# Robert Horry

Robert Keith Horry (/ˈɒri/ ORR-ee; born August 25, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player and current sports commentator. Seven times a National Basketball Association (NBA) champion in his 16-season career, he is widely considered one of the greatest clutch performers and winners in NBA history.
He was given the nicknames "Big Shot Rob" for his clutch shooting in important games and "Cheap Shot Rob" for dirty play.
Horry is one of four NBA players to win championships with three teams: two with the Houston Rockets, three with the Los Angeles Lakers, and two with the San Antonio Spurs. He holds NBA records for most steals in a Finals game and for most three-point shots made in a playoff game without a miss.
Horry now works as a commentator on Spectrum SportsNet for the Lakers.

## Early life

Robert Keith Horry was born on August 25, 1970, in Harford County, Maryland. Soon afterwards his father, Staff Sergeant Robert Horry Sr., divorced his mother, Leila, and moved to South Carolina. Horry grew up in Andalusia, Alabama. Later, when Robert Sr. was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, the father and son met weekly.
As a senior at Andalusia High School, Horry won the Naismith Alabama High School Player of the Year Award.

## College career

Horry attended the University of Alabama, where he played college basketball for Coach Wimp Sanderson, and he was a teammate of fellow future NBA player Latrell Sprewell.
At Alabama, Horry played from 1988 to 1992. He started 108 of the 133 games he played and helped the Tide win three Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament titles and twice reached the NCAA's Sweet 16 round. Alabama compiled a 98–36 record during his four seasons. He set a school record for career blocked shots (282). He was selected to the All-Southeastern Conference, the SEC All-Defensive and the SEC All-Academic teams. Years later, Horry returned to the university to finish his degree and graduated in spring 2021.

## Professional career
### Houston Rockets (1992–1996)

Horry was selected 11th overall in the 1992 NBA draft in the first round by the Houston Rockets as a small forward. He spent his first four seasons with the Rockets, helping them win the NBA championship in 1994 and 1995. He set an individual NBA Finals record with seven steals in a game. During his years with the Rockets, Horry wore number 25.
In Game 7 of the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals against the Seattle SuperSonics, he hit a jump shot with the shot clock expiring and 33 seconds left in regulation to put the Rockets up 93–91. The Rockets, however, lost in overtime and lost the series. In February 1994, he and Matt Bullard were traded to the Detroit Pistons for Sean Elliott, but Elliott failed a physical because of kidney problems, so the trade was rescinded. Horry said that the trade falling through probably saved his career. Horry went on to be a key member of the Rockets' title teams and began to build his "Big Shot" reputation by hitting a game-winning jumper with 6.5 seconds left in Game 1 of the 1995 Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, then hitting a three to put Houston up 104–100 with 14.1 seconds left in a 106–103 win in Game 3 of the 1995 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic. The Rockets went on to win Game 4 and their second championship.
Horry later said that out of his seven championship victories, this was the one he was the most proud of because the Rockets were the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

### Phoenix Suns (1996–1997)

On August 19, 1996, Horry was traded to the Phoenix Suns, along with Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown and Mark Bryant, for former NBA Most Valuable Player Charles Barkley. Horry had been criticized in Houston for not taking enough shots and felt that was what prompted the Rockets to trade him. On January 5, 1997, he had an on-court altercation with Suns coach Danny Ainge. Horry had been performing poorly that game and had just been substituted out. He walked up to Ainge and threw a towel at his face. Horry was suspended by the Suns for two games. Suns GM Jerry Colangelo wanted to suspend Horry for longer but, at that time, the Collective Bargaining Agreement allowed a maximum of two games.

### Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2003)

