Dr Dave Adkins and why he should be in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
February 14, 2021
Donald Whiteside
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 25/04/69
- Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois (USA)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 178
- Weight (KG): 73
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Northern Illinois (1987–1991)
NBL CAREER OVERVIEW
NBL DEBUT
25/04/92
Age 23
LAST NBL GAME
25/09/93
Age 24
TEAM HISTORY
- Hobart1992-93
CHAMPIONSHIPS
None
BIO: Donald Whiteside was born in Chicago, Illinois (USA).
In 1992, Whiteside had a brief stint with the Goldfields Giants, before going on to play two seasons in the NBL.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Donald Whiteside made his NBL debut with the Hobart Devils at 23 years of age. He scored 12 points in his first game.
1993
After a challenging season with Cal Bruton serving as both player and coach, the Hobart Devils shifted direction in 1993, opting not to renew Bruton’s contract. Alongside Bruton, the team parted ways with import standout Joe Hurst and veteran Shane Froling, while promising young big man David Stiff departed to play college basketball at Boston College.
Despite these notable exits, the Devils retained a core group featuring prolific scorer Wayne McDaniel, sharp-shooting import guard Donald Whiteside, reliable forward Andrew Svaldenis, perimeter threat David Close, and rising second-year guard Anthony Stewart. Injuries soon created challenges, with both McDaniel and Close missing stretches of the season, prompting the team to bring in Mike Kelly as an injury replacement; Kelly delivered a notable short stint, averaging (19.5 points, 9 rebounds, 2.5 steals) across two games.
Throughout the season, Donald Whiteside emerged as a key offensive force and playmaker, delivering multiple standout performances. On April 23 against Newcastle, Whiteside exploded for 28 points (12-of-16 FG, 4-of-7 3PT), along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists in one of his best all-around efforts. Against Geelong on April 17, he posted 23 points (7-of-12 FG, 2-of-5 3PT, 7-of-9 FT) and 6 rebounds while dishing 6 assists. On July 25 versus Melbourne, Whiteside poured in 26 points (10-of-20 FG, 6-of-6 FT) and added 3 assists, showing his ability to carry the scoring load.
Whiteside’s consistency extended late into the season. On August 28 against Adelaide, he delivered another 26-point performance (11-of-17 FG, 3-of-4 3PT), while on September 24 against Canberra, he posted 26 points (9-of-13 FG, 3-of-6 3PT, 5-of-5 FT) with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Whiteside’s balanced contributions—averaging (15.2 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.5 steals across 26 games)—kept Hobart’s offense afloat even as the team struggled for wins.
Despite Whiteside’s efforts, the Devils were unable to consistently compete with the league’s top teams, finishing with a 6–20 record and a 13th-place standing. Supporting contributions came from McDaniel (20.2 points, 8.9 rebounds), Svaldenis (15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds), Close (13.2 points, 2.9 assists), Stewart (11 points, 3.7 assists), and Jim Havrilla (9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds). Still, Whiteside’s playmaking and perimeter scoring stood out as one of the team’s most reliable weapons, cementing his importance to the Devils’ offensive structure in an otherwise difficult campaign.
Donald Whiteside played two seasons with the Hobart Devils. He averaged 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 47 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 31st in assists per game.
– 12th in steals per game.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 24 | Hobart | 6-20 (13) | 26 | 1,087 | 394 | 78 | 146 | 24 | 54 | 64 | 6 | 85 | 72 | 145 | 315 | 46% | 50 | 129 | 39% | 54 | 72 | 75% | 57% | 54% | 28 |
| 1992 | 23 | Hobart | 9-15 (11) | 21 | 811 | 315 | 64 | 130 | 25 | 39 | 57 | 7 | 79 | 67 | 110 | 244 | 45% | 51 | 130 | 39% | 44 | 56 | 79% | 59% | 56% | 26 | Totals | 47 | 1898 | 709 | 142 | 276 | 49 | 93 | 121 | 13 | 164 | 139 | 255 | 559 | 45.6% | 101 | 259 | 39.0% | 98 | 128 | 76.6% | 58% | 55% | 28 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 24 | Hobart | 6-20 (13) | 26 | 41.8 | 15.2 | 3.0 | 5.6 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 12.1 | 46% | 1.9 | 5.0 | 39% | 2.1 | 2.8 | 75% | 57% | 54% | 28 |
| 1992 | 23 | Hobart | 9-15 (11) | 21 | 38.6 | 15.0 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 11.6 | 45% | 2.4 | 6.2 | 39% | 2.1 | 2.7 | 79% | 59% | 56% | 26 | Total | 47 | 40.4 | 15.1 | 3.0 | 5.9 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 5.4 | 11.9 | 45.6% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 39.0% | 2.1 | 5.5 | 76.6% | 58% | 55% | 28 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 28 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Goldfields 1992
Whiteside joined Goldfields for the 1992 State Basketball League season, playing with the Kalgoorlie club after completing his college career at Northern Illinois.
