Tom Copa

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Tom Copa

| image =

| width =

| caption =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 275

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|10|30}}

| birth_place = Robbinsdale, Minnesota, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| high_school = Coon Rapids
(Coon Rapids, Minnesota)

| college = Marquette (1983–1987)

| draft_year = 1987

| career_start = 1988

| career_end = 1993

| career_number = 30

| career_position = Center

| years1 = 1988–1991

| team1 = Maccabi Brussels

| years2 = {{nbay|1991|full=y}}

| team2 = San Antonio Spurs

| years3 = 1992–1993

| team3 = La Crosse Bobcats

| years4 = 1993

| team4 = Saski Baskonia

| years5 = 1993

| team5 = Libertas Livorno

| highlights =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

}}

Thomas James Copa (born October 30, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. After graduating from Marquette he went on to play professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and in Europe. Born in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, he was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 1983.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jzEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DisEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6836,3948647&dq=tom+copa+minnesota+mr+basketball&hl=en|title=Wadkins Holds On To Win Golf Meet|work=The Milwaukee Journal|date=April 25, 1983|access-date=August 19, 2010}}

College career

Copa played college basketball for Marquette Warriors from 1983 to 1987. In 120 career games, he averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

Professional career

Although chosen with the 44th pick in the 1987 CBA draft,{{cite web |title=1987 CBA Draft |url=http://www.sportsstats.com/jazzyj/greats/cba87/index.html |website=sportsstats.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521021758/http://www.sportsstats.com/jazzyj/greats/cba87/index.html |archive-date=21 May 2006}} Copa moved to Vail, Colorado after graduating where he worked as a shuttle-bus driver from the Stapleton Airport to Vail for the winter. The following summer, he attended a camp for European scouts where he had a good showing and was eventually signed by Belgian club Maccabi Brussels. He spent three seasons in Belgium, including the 1990–91 season where he averaged 21.2 points and 14.4 rebounds. During the summer of 1991, he attended a rookie free agent camp in Austin ran by the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs later signed him as a free agent.{{cite news |title=Tom Copa Is Talkin' With TJ |url=https://www.nba.com/spurs/tom-copa-talkin-tj |access-date=1 December 2020 |work=San Antonio Spurs |date=9 November 2011}} During the 1991-92 NBA season, Copa averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 33 total games played.{{cite web |title=Spurs history |url=http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/history_0607.pdf |publisher=NBA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023230621/http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/history_0607.pdf |archive-date=23 October 2012}}

The following season, he signed with the Houston Rockets but was waived before the start of the season. He later signed with the La Crosse Bobcats in the CBA where he went on to average 8.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 20 games.{{cite web |title=Tom Copa Statistics on JustSportsStats.com |url=https://www.justsportsstats.com/minbasketballstatsindex.php?player_id=copatom001 |publisher=JustSportsStats.com |access-date=1 December 2020}} In January 1993, he signed with Saski Baskonia.{{cite web |title=ACB - Tom Copa |url=http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=AS0 |website=acb.com |publisher=Liga ACB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050213171330/http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=AS0 |archive-date=13 February 2005 |language=Spanish}} The following season he signed with Italian club Libertas Livorno but was waived after one game. Following his release and due to the toll his playing career had taken on his body, Copa retired from professional basketball.{{cite web |title=Legabasket Serie A - Tom Copa |url=http://web.legabasket.it/player/COP-TOM/copa_tom |access-date=1 December 2020 |language=Italian}}

References

External links

[http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=AS0 Spanish League profile]
[http://web.legabasket.it/player/COP-TOM/copa_tom Italian League profile]
[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/tom-copa-1.html College statistics]
[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/copato01.html NBA statistics]

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Belgium

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Spain

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Centers (basketball)

Category:La Crosse Catbirds players

Category:Liga ACB players

Category:Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball players

Category:People from Robbinsdale, Minnesota

Category:Basketball players from Hennepin County, Minnesota

Category:San Antonio Spurs players

Category:Saski Baskonia players

Category:Undrafted NBA players

Category:United States men's national basketball team players