Horry was traded, along with Joe Kleine, to the Los Angeles Lakers on January 10, 1997, for Cedric Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson. Because the Lakers had retired jersey number 25 to honor Gail Goodrich, Horry wore the number 5. On May 6, 1997, he hit seven three-point shots in a row, setting the NBA record for most three-point shots made in an NBA playoff game without a miss.
During the 1999–2000 season, Horry played behind A.C. Green, but frequently played more minutes off the bench than the starters, especially during the playoffs. In the 2000 Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Lakers took a 2–1 lead into Game 4 in Indiana. The game went into overtime. Shaquille O'Neal fouled out, but Kobe Bryant led a run to seal the Laker victory. Horry finished with 17 points in 37 minutes, his high for the Finals. The Lakers won the 2000 NBA Finals in six games. Horry averaged 7.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game throughout the 2000 playoffs.
In the 2000–01 season, Horry played behind Horace Grant, but once again played big minutes in the playoffs. He played in 16 Lakers 2001 playoffs games, averaging 5.9 points. In the Finals, the Lakers dropped Game 1 before winning Game 2. In Game 3, in Philadelphia, he scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a critical three-pointer with 47.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter to make it 92–88. He followed this with four consecutive free throws in the last 21 seconds to help seal a 96–91 Laker victory. In Game 4, Horry made three of the Lakers' 10 total three-pointers as the Lakers rolled to a 100–86 victory. The Lakers won Game 5, 108–96, to clinch their second straight championship. He has said this victory was the second-proudest of his career, after the 1995 NBA Finals.
In the 2001–02 season, he was the backup power forward to Samaki Walker, starting just 23 games. In the playoffs, Horry started 14 of the Lakers' 19 games, playing an average of 37 minutes, a game with averages of 9.3 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. Horry built his reputation for clutch play in Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings. Trailing two games to one in the series and facing Game 5 in Sacramento, the Lakers were down by as many as 24 points in the first half. Eventually, the Lakers cut the lead to 99–97 with 11.8 seconds to play. On the final possession, after Kobe and Shaq missed consecutive layups, Sacramento center Vlade Divac knocked the ball away from the basket in an attempt to run out the clock. However, the ball bounced right to Horry, who hit a three-pointer as time expired to win Game 4 100–99. A day later, Magic Johnson called Horry "one of the 10 best clutch players in league history". The Lakers would win the series in 7 games and sweep the New Jersey Nets 4–0 in the NBA Finals to complete a three-peat. Horry started all four games in the Finals.
On March 5, 2003, Indiana Pacers center Jermaine O'Neal swatted the inside pass for Shaquille O'Neal to a wide-open Horry, who hit the game-winning shot.
In the 2003 playoffs, the Lakers were attempting to win their fourth straight NBA championship. In the closing seconds of Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Horry's potential game-winning shot rattled in and out, putting a halt to the Lakers' rally from a 25-point deficit. The Lakers were eliminated in six games. Horry was 0-18 from the three-point line during the series.

### San Antonio Spurs (2003–2008)

Following the 2002–03 season, Horry became a free agent. Citing concerns over family, all of whom live in Houston, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs. During the 2002–03 season, the Lakers had increased Horry's minutes to nearly 30 a game. With the Spurs, coach Gregg Popovich cut his minutes significantly. In the 2003–04 season, the Spurs won 57 games and reached the 2004 playoffs where they swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games, before losing in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.
During the following season, the Spurs reached the 2005 playoffs. Horry went 38 of 85 from three-point range. In Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals, after only scoring three points in the first three quarters, he scored 21 of the Spurs' points in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Spurs went on to win Game 5, 96–95, after Horry hit a game-winning three-point shot with 5.9 seconds left. ESPN columnist Bill Simmons wrote, "Horry's Game 5 ranks alongside MJ's Game 6 in 1998, Worthy's Game 7 in 1988, Frazier's Game 7 in 1970, and every other clutch Finals performance over the years".
During the 2007 playoffs, Horry body-checked Phoenix Suns' point guard Steve Nash, drawing a flagrant foul call. During the ensuing commotion, Raja Bell was assessed a technical foul for charging at him. Horry was ejected from the game and suspended for Games 5 and 6. Amar'e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, who left the bench, were suspended for Game 5. The Spurs won the two ensuing games and moved on to the 2007 NBA Finals, where they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Horry began wearing the number 25 again after the 2006–07 season. After the 2007–08 season, Horry became a free agent but went unsigned, marking his last professional season.

### Records and honors

When he retired, Horry held the record for three-pointers all-time in the NBA Finals with 56, having eclipsed Michael Jordan's record of 42. Five players passed him before the 2023 NBA finals. He holds the NBA playoffs record for most three-point field goals made in a game without a miss (seven) against the Utah Jazz in Game 2 of the 1997 Western Conference Semifinals. He holds the NBA record for most steals in an NBA finals game.
In 2009, Horry played in the 2009 NBA Asia Challenge against the Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars at Araneta Coliseum in Manila.
Horry was the first player to accumulate 100 steals, 100 blocked shots, and 100 threes in one season. In 2010, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. (Steals & blocks were not recorded until the 1973-74 season and the three-point line was not implemented until the 1979-80 season)
Horry has played in three Game 7s which went to overtime; the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals, as a member of the Houston Rockets, the 2002 Western Conference Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers, and the 2006 Western Conference Semifinals with the San Antonio Spurs.