NBA EXPERIENCE
In 1996, while playing in the local Chicago Summer Pro-Am League which featured Kendall Gill, Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, Stephon Marbury, Kevin Garnett, and Randy Brown he won tournament MVP which surprising led to a phone call from Isiah Thomas, then-general manager of the Toronto Raptors.
During 1996-97, Whiteside would average close to 3.0 ppg. in 27 games for the Raptors. The following season he played in three games with the Atlanta Hawks.
He also spent time in the Continental Basketball Association and the American Basketball Association.
Whiteside played 30 games in the NBA. He averaged 2 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- October 3, 1996: Signed as a free agent with the Toronto Raptors.
-
January 6, 1997: Waived by the Toronto Raptors.
-
September 26, 1997: Signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks.
-
November 7, 1997: Waived by the Atlanta Hawks.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 83% | 99% | 99% | 70% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 28 | 12 | 7 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 255 | 559 | 45.6% | 101 | 259 | 39.0% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 28 | Atlanta | PG | 3 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 35% | 50% | |||
| 1996-97 | 27 | Toronto | PG | 27 | 1 | 259 | 59 | 12 | 36 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 23 | 18 | 55 | 12 | 36 | 11 | 15 | 48% | 44% | Total | 30 | 1 | 275 | 61 | 13 | 37 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 23 | 19 | 57 | 33% | 12 | 37 | 32% | 11 | 17 | 65% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 28 | Atlanta | PG | 3 | 0 | 5.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 35% | 50% | ||
| 1996-97 | 27 | Toronto | PG | 27 | 1 | 9.6 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 33% | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 48% | 44% | Total | 30 | 1 | 9.2 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 33% | 0.4 | 1.2 | 32% | 0.4 | 0.6 | 65% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
-
Venezuela
- Caracas1993–1994
Latvia
- Rīgas1994–1995
Czech Republic
- BK Opava1997–1998
Spain
- Cáceres CB1998–1999
Whiteside played the 1997–98 season in the Czech Republic with BK Opava, where the club’s 1997–98 NBL campaign finished as league champion and Czech Cup winner.
In 1998–99, he moved to Spain with Cáceres CB in Liga Endesa, appearing in eight league games (139 total minutes) and recording 51 points and 14 assists. In a game against Unicaja Baloncesto, he logged 27:31 and scored 10 points.
COLLEGE
Donald Whiteside played four seasons at Northern Illinois (1987–1991) and finished as one of the most decorated perimeter players in school history, producing 1,155 career points and 313 career assists to become only the second NIU men’s player to reach both 1,000 points and 300 assists in a career, while also piling up 131 career steals.
At Northern Illinois University Whiteside played a major role in the Huskies’ record-setting 25-6 season in 1991, averaging 11.7 points and 35.1 minutes as a senior when Northern Illinois won the Mid-Continent Conference regular-season championship before going on to face St. John’s University in the NCAA Tournament, and on that 1990–91 group he added a team-best 3.5 assists per game while earning All-Mid-Continent Conference First Team honours and a place on the Mid-Continent Conference All-Tournament Team.
Whiteside’s NIU résumé also includes three UPI “Small-America” selections (including First Team in 1990–91), two seasons as a team captain, and an efficiency profile that saw him average roughly one turnover every 14.5 minutes across his final two seasons, while he led Northern Illinois in assists in three straight seasons and built a long-running record book footprint that included eight school three-point records—highlighted by single-game (8), single-season (78), and career (204) marks.
He still holds the school three-point records and ranks sixth on the school’s all-time assist list with 313 career dimes, with later NIU record updates also listing him inside the top 10 all-time for assists and sixth all-time for steals, underlining how much of the late-1980s and early-1990s Huskies’ backcourt production flowed through him across all four letterwinning seasons.
Related
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