# Olden Polynice

Olden Polynice (born November 21, 1964) is a Haitian former professional basketball player. He played center for the Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

## Career

After graduating from All Hallows High School in the Bronx, Polynice played college basketball at the University of Virginia.
As a Freshman during the 1983–84 season, Polynice helped lead the UVA Cavaliers to the 1984 Final Four when they won the NCAA Eastern Region as the # 7 seed. UVA defeating the #10 seed Iona (58–57), the #2 seed Arkansas (53–51 in OT), the #3 seed Syracuse (63–55) and the #4 seed Indiana (50–48) en route to the Final Four. In the Final Four, UVA lost in overtime 49–47 to the Midwest Region Champion University of Houston denying UVA a chance at the National Championship game.
As a Junior during the 1985–86 season, Polynice was honored for his play by being named first team All-ACC.
After three years in college and playing with Serie A's Hamby Rimini in 1986–87, he was selected 8th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1987 NBA draft, but was immediately traded to the Seattle SuperSonics for Scottie Pippen. Polynice then arrived in Detroit in 1992 after being traded by the Los Angeles Clippers and departed two years later when he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Pete Chilcutt and two draft picks.
In 15 NBA seasons, Polynice averaged 23.5 minutes, 7.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, with a career PER of 13.2. At 6'11", he was often signed by teams in need of a rebounder and interior player, and consistently ranked among the league leaders in offensive rebounds. Polynice retired from the NBA in 2004 after a brief return to the Clippers. He later played for the Los Angeles Aftershock of the ABA.
Upon retiring, Polynice served as coach for the ABA's Long Beach Breakers. In 1997, still active, he worked as a color commentator for the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs.
He now runs the Polynice Basketball Organization founded with the help of his nephews Brian and Jordan Polynice.

## Personal life

Olden went on a hunger strike in 1993 for the sufferings the Haitian people were facing. He is Catholic.

## Career statistics
### NBA

| * | Led the league |
Source

#### Regular season

| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 1987–88 | Seattle | 82 | 0 | 13.2 | .465 | .000 | .639 | 4.0 | .4 | .4 | .3 | 4.1 |
| 1988–89 | Seattle | 80 | 0 | 10.4 | .506 | .000 | .593 | 2.6 | .3 | .5 | .4 | 2.9 |
| 1989–90 | Seattle | 79 | 7 | 13.7 | .540 | .500 | .475 | 3.8 | .2 | .3 | .3 | 4.6 |
| 1990–91 | Seattle | 48 | 0 | 20.0 | .545 | – | .588 | 5.6 | .3 | .5 | .4 | 8.3 |
| 1990–91 | L.A. Clippers | 31 | 30 | 36.5 | .579 | .000 | .572 | 9.1 | .8 | .5 | .4 | 12.3 |
| 1991–92 | L.A. Clippers | 76 | 65 | 24.1 | .519 | .000 | .622 | 7.1 | .6 | .6 | .3 | 8.1 |
| 1992–93 | Detroit | 67 | 18 | 19.4 | .490 | .000 | .465 | 6.2 | .4 | .5 | .3 | 7.3 |
| 1993–94 | Detroit | 37 | 36 | 36.5 | .547 | .000 | .457 | 12.3 | .6 | .6 | 1.0 | 13.1 |
| 1993–94 | Sacramento | 31 | 29 | 33.9 | .484 | .000 | .556 | 11.4 | .6 | .6 | 1.0 | 9.8 |
| 1994–95 | Sacramento | 81 | 81 | 31.3 | .544 | 1.000 | .639 | 9.0 | .8 | .6 | .6 | 10.8 |
| 1995–96 | Sacramento | 81 | 80 | 30.1 | .527 | .333 | .601 | 9.4 | .7 | .6 | .8 | 12.2 |
| 1996–97 | Sacramento | 82 | 82* | 35.3 | .457 | .000 | .562 | 9.4 | 2.2 | .6 | 1.0 | 12.5 |
| 1997–98 | Sacramento | 70 | 25 | 20.8 | .459 | .000 | .452 | 6.3 | 1.5 | .5 | .6 | 7.9 |
| 1998–99 | Seattle | 48 | 47 | 30.9 | .472 | 1.000 | .309 | 8.9 | .9 | .4 | .6 | 7.7 |
| 1999–00 | Utah | 82 | 79 | 22.2 | .510 | .500 | .311 | 5.5 | .5 | .4 | 1.0 | 5.3 |
| 2000–01 | Utah | 81 | 79 | 20.0 | .496 | .000 | .262 | 4.7 | .4 | .3 | 1.0 | 5.3 |
| 2003–04 | L.A. Clippers | 2 | 0 | 6.0 | – | – | – | 1.0 | .5 | .5 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | Career | 1,058 | 658 | 23.5 | .505 | .192 | .535 | 6.7 | .7 | .5 | .6 | 7.8 |

#### Playoffs

| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 1988 | Seattle | 5 | 0 | 8.8 | .455 | – | .000 | 1.6 | .0 | .6 | .0 | 2.0 |
| 1989 | Seattle | 8 | 0 | 20.3 | .610 | – | .538 | 7.8 | .1 | .8 | .5 | 7.1 |
| 1992 | L.A. Clippers | 5 | 0 | 12.6 | .583 | – | .333 | 3.6 | .4 | .2 | .2 | 3.2 |
| 1995 | Sacramento | 4 | 4 | 35.3 | .522 | 1.000 | .667 | 12.0 | .8 | .3 | 1.8 | 13.8 |
| 2000 | Utah | 10 | 10 | 26.0 | .538 | – | .500 | 6.6 | .5 | .3 | .8 | 5.9 |
| 2001 | Utah | 5 | 5 | 20.0 | .533 | .000 | .700 | 3.8 | .2 | .2 | .4 | 7.8 |
| Career | Career | 37 | 19 | 20.8 | .547 | .500 | .543 | 6.0 | .3 | .4 | .6 | 6.4 |

### College

| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 1983–84 | Virginia | 33 | 26.2 | .551 | .588 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 7.7 |
| 1984–85 | Virginia | 32 | 34.2 | .603 | .599 | 7.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 13.0 |
| 1985–86 | Virginia | 30 | 35.8 | .572 | .637 | 8.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 16.1 |
| Career | | 95 | 31.9 | .578 | .612 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 12.1 |