## Notable playoff clutch shots

* May 22, 1993, Western Conference Semifinals, Game 7, Houston Rockets at Seattle SuperSonics. With the score tied at 91 late in the fourth quarter and the shot clock winding down, the rookie Horry took a pass from teammate Hakeem Olajuwon and knocked down a midrange jumper to give the Rockets a two-point lead with 32.7 seconds remaining in regulation. However, Horry's heroics were not enough to secure the victory for the Rockets, who succumbed to the Sonics 100–103 in overtime.
* May 22, 1995, Western Conference Finals, Game 1, Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs. Horry hit a jumper with 6.5 seconds left to give Houston a 94–93 win over San Antonio.
* June 11, 1995, NBA Finals, Game 3, Orlando Magic at Houston Rockets. With the Rockets up 101–100 with 20 seconds left and the shot clock winding down, Hakeem Olajuwon kicked it out to Horry, who hit a 3 over Orlando's Horace Grant to give Houston a 104–100 lead with 14.1 seconds left. It led them to a 106–103 win and a 3–0 series lead. Houston also won Game 4, 113–101, to complete the sweep and win back-to-back NBA titles.
* June 10, 2001, NBA Finals, Game 3, Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers. With the series tied at 1, the Sixers were down 89–88 with under a minute left after a three-point play by Kevin Ollie. Brian Shaw found Horry wide open in the corner; he then hit a three-pointer with 47.1 seconds left to give the Lakers a 92–88 lead. Horry, who had been a 44% free throw shooter in the playoffs to that point, also made 4 free throws in the final minute to seal a 96–91 victory. The Sixers never recovered.
* April 28, 2002, Western Conference First Round, Game 3, Los Angeles Lakers at Portland Trail Blazers. Down 91–89 with 10.2 seconds remaining, Kobe Bryant drove on Ruben Patterson and kicked it out to Horry, who hit the game-winning 3 with 2.1 seconds left.
* May 26, 2002, Western Conference Finals, Game 4, Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers. The Kings led 99–97 with 11.8 seconds left. After Kobe Bryant attempted a game-tying shot and missed, Shaquille O'Neal attempted a putback. When that missed, Vlade Divac knocked the ball away to try to run out the clock. However, it went right to Horry, who hit the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 100–99 victory and tie the series at 2 going back to Sacramento for Game 5. L.A. eventually beat the Kings in 7 and went on to win their third straight NBA championship.
* June 19, 2005, NBA Finals, Game 5, San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons. Horry inbounded to Manu Ginóbili, who was cornered by two Pistons defenders. Ginóbili passed it back to Horry on the left wing, who then hit a three-pointer with 5.9 seconds left to give the Spurs a 96–95 victory and a 3–2 series lead heading into Game 6. Horry scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and OT combined to carry the Spurs.
* April 30, 2007, Western Conference First Round, Game 4, San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets. With the Spurs up 90–89 with 35 seconds left, Tony Parker drove into the paint drawing his defender and Horry's defender Marcus Camby away. Parker then passed to an open Horry on the right wing, who hit the three-pointer to give the Spurs a 93–89 advantage. The Spurs won 96–89.

