Erik Wickstrom
September 12, 2022
Jarvis Lang
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 25/06/71
- Place of Birth: Greenville, North Carolina (USA)
- Position: PF
- Height (CM): 201
- Weight (KG): 109
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Charlotte (1990–1995)
- NBL DEBUT: 11/04/97
- AGE AT DEBUT: 25
- LAST NBL GAME: 7/06/97
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 25
- NBL History: Melbourne 1997
- Championships: 1
- Melbourne (1997)
BIO: Jarvis Lang was born in Greenville, North Carolina (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Jarvis Lang made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 25 years of age. He scored 24 points in his first game.
Melbourne came into 1997 after South East Melbourne had ended its previous season with a 107-70 game-three Grand Final defeat. Dave Simmons (not re-signed) and Vince Hinchen were the two players from Melbourne’s 1996 playing group who did not return, while Andrew Gaze, Lanard Copeland, Mark Bradtke, Ray Gordon, Blair Smith, Warrick Giddey, Daniel Egan, Erik Wickstrom and Damien Chapman remained under Lindsay Gaze. Brett Rainbow returned after not appearing in 1996, Brett Jefferies (via Pacific Union) joined the roster and the major change saw the Tigers sign Jarvis Lang (via La Crosse) as Simmons’ replacement after he had spent part of the 1996/97 season with the CBA’s La Crosse Bobcats.
Lang (24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) made his NBL debut against Brisbane at the Brisbane Convention Centre on April 11, making 10-of-18 shots as Melbourne fell 111-105. Gaze (33 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Copeland (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Tigers around him, while Steve Woodberry (28 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) was Brisbane’s best.
Lang (19.1 points and 9.1 rebounds across 8 games) started all eight games he played and remained productive when available, but serious knee problems quickly became a major issue and caused him to miss games throughout his short stay. Melbourne’s early problems were compounded by Bradtke returning from a stint with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, with a victory over Adelaide subsequently stripped from the Tigers because the proper clearance paperwork had not been lodged.
Lang’s best game came against reigning champion South East Melbourne at Melbourne Park on April 26, where Lang (26 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) made 10-of-15 shots and all six of his free throws as the Tigers defeated the Magic 97-96 in overtime. Copeland (24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) and Gaze (22 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) provided the main support, while John Dorge (23 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led South East Melbourne.
After missing games during May because of his knee problems, Lang returned against Canberra before making his final NBL appearance at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on June 7. Lang (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block) recorded a double-double as Melbourne lost 124-117, with Gaze (37 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Copeland (32 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) leading the Tigers, while Melvin Thomas (28 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) was Sydney’s best.
Lang did not play again as Melbourne slipped to 3-9 and pressure began building on Lindsay Gaze. With Lang’s knee problems creating too many difficulties, the Tigers decided to release him and search for another import, with North Melbourne coach Brett Brown tipping Andrew Gaze off after spotting Marcus Timmons (via Illawarra) in a Wollongong hotel lobby. After one trial practice, Timmons (17.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks across 22 games) was signed. Timmons later recalled, “The guy that they had before, Jarvis Lang, he was one of my close friends in College — I used to play against him in College.”
Gaze (30.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.4 steals across 35 games) led Melbourne in scoring, won the NBL MVP and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Copeland (23 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists across 35 games) remained the Tigers’ other major perimeter scorer. Bradtke (20.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 30 games) joined Gaze on the All-NBL First Team, while Smith (5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds across 33 games) provided frontcourt depth around Lang’s replacement. Melbourne recovered from its poor start to close the regular season on a 13-game winning streak, finish second at 19-11 behind South East Melbourne and win its second NBL championship.
Jarvis Lang played one season in the NBL. He averaged 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2 assists in 8 NBL games.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 26 | Melbourne | 19-11 (2) | 8 | 339 | 153 | 73 | 16 | 39 | 34 | 7 | 7 | 37 | 31 | 61 | 122 | 50% | 0 | 3 | 0% | 31 | 45 | 69% | 53% | 50% | 26 | Totals | 8 | 339 | 153 | 73 | 16 | 39 | 34 | 7 | 7 | 37 | 31 | 61 | 122 | 50.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 31 | 45 | 68.9% | 54% | 50% | 26 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 26 | Melbourne | 19-11 (2) | 8 | 42.4 | 19.1 | 9.1 | 2.0 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 7.6 | 15.3 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0% | 3.9 | 5.6 | 69% | 53% | 50% | 26 | Total | 8 | 42.4 | 19.1 | 9.1 | 2.0 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 7.6 | 15.3 | 50.0% | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0% | 0.4 | 68.9% | 54% | 50% | 26 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 26 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Italy - Banco di Sardegna Sassari (1995–1996, 1997) | Spain - CB Murcia Airtel (1996–1997) | Finland - Tapiolan Honka (1997–1998) | Switzerland - Geneve Versoix (1998–1999)
Lang played in Italy with Banco di Sardegna Sassari during the 1995–96 season. He played 32 games and scored 647 total points for the club.
In 1996–97, he moved to Spain and appeared for CB Murcia Airtel in the ACB (Liga Endesa), playing five games for 117 total minutes and recording 39 points and 23 rebounds, with per-game averages of 7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds.
Within that Murcia stretch, his single-game highs included 12 points and six rebounds in MUR-FOR on 15/09/1996, and he also posted three steals in that same game, while his season-best blocks mark was one in MAN-MUR on 22/09/1996.
ACB’s career log notes that he was cut by Malcolm Mackey in October 1996, and he then returned to Italy with Sassari in January 1997 as a replacement for George Banks before being cut in February 1997 for Emmeth Hall, a second Sassari stint listed as three games and 30 total points.
Lang then spent the 1997–98 season in Finland with Tapiolan Honka, with ACB listing him as an in-season replacement for Roger Montgomery.
His later European stop is listed in Switzerland for 1998–99 with Geneve Versoix.
COLLEGE
Jarvis Lang played at Charlotte from 1990–91 and 1992–95, building a five-season résumé that finished with 1,855 career points and 1,047 rebounds across 113 games, totals that have been listed among the top marks in school history, and later led to Charlotte retiring his No. 23 jersey.
As a freshman in 1990–91, Lang led all NCAA Division I freshmen in both scoring (19.6 points per game) and rebounding (10.6 rebounds per game), earning Metro Conference Freshman of the Year and All-Metro Freshman Team honours while also being named to ESPN’s freshman-only First Team All-America.
His sophomore season ended almost immediately when he was injured in the second game of 1991–92 and took a medical redshirt year, before returning in 1992–93 and producing 13.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while still earning All-Metro Second Team recognition.
Lang’s production climbed again in 1993–94 as he averaged 16.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, was named to the All-Metro First Team, and received multiple honourable mention All-America selections, with Charlotte’s record book also listing a 32-rebound game against Western Kentucky on February 9, 1991 as one of the program’s notable single-game marks.
In his senior season of 1994–95, Lang repeated as a first-team all-conference selection and was named Metro Conference Player of the Year after averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals and blocks per game, earning the award in its final season before the Metro Conference merged with the Great Midwest Conference to form Conference USA.
By the early 2010s, his career totals were still being referenced as fifth all-time in scoring and second all-time in rebounding at Charlotte, and he remains one of the program’s most decorated frontcourt performers from the Metro era.
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