BIO: Mark Sanford was born in Dallas Texas (USA) to Beverley and Richard Sanford. He is the second oldest of five children, Richard, Anthony, Zakirah, and Crystal. In his early years he was a big football fan. He played and was coached by his father Richard until his untimely murder in 1990. Richard Sanford never saw his son play basketball. When he died, Mark was 14 years old, stood 5 feet 8 inches and played football. Mark told his father that he would play in the NFL, but in his heart – even back then – he felt he would never leave the impoverished neighborhood of South Oak Cliff, in Dallas, Texas.

In the year following his father’s death, Mark grew 8 inches, going from 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 6 inches.

He stopped growing at 6 feet 10 inches. Sanford attended Dallas Carter High School and did not start playing basketball until he was in the tenth grade. In his first year of playing organized basketball Sanford won a share of the Sophomore of the Year award with Maceo Baston of Spruce High School.

Halfway through his junior year, he transferred to Carter’s cross town rival Kimball High School. That year he led Kimball to a undefeated record the second half of the season while averaging 26 ppg 14rebs and 4blk. Their only loss came in the Championship game to Waco High School. Kimball finished the season ranked number 6 in the Southwest.

In 1999, during the strike-shortened NBA lockout season, Sanford opted to join the Harlem Globetrotters.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Mark Sanford made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 28 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

Mark Sanford played one season in the NBL. He averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 36 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (833 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.