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Earl Cureton

Earl Cureton (The Twirl)

Position: Forward-Center ▪ Height: 6-9 ▪ Weight: 210 lbs.
Born: September 3, 1957 in Detroit, Michigan
High School: Finney in Detroit, Michigan
College: University of Detroit Mercy
Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 3rd round (14th pick, 58th overall), 1979 NBA Draft
NBA Debut: October 10, 1980

25 23 25 25 25 35 35

Totals

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 ▪ 
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1980-81 23 PHI NBA 52 528 93 205 .454 0 1 .000 33 64 .516 51 104 155 25 20 23 29 68 219
1981-82 24 PHI NBA 66 8 956 149 306 .487 0 2 .000 51 94 .543 90 180 270 32 31 27 44 142 349
1982-83 25 PHI NBA 73 3 987 108 258 .419 0 0 33 67 .493 84 185 269 43 37 24 76 144 249
1983-84 26 DET NBA 73 0 907 81 177 .458 0 1 .000 31 59 .525 86 201 287 36 24 31 55 143 193
1984-85 27 DET NBA 81 1 1642 207 428 .484 0 3 .000 82 144 .569 169 250 419 83 56 42 114 216 496
1985-86 28 DET NBA 80 19 2017 285 564 .505 0 2 .000 117 211 .555 198 306 504 137 58 58 150 239 687
1986-87 29 TOT NBA 78 47 1973 243 510 .476 0 2 .000 82 152 .539 212 240 452 122 33 56 80 188 568
1986-87 29 CHI NBA 43 36 1105 129 276 .467 0 1 .000 39 73 .534 113 114 227 70 15 26 45 102 297
1986-87 29 LAC NBA 35 11 868 114 234 .487 0 1 .000 43 79 .544 99 126 225 52 18 30 35 86 271
1987-88 30 LAC NBA 69 11 1128 133 310 .429 0 3 .000 33 63 .524 97 174 271 63 32 36 58 135 299
1988-89 31 CHH NBA 82 41 2047 233 465 .501 0 1 .000 66 123 .537 188 300 488 130 50 61 114 230 532
1990-91 33 CHH NBA 9 1 159 8 24 .333 0 1 .000 1 3 .333 6 30 36 3 0 3 6 16 17
1993-94 36 HOU NBA 2 0 30 2 8 .250 0 0 0 2 .000 4 8 12 0 0 0 1 4 4
1996-97 39 TOR NBA 9 0 46 3 8 .375 0 0 1 3 .333 4 5 9 4 0 0 1 10 7
Career NBA 674 131 12420 1545 3263 .473 0 16 .000 530 985 .538 1189 1983 3172 678 341 361 728 1535 3620

