נואלס |work=walla.co.il |date=March 29, 2017 |accessdate=April 1, 2017 |language=Hebrew}}

In September 2017, Little played for Venezuelan team Guaros de Lara in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup,[https://www.eurobasket.com/Israel/news/505726/Guaros-sign-Mario-Little,-ex-Maccabi-Ashdod,-for-FIBA-Intercontinental-Cup Guaros sign Mario Little, ex Maccabi Ashdod, for FIBA Intercontinental Cup][https://www.noticiasbarquisimeto.com/2017/09/10/guaros-de-lara-recibe-a-mario-little-para-la-copa-intercontinental/ Guaros de Lara recibe a Mario Little para la Copa Intercontinental] {{in lang|es}} a game Guaros de Lara lost 76–71 to Iberostar Tenerife.

For the 2017–18 season, Little played in Italy for VL Pesaro,{{cite news |url=https://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/248446/mario-little-signs-with-vuelle-pesaro.html |title=Mario Little signs with Vuelle Pesaro |work=Sportando.com |date=September 30, 2017 |accessdate=November 11, 2017}} but he only managed eight games after missing a large chuck of the season with an injury.[https://www.sanmarinortv.sm/sport/altri-sport-c19/vl-pesaro-ancora-vacante-posto-rosa-lasciato-mario-little-capo-orlando-nessun-rinforzo-a141634 Vl Pesaro, ancora vacante il posto in rosa lasciato da Mario Little: a Capo d'Orlando nessun rinforzo] {{in lang|it}}

Between March and July 2018, Little played for Guaros de Lara in the Liga Americas and the LPB.[https://www.ballersabroad.com/news/mario-little-returns-to-guaros-de-lara Mario Little Returns to Guaros de Lara]

On August 3, 2018, Little signed with Croatian team KK Zadar.{{cite web |url=https://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/croatia/284487/mario-little-signs-with-kk-zadar.html |title=Mario Little signs with KK Zadar |work=sportando.basketball |date=August 3, 2018 |accessdate=August 5, 2018 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20190815142507/https://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/croatia/284487/mario-little-signs-with-kk-zadar.html |archivedate=August 15, 2019 }}

On August 15, 2019, Little signed with Ifaistos Limnou of the Greek Basket League.{{cite web |url=https://www.ifaistoslimnoubc.gr/ston-ifesto-limnou-o-litl/ |title=Στον Ήφαιστο Λήμνου ο Λιτλ |work=ifaistoslimnoubc.gr |date=August 15, 2019 |accessdate=August 15, 2019 |language=Greek}} He left the team in January 2020 after averaging 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14 games.{{cite web |last1=Mammides |first1=Chris |title=Aris ink Mario Little |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Greece/news/647936/Aris-ink-Mario-Little |website=Eurobasket |accessdate=October 11, 2020 |date=October 11, 2020}}

On October 11, 2020, Little signed with Aris Thessaloniki.

For the 2021–22 season, Little joined Levski Sofia of the Bulgarian National Basketball League (NBL).{{cite web |title=Mario Little |url=https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Mario-Little/Bulgaria/Levski-Sofia/151158 |website=Eurobasket |accessdate=March 5, 2022}}

In January 2023, Little joined Al-Rayyan of the Qatari Basketball League.{{cite web |title=Al Rayyan signs Mario Little, ex Levski |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Bulgaria/news/786989/Al-Rayyan-signs-Mario-Little,-ex-Levski |website=Eurobasket |date=January 8, 2023 |access-date=March 4, 2023}} Two months later, he joined Trotamundos de Carabobo of the Superliga Profesional de Baloncesto.{{cite web |title=SPB 2023 - Mario Little (ex Al Rayyan) is a second USA added to the roster of Trotamundos |url=https://www.latinbasket.com/Venezuela/news/796471/SPB-2023-Mario-Little-(ex-Al-Rayyan)-is-a-second-USA-added-to-the-roster-of-Trotamundos |website=latinbasket |date=March 3, 2023 |access-date=March 4, 2023}}

NBA D-League career statistics

=Regular season=

| align="left" | 2012–13

| align="left" | Tulsa 66ers

| 15 || 1 || 12.4 || .375 || .167 || 1.000 || 2.1 || .9 || .4 || .3 || 3.9

| align="left" | 2013–14

| align="left" | Tulsa 66ers

| 50 || 47 || 36.2 || .417 || .366 || .849 || 4.2 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .2 || 18.8

| align="left" | 2014–15

| align="left" | Oklahoma City Blue

| 22 || 19 || 31.8 || .410 || .375 || .846 || 3.8 || 3.0 || .9 || .2 || 13.4

| align="left" | Career

| align="left" |

| 87 || 67 || 31.0 || .413 || .356 || .852 || 3.7 || 2.4 || 1.0 || .2 || 14.9

=Playoffs=

| align="left" | 2012–13

| align="left" | Tulsa 66ers

| 3 || 1 || 21.5 || .500 || .286 || .333 || 2.0 || .7 || .7 || .0 || 7.0

| align="left" | Career

| align="left" |

| 3 || 1 || 21.5 || .500 || .286 || .333 || 2.0 || .7 || .7 || .0 || 7.0

References

External links

[https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Mario-Little/Summary/4190 Mario Little] at realgm.com
[http://stats.nbadleague.com/player/#!/203358/ Mario Little] at nbagleague.com
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161201213307/http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=2IT Mario Little] at acb.com {{in lang|es}}
[http://web.legabasket.it/player/?id=LIT-MAR-87 Mario Little] at legabasket.it {{in lang|it}}
[http://www.kuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3803 Mario Little] at kuathletics.com

Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Bulgaria

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Croatia

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Qatar

Category:American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines

Category:American expatriate basketball people in South Korea

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Spain

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Ukraine