## NBA career statistics
### Regular season

| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 1992–93 | Houston | 79 | 79 | 29.5 | .474 | .255 | .715 | 5.0 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 10.1 |
| 1993–94† | Houston | 81 | 81 | 29.3 | .459 | .324 | .732 | 5.4 | 2.9 | 1.5 | .9 | 9.9 |
| 1994–95† | Houston | 64 | 61 | 32.4 | .447 | .379 | .761 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 10.2 |
| 1995–96 | Houston | 71 | 71 | 37.1 | .410 | .366 | .776 | 5.8 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 12.0 |
| 1996–97 | Phoenix | 32 | 15 | 22.5 | .421 | .308 | .640 | 3.7 | 1.7 | .9 | .8 | 6.9 |
| 1996–97 | L.A. Lakers | 22 | 14 | 30.7 | .455 | .329 | .700 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 9.2 |
| 1997–98 | L.A. Lakers | 72 | 71 | 30.4 | .476 | .204 | .692 | 7.5 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 7.4 |
| 1998–99 | L.A. Lakers | 38 | 5 | 19.6 | .459 | .444 | .739 | 4.0 | 1.5 | .9 | 1.0 | 4.9 |
| 1999–00† | L.A. Lakers | 76 | 0 | 22.2 | .438 | .309 | .788 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 5.7 |
| 2000–01† | L.A. Lakers | 79 | 1 | 20.1 | .387 | .346 | .711 | 3.7 | 1.6 | .7 | .7 | 5.2 |
| 2001–02† | L.A. Lakers | 81 | 23 | 26.4 | .398 | .374 | .783 | 5.9 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 6.8 |
| 2002–03 | L.A. Lakers | 80 | 26 | 29.3 | .387 | .288 | .769 | 6.4 | 2.9 | 1.2 | .8 | 6.5 |
| 2003–04 | San Antonio | 81 | 1 | 15.9 | .405 | .380 | .645 | 3.4 | 1.2 | .6 | .6 | 4.8 |
| 2004–05† | San Antonio | 75 | 16 | 18.6 | .419 | .370 | .789 | 3.6 | 1.1 | .9 | .8 | 6.0 |
| 2005–06 | San Antonio | 63 | 3 | 18.8 | .384 | .368 | .647 | 3.8 | 1.3 | .7 | .8 | 5.1 |
| 2006–07† | San Antonio | 68 | 8 | 16.5 | .359 | .336 | .594 | 3.4 | 1.1 | .7 | .6 | 3.9 |
| 2007–08 | San Antonio | 45 | 5 | 13.0 | .319 | .257 | .643 | 2.4 | 1.0 | .5 | .4 | 2.5 |
| Career | Career | 1,107 | 480 | 24.5 | .425 | .341 | .726 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .9 | 7.0 |

### Playoffs

| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 1993 | Houston | 12 | 12 | 31.2 | .465 | .300 | .741 | 5.2 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 10.5 |
| 1994† | Houston | 23 | 23 | 33.8 | .434 | .382 | .765 | 6.1 | 3.6 | 1.5 | .9 | 11.7 |
| 1995† | Houston | 22 | 22 | 38.2 | .445 | .400 | .744 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 13.1 |
| 1996 | Houston | 8 | 8 | 38.5 | .407 | .396 | .435 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 13.1 |
| 1997 | L.A. Lakers | 9 | 9 | 31.0 | .447 | .429 | .778 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .8 | 6.7 |
| 1998 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | 13 | 32.5 | .557 | .353 | .683 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 8.6 |
| 1999 | L.A. Lakers | 8 | 0 | 22.1 | .462 | .417 | .786 | 4.5 | 1.4 | .8 | .8 | 5.0 |
| 2000† | L.A. Lakers | 23 | 0 | 26.9 | .407 | .288 | .702 | 5.3 | 2.5 | .9 | .8 | 7.6 |
| 2001† | L.A. Lakers | 16 | 0 | 23.9 | .368 | .362 | .591 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 5.9 |
| 2002† | L.A. Lakers | 19 | 14 | 37.0 | .449 | .387 | .789 | 8.1 | 3.2 | 1.7 | .8 | 9.3 |
| 2003 | L.A. Lakers | 12 | 10 | 31.1 | .319 | .053 | .556 | 6.7 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 5.6 |
| 2004 | San Antonio | 10 | 0 | 21.1 | .465 | .364 | .929 | 6.3 | .9 | .8 | .2 | 6.1 |
| 2005† | San Antonio | 23 | 0 | 26.9 | .448 | .447 | .732 | 5.4 | 2.0 | .9 | .9 | 9.3 |
| 2006 | San Antonio | 13 | 5 | 17.2 | .405 | .353 | .731 | 3.7 | .8 | .4 | .7 | 4.2 |
| 2007† | San Antonio | 18 | 0 | 20.1 | .417 | .351 | .824 | 3.9 | 1.6 | .6 | 1.3 | 4.3 |
| 2008 | San Antonio | 15 | 0 | 10.3 | .194 | .227 | .667 | 2.1 | .5 | .3 | .3 | 1.5 |
| Career | Career | 244 | 116 | 28.0 | .426 | .359 | .722 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.1 | .9 | 7.9 |

## Personal life

Horry's first child, daughter Ashlyn, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called 1p36 deletion syndrome, an affliction that develops when part of the first chromosome is missing. She died on June 14, 2011, at the age of 17. His older son Camron Horry plays football at Texas A&M. His younger daughter Jade Horry lives in Los Angeles, California. His younger son Christian "CJ" Horry is following in his footsteps as a basketball player. CJ plays basketball at UCLA in Southern California. Horry coached his AAU Big Shot basketball team in Los Angeles. On September 29, 2019, he married his long-time girlfriend Candice Madrid. Horry appeared as himself in a 2023 episode of the television series The Lincoln Lawyer.