Per Game

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 ▪ 
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1980-81 23 PHI NBA 52 10.2 1.8 3.9 .454 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 1.2 .516 1.0 2.0 3.0 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.6 1.3 4.2
1981-82 24 PHI NBA 66 8 14.5 2.3 4.6 .487 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.4 .543 1.4 2.7 4.1 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.7 2.2 5.3
1982-83 25 PHI NBA 73 3 13.5 1.5 3.5 .419 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.9 .493 1.2 2.5 3.7 0.6 0.5 0.3 1.0 2.0 3.4
1983-84 26 DET NBA 73 0 12.4 1.1 2.4 .458 0.0 0.0 .000 0.4 0.8 .525 1.2 2.8 3.9 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.8 2.0 2.6
1984-85 27 DET NBA 81 1 20.3 2.6 5.3 .484 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.8 .569 2.1 3.1 5.2 1.0 0.7 0.5 1.4 2.7 6.1
1985-86 28 DET NBA 80 19 25.2 3.6 7.1 .505 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 2.6 .555 2.5 3.8 6.3 1.7 0.7 0.7 1.9 3.0 8.6
1986-87 29 TOT NBA 78 47 25.3 3.1 6.5 .476 0.0 0.0 .000 1.1 1.9 .539 2.7 3.1 5.8 1.6 0.4 0.7 1.0 2.4 7.3
1986-87 29 CHI NBA 43 36 25.7 3.0 6.4 .467 0.0 0.0 .000 0.9 1.7 .534 2.6 2.7 5.3 1.6 0.3 0.6 1.0 2.4 6.9
1986-87 29 LAC NBA 35 11 24.8 3.3 6.7 .487 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 2.3 .544 2.8 3.6 6.4 1.5 0.5 0.9 1.0 2.5 7.7
1987-88 30 LAC NBA 69 11 16.3 1.9 4.5 .429 0.0 0.0 .000 0.5 0.9 .524 1.4 2.5 3.9 0.9 0.5 0.5 0.8 2.0 4.3
1988-89 31 CHH NBA 82 41 25.0 2.8 5.7 .501 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.5 .537 2.3 3.7 6.0 1.6 0.6 0.7 1.4 2.8 6.5
1990-91 33 CHH NBA 9 1 17.7 0.9 2.7 .333 0.0 0.1 .000 0.1 0.3 .333 0.7 3.3 4.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.7 1.8 1.9
1993-94 36 HOU NBA 2 0 15.0 1.0 4.0 .250 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 .000 2.0 4.0 6.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 2.0 2.0
1996-97 39 TOR NBA 9 0 5.1 0.3 0.9 .375 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 .333 0.4 0.6 1.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.1 0.8
Career NBA 674 131 18.4 2.3 4.8 .473 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.5 .538 1.8 2.9 4.7 1.0 0.5 0.5 1.1 2.3 5.4

Per 36 Minutes

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 ▪ 
Season Age Tm Lg G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1980-81 23 PHI NBA 52 528 6.3 14.0 .454 0.0 0.1 .000 2.3 4.4 .516 3.5 7.1 10.6 1.7 1.4 1.6 2.0 4.6 14.9
1981-82 24 PHI NBA 66 8 956 5.6 11.5 .487 0.0 0.1 .000 1.9 3.5 .543 3.4 6.8 10.2 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.7 5.3 13.1
1982-83 25 PHI NBA 73 3 987 3.9 9.4 .419 0.0 0.0 1.2 2.4 .493 3.1 6.7 9.8 1.6 1.3 0.9 2.8 5.3 9.1
1983-84 26 DET NBA 73 0 907 3.2 7.0 .458 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 2.3 .525 3.4 8.0 11.4 1.4 1.0 1.2 2.2 5.7 7.7
1984-85 27 DET NBA 81 1 1642 4.5 9.4 .484 0.0 0.1 .000 1.8 3.2 .569 3.7 5.5 9.2 1.8 1.2 0.9 2.5 4.7 10.9
1985-86 28 DET NBA 80 19 2017 5.1 10.1 .505 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.8 .555 3.5 5.5 9.0 2.4 1.0 1.0 2.7 4.3 12.3
1986-87 29 TOT NBA 78 47 1973 4.4 9.3 .476 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 2.8 .539 3.9 4.4 8.2 2.2 0.6 1.0 1.5 3.4 10.4
1986-87 29 CHI NBA 43 36 1105 4.2 9.0 .467 0.0 0.0 .000 1.3 2.4 .534 3.7 3.7 7.4 2.3 0.5 0.8 1.5 3.3 9.7
1986-87 29 LAC NBA 35 11 868 4.7 9.7 .487 0.0 0.0 .000 1.8 3.3 .544 4.1 5.2 9.3 2.2 0.7 1.2 1.5 3.6 11.2
1987-88 30 LAC NBA 69 11 1128 4.2 9.9 .429 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 2.0 .524 3.1 5.6 8.6 2.0 1.0 1.1 1.9 4.3 9.5
1988-89 31 CHH NBA 82 41 2047 4.1 8.2 .501 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 2.2 .537 3.3 5.3 8.6 2.3 0.9 1.1 2.0 4.0 9.4
1990-91 33 CHH NBA 9 1 159 1.8 5.4 .333 0.0 0.2 .000 0.2 0.7 .333 1.4 6.8 8.2 0.7 0.0 0.7 1.4 3.6 3.8
1993-94 36 HOU NBA 2 0 30 2.4 9.6 .250 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 .000 4.8 9.6 14.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 4.8 4.8
1996-97 39 TOR NBA 9 0 46 2.3 6.3 .375 0.0 0.0 0.8 2.3 .333 3.1 3.9 7.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.8 7.8 5.5
Career NBA 674 131 12420 4.5 9.5 .473 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 2.9 .538 3.4 5.7 9.2 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.1 4.4 10.5

