University of Tennessee Athletics
1986-87 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
White, Tony

Jersey Number 11
Tony White
- Height:
- 6-2
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Charlotte, N.C.
- High School:
- Independence HS
Bio
Nicknamed "The Wizard" because of his explosive, crafty style of play, Tony White is one of only nine Vols in program history to be named SEC Player of the Year. White also was the first Tennessee guard to capture the SEC scoring crown, and he remains one of just six players in program history to score more than 2,000 career points. At the conclusion of his Tennessee career, his 2,219 points ranked fifth on the SEC's all-time list. He was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 33rd overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft and played spent the 1987-88 season with the Bulls, the New York Knicks and then the Golden State Warriors before enjoying a lengthy professional playing career overseas from 1988-2000.
Additional Post-Tennessee Honors: Selected as an SEC Legend in 2002 ... Named to UT Basketball All-Century Team in 2009 ... Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
Additional Post-Tennessee Honors: Selected as an SEC Legend in 2002 ... Named to UT Basketball All-Century Team in 2009 ... Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
CAREER HIGHS
- Points: 51 // vs. Auburn, 2/14/1987
- Rebounds: 10 // vs. Florida State, 12/30/1986
- Assists: 9 // vs. Georgia, 1/30/1986
- Field Goals: 17 // vs. Southern Cal, 12/27/1986
- 3-Pointers: 3 (3x) // last vs. Florida, 2/18/1987
- Free Throws: 18 // vs. Auburn, 2/14/1987
HONORS
- 1987 Third-Team All-American (AP, UPI)
- 1987 UPI Co-SEC Player of the Year
- 1987 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, UPI)
- 1987 SEC Tournament All-Tournament Team
- 1987 First-Team NABC All-District 7
- 1987 Aloha Classic MVP
- 1986 Honorable Mention All-American (AP, Sporting News, UPI)
- 1986 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, UPI)
- 1986 NABC All-District 7
- 1986 Citrus Bowl Classic MVP
- 1985 Third-Team All-SEC (AP, UPI)
- 1985 Sugar Bowl Classic All-Tournament Team
- 1985 Volunteer Classic MVP
- 1984 SEC Tournament All-Tournament Team
- 1984 SEC All-Freshman Team
- 1984 Volunteer Classic All-Tournament Team
1986-87 - SENIOR
- Finished his career as the SEC's No. 5 all-time leading scorer with 2,219 points, second only to Ernie Grunfeld (2,249) in Tennessee program history.
- Among Vols who attempted 500 or more free throws in a career, his .840 percentage (499 of 594) was a UT career record at the conclusion of his career.
- Scored 30 or more points 16 times and averaged 31.8 minutes per game during his Tennessee career.
- For the second straight season, he started every game for the Vols under head coach Don DeVoe.
- Posted a career-best scoring average of 24.5 points per game, joining Bernard King as the only players in program history to win two SEC scoring titles.
- A Wooden Award candidate, he averaged a career-best 3.3 rebounds per game, and his 26 total steals also marked a career-high.
- Shot a career-best .902 at the free-throw line (165 of 183) and also played a career-high 37.6 minutes per game.
- The 1986-87 season marked the collegiate debut of the 3-point line, and White shot .412 (28 of 68) from beyond the arc.
- Totaled a game-high 32 points and eight rebounds as Tennessee thrashed Georgia, 89-68, in the Vols' final game at Stokely Athletics Center (2/28/1987).
- Set the Tennessee single-game scoring record with an electric 51-point performance during the Vols' 103-84 win over Auburn (2/14/1987).
- Scored 35 points against Ole Miss (1/31/1987).
- His best career scoring performance against rival Kentucky was a 32-point outing in Knoxville (1/10/1987).
- Erupted for 49 points and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in UT's one-point overtime loss to Florida State at the 1986 Citrus Bowl Classic in Orlando (12/30/1986).
- Made a career-best 17 field goals during a 39-point effort in UT's overtime loss to Southern Cal in Knoxville (12/27/1986).
1985-86 - JUNIOR
- Started all 28 games for the Vols and was the SEC scoring champion, averaging 22.2 points per game.
- His .505 field-goal percentage (249 of 493) was the second-best of his four years as a Vol.
- His nine assists during Tennessee's 78-77 home win over Georgia (1/30/1986) were a career-high.
- Tied his best scoring performance of the season was a 34-point outburst against LSU (1/11/1986).
- Finished with 34 points while leading the Vols to an 88-70 non-conference home win over Texas A&M (12/7/1985).
1984-85 - SOPHOMORE
- Started 26 of the 36 games in which he appeared as a sophomore while leading UT to the NIT semifinals in New York City.
- Averaged 15.9 points, 2.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game.
- Posted career-highs in field-goal percentage (.512, 221-432) and total assists (77).
1983-84 - FRESHMAN
- Saw action in 34 games as a true freshman, making 16 starts.
- Averaged 9.2 points while shooting .470 from the field and .738 at the foul line.
- Also averaged 1,7 assists and 1.3 rebounds per game as the Vols advanced to the third round of the NIT.
- His first career 30-point game was a 30-point performance in Tennessee's 80-74 overtime win over Florida at the 1984 SEC Tournament in Nashville (3/8/84).
HIGH SCHOOL
- Graduated from Independence High School in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
PERSONAL
- Full name is Tony F. White
- Born Feb. 15, 1965, in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Tony's son, Tony White Jr., played basketball at College of Charleston from 2006-10.
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