Advanced

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 ▪ 
Season Age Tm Lg G MP PER TS% eFG% ORB% DRB% TRB% AST% STL% BLK% TOV% USG% ORtg DRtg OWS DWS WS WS/48
1980-81 23 PHI NBA 52 528 13.8 .470 .454 11.4 20.0 16.0 6.4 1.8 2.4 11.1 20.0 99 97 0.1 1.1 1.2 .109
1981-82 24 PHI NBA 66 956 12.8 .502 .487 11.1 20.3 15.9 4.4 1.5 1.6 11.2 17.0 104 102 0.6 1.5 2.1 .103
1982-83 25 PHI NBA 73 987 8.1 .433 .419 9.4 19.0 14.4 5.5 1.8 1.3 20.9 14.6 87 99 -0.9 1.7 0.8 .041
1983-84 26 DET NBA 73 907 8.6 .475 .458 9.7 24.5 16.8 4.6 1.2 1.9 21.3 10.9 95 105 -0.2 1.2 1.0 .051
1984-85 27 DET NBA 81 1642 10.2 .505 .484 10.3 16.6 13.3 6.0 1.6 1.4 18.8 14.1 99 106 0.0 2.0 2.0 .060
1985-86 28 DET NBA 80 2017 11.7 .523 .505 10.2 16.5 13.3 8.4 1.3 1.6 18.6 15.7 101 107 0.5 2.1 2.6 .061
1986-87 29 TOT NBA 78 1973 11.3 .492 .476 11.5 14.3 12.8 8.6 0.8 1.7 12.2 13.7 107 111 1.3 1.4 2.7 .065
1986-87 29 CHI NBA 43 1105 10.3 .482 .467 11.4 11.9 11.7 8.6 0.7 1.4 12.7 13.5 106 110 0.6 0.9 1.5 .066
1986-87 29 LAC NBA 35 868 12.5 .504 .487 11.6 17.3 14.2 8.5 1.0 2.0 11.5 13.9 109 112 0.7 0.5 1.2 .064
1987-88 30 LAC NBA 69 1128 9.2 .443 .429 8.8 17.0 12.8 8.1 1.4 1.8 14.7 14.3 93 107 -0.6 1.3 0.7 .029
1988-89 31 CHH NBA 82 2047 10.1 .512 .501 9.7 17.1 13.2 8.4 1.2 1.8 18.0 12.7 101 111 0.3 1.2 1.5 .035
1990-91 33 CHH NBA 9 159 2.4 .336 .333 4.2 22.3 13.0 2.4 0.0 1.2 19.2 8.4 70 111 -0.2 0.1 -0.1 -0.041
1993-94 36 HOU NBA 2 30 2.2 .225 .250 15.7 28.1 22.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.1 14.6 66 101 -0.1 0.0 0.0 -0.060
1996-97 39 TOR NBA 9 46 4.9 .376 .375 9.9 13.1 11.5 13.1 0.0 0.0 9.7 10.0 102 113 0.0 0.0 0.0 .026
Career NBA 674 12420 10.4 .490 .473 10.2 17.6 13.8 7.1 1.3 1.7 16.5 14.3 99 107 0.7 13.6 14.4 .056

Playoffs

Totals Shooting Per Game
Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1980-81 23 PHI NBA 9 36 6 18 0 0 0 2 1 9 2 1 2 1 3 12 .333 .000 4.0 1.3 1.0 0.2
1981-82 24 PHI NBA 12 75 13 41 0 1 6 9 12 26 2 1 1 5 12 32 .317 .000 .667 6.3 2.7 2.2 0.2
1982-83 25 PHI NBA 5 25 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 2 0 3 5 2 .250 5.0 0.4 1.0 0.2
1983-84 26 DET NBA 5 93 15 31 0 0 2 6 14 33 2 2 1 5 9 32 .484 .333 18.6 6.4 6.6 0.4
1984-85 27 DET NBA 9 133 16 34 0 1 5 9 10 41 4 9 2 4 20 37 .471 .000 .556 14.8 4.1 4.6 0.4
1985-86 28 DET NBA 4 126 17 31 0 1 2 8 12 30 9 3 0 5 14 36 .548 .000 .250 31.5 9.0 7.5 2.3
1993-94 36 HOU NBA 10 100 8 10 0 0 2 2 6 29 2 1 2 3 20 18 .800 1.000 10.0 1.8 2.9 0.2
Career NBA 54 588 76 169 0 3 17 36 55 173 22 19 8 26 83 169 .450 .000 .472 10.9 3.1 3.2 0.4

Playoffs Advanced

Season Age Tm Lg G MP PER TS% eFG% ORB% DRB% TRB% AST% STL% BLK% TOV% USG% ORtg DRtg OWS DWS WS WS/48
1980-81 23 PHI NBA 9 36 8.0 .318 .333 3.3 23.9 14.1 8.4 1.4 3.1 5.0 23.2 74 102 -0.1 0.0 -0.1 -0.075
1981-82 24 PHI NBA 12 75 8.5 .356 .317 18.6 20.3 19.5 3.8 0.7 0.8 10.0 27.9 85 105 -0.2 0.1 -0.1 -0.046
1982-83 25 PHI NBA 5 25 -1.3 .250 .250 0.0 21.7 11.2 4.9 4.0 0.0 42.9 11.7 37 95 -0.1 0.1 0.0 -0.095
1983-84 26 DET NBA 5 93 13.0 .476 .484 15.9 23.4 19.5 3.1 1.0 0.6 12.9 16.6 102 107 0.0 0.1 0.1 .068
1984-85 27 DET NBA 9 133 12.0 .487 .471 7.6 25.7 16.3 3.6 3.1 0.8 9.5 12.3 107 107 0.1 0.2 0.2 .087
1985-86 28 DET NBA 4 126 10.9 .521 .548 9.7 16.8 13.0 9.0 1.1 0.0 12.7 12.4 110 115 0.1 0.1 0.1 .057
1993-94 36 HOU NBA 10 100 9.9 .827 .800 7.3 24.2 16.4 3.0 0.5 1.4 21.6 6.5 136 102 0.2 0.1 0.3 .144
Career NBA 54 588 10.3 .457 .450 10.1 22.2 16.2 5.0 1.5 0.8 12.3 14.7 99 107 -0.1 0.7 0.6 .053

Similarity Scores

Explanation ▪ Players with careers of similar quality and shape (thru 2010-11)
Thru 12 Years Win Shares (Best to Worst)
Player Sim 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Earl Cureton 2.7 2.6 2.1 2.0 1.5 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.0 0.0 -0.1
Tony Massenburg 87.6 2.8 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.4 0.2 -0.1
Tom Hammonds 87.0 2.6 2.4 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.5 -0.1
Robert Traylor 83.0 2.5 2.5 2.4 1.9 1.8 1.2 1.0
Bill Willoughby 82.6 3.0 2.6 1.8 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9
Jud Buechler 82.0 2.9 2.3 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.2 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.4
Corky Calhoun 81.2 3.1 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.1 1.3 1.0 0.0
Matt Bullard 80.3 3.4 2.6 2.5 2.4 1.8 1.7 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.2 0.1
Brian Skinner 78.8 4.1 2.7 1.9 1.9 1.2 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.0
Corie Blount 78.7 3.1 2.6 2.4 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.2 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.7
Steve Kuberski 78.2 2.6 2.3 1.7 1.7 1.2 1.1 0.6 0.2 0.0
Career Win Shares (Best to Worst)
Player Sim 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Earl Cureton 2.7 2.6 2.1 2.0 1.5 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.0 0.0 -0.1
Tom Hammonds 87.0 2.6 2.4 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.5 -0.1
Robert Traylor 83.0 2.5 2.5 2.4 1.9 1.8 1.2 1.0
Bill Willoughby 82.6 3.0 2.6 1.8 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9
Tony Massenburg 82.3 2.8 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.4 0.2 -0.1
Jud Buechler 82.0 2.9 2.3 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.2 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.4
Corky Calhoun 81.2 3.1 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.1 1.3 1.0 0.0
Matt Bullard 80.3 3.4 2.6 2.5 2.4 1.8 1.7 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.2 0.1
Brian Skinner 78.7 4.1 2.7 1.9 1.9 1.2 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.0
Corie Blount 78.7 3.1 2.6 2.4 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.2 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.7
Steve Kuberski 78.2 2.6 2.3 1.7 1.7 1.2 1.1 0.6 0.2 0.0

College

Light text indicates college freshman or JV participant
Totals Shooting Per Game
Season Age College G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1975-76 18 ROBMORPA 28 227 405 14.5 8.1
1976-77 19 ROBMORPA 26 196 418 54 101 274 18 446 .469 .535 17.2 10.5 0.7
1978-79 21 DETROIT 28 744 138 270 51 75 251 35 327 .511 .680 26.6 11.7 9.0 1.3
1979-80 22 DETROIT 27 893 236 448 66 109 246 44 538 .527 .606 33.1 19.9 9.1 1.6
Career 109 1637 570 1136 171 285 998 97 1716 .502 .600 29.8 15.7 9.2 1.2

Appearances on Leaderboards, Awards, and Honors

Championships
(Minimum 1 playoff game)
1983 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)
1994 Houston Rockets (NBA)
Games
1988-89 NBA 82 (1)
Hall of Fame Probability
Career 0.000 (738)

Transactions

June 25, 1979: Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 3rd round (58th pick) of the 1979 NBA Draft.

November 12, 1983: Signed as a veteran free agent with the Detroit Pistons; the Philadelphia 76ers received a 1989 2nd round draft pick (Toney Mack) and a 1990 2nd round draft pick (Stefano Rusconi) as compensation.

August 21, 1986: Traded by the Detroit Pistons with a 1987 2nd round draft pick (Rickie Winslow) to the Chicago Bulls for Sidney Green.

February 11, 1987: Traded by the Chicago Bulls to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 1989 2nd round draft pick (Chucky Brown).

July 1, 1988: Released by the Los Angeles Clippers.

July 18, 1988: Signed as a free agent with the Charlotte Hornets.

October 7, 1992: Signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons.

October 21, 1992: Waived by the Detroit Pistons.

April 21, 1994: Signed as a free agent with the Houston Rockets.

July 16, 1996: Released by the Houston Rockets.

December 2, 1996: Signed as a free agent with the Toronto Raptors.

February 13, 1997: Retired from the Toronto Raptors.

Salaries

Season Team Lg Salary
1985-86 Detroit Pistons NBA $210,000
1987-88 Los Angeles Clippers NBA $265,000
1988-89 Charlotte Hornets NBA $180,000
1996-97 Toronto Raptors NBA $205,200
Career (may be incomplete) $860,200

Links

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