View source for Blue Edwards

{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name            = Blue Edwards
| image           = 
| width           = 
| caption         = 
| height_ft       = 6
| height_in       = 4
| weight_lb       = 200
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1965|10|31}}
| birth_place     = [[Washington, D.C.]], U.S.
| death_date      = 
| death_place     = 
| high_school     = [[Greene Central High School|Greene Central]]<br />([[Snow Hill, North Carolina]])
| college         = 
*[[Louisburg College]] (1984–1986)
*[[East Carolina Pirates men's basketball|East Carolina]] (1986–1989)
| draft_year      = 1989
| draft_round     = 1
| draft_pick      = 21
| draft_team      = [[Utah Jazz]]
| career_start    = 1989
| career_end      = 2001
| career_number   = 30, 32
| career_position = [[Shooting guard]] / [[small forward]]
| years1={{nbay|1989|start}}–{{nbay|1991|end}} |team1=[[Utah Jazz]]
| years2={{nbay|1992|start}}–{{nbay|1993|end}} |team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]]
| years3={{nbay|1994|full=y}} |team3=[[Boston Celtics]]
| years4={{nbay|1994|end}} |team4=Utah Jazz
| years5={{nbay|1995|start}}–{{nbay|1997|end}} |team5=[[Vancouver Grizzlies]]
| years6={{nbay|1998|end}} |team6=[[Miami Heat]]
| years7=1999–2000|team7=[[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos]]
| years8=2000–2001|team8=[[Dafni BC|Dafni]]
| highlights      = 
* [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]] ({{nbay|1989|end}})
* [[Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year|CAA Player of the Year]] (1989)
* First-team All-[[Colonial Athletic Association|CAA]] (1989)
| stats_league    = NBA
| stat1label      = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value      = 7,585 (10.8 ppg)
| stat2label      = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value      = 2,376 (3.4 rpg)
| stat3label      = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value      = 1,409 (3.0 apg)
}}

'''Theodore''' "'''Blue'''" '''Edwards''' (born October 31, 1965) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player who played ten seasons in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). Edwards now coaches at his alma mater, [[Greene Central High School]] in [[Snow Hill, North Carolina]].

==Early life ==
Edwards' hometown was [[Walstonburg, North Carolina]]. He attended Greene Central High School, in Snow Hill, North Carolina where he played on the basketball team.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Greene Central hires "Blue" Edwards as new head basketball coach|url=https://www.witn.com/content/sports/Greene-Central-hires-Blue-Edwards-as-new-head-basketball-coach--484997401.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-15|website=WITN News|date=8 June 2018 |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215044302/https://www.witn.com/content/sports/Greene-Central-hires-Blue-Edwards-as-new-head-basketball-coach--484997401.html |archive-date=2021-12-15 }}</ref>

== College basketball career ==
From 1984 to 1986, Edwards played basketball at [[Louisburg College]] in [[Louisburg, North Carolina]].<ref name=":0" />

In the late 1980s, he played for [[East Carolina University]]. In 1988–89, Edwards scored 773 points, the most points in a single season for ECU. He also finished sixth in the nation in scoring.<ref name=":0" />

In 1987, Edwards was suspended from the season after being found guilty of breaking and entering.<ref>[http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/archives/subathletics.cfm ECU pirates website explaining Edwards breaking-in incident] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324044230/http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/archives/subathletics.cfm |date=March 24, 2007 }}</ref>  In 1994, Edwards became a member of the East Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame.<ref name=":0" />

== NBA career ==
He was selected by the [[Utah Jazz]] with the 21st overall pick of the [[1989 NBA draft]] out of [[East Carolina University]] and was a member of the 1990 NBA All-Rookie 2nd team. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1992 and tied for scoring with [[Frank Brickowski]] for the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] during the [[1992–93 NBA season|1992–93 season]] with 16.9 points per game<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.basketballreference.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=MIL&lg=N&yr=1992 |title=Milwaukee Bucks (1968 - ) 1992 Stats, History, Awards and More |access-date=2010-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120012933/http://basketballreference.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=MIL&lg=n&yr=1992 |archive-date=2010-11-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (although at 16.85, Edwards' average was slightly lower than Brickowski's 16.89).

Edwards was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 26th selection in the [[1995 NBA expansion draft|1995 NBA expansion draft]], having been left unprotected by the [[Utah Jazz]]. He recorded the first [[triple-double]] in the history of the [[Vancouver Grizzlies]] (also his first) on March 1, 1996, against the [[Dallas Mavericks]] with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. In the Grizzlies' first season, he ranked fourth overall in points per game (12.7).

Edwards won several games with last-second shots, including a game winning bucket against the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] that ended the Grizzlies' 23-game losing streak. The shot prevented the Grizzlies from tying the [[National Basketball Association]] record for most consecutive losses. He also hit a last-second game winning shot against the [[Philadelphia 76ers]]. He was also the only Grizzly to play and start all 82 games.

Due to Edwards' dunking ability, he was invited to the 1990 [[NBA Slam Dunk Contest]] in which he did not take part due to injury, and was replaced by [[David Benoit (basketball)|David Benoit]]. However, he did take part in the 1991 event, placing 6th. Edwards wore number 30 throughout his career until he moved to the Miami Heat where he wore 32 as 30 was in use by [[Terry Porter]].

After his NBA career, Edwards played overseas.<ref>[http://www.athensnews.gr/old_issue/12784/3685 Day of the underdog - 'small team' players make it big in A1 league] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321004402/http://www.athensnews.gr/old_issue/12784/3685 |date=March 21, 2012 }}</ref>

==NBA career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1989–90 NBA season|1989–90]]
| align="left" | [[1989-90 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| '''82''' || 49 || 23.0 || .507 || .300 || .719 || 3.1 || 1.8 || 0.9 || 0.4 || 8.9
|-
| align="left" | [[1990–91 NBA season|1990–91]]
| align="left" | [[1990-91 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 62 || 56 || 26.0 || '''.526''' || .250 || .701 || 3.2 || 1.7 || 0.9 || 0.5 || 9.3
|-
| align="left" | [[1991–92 NBA season|1991–92]]
| align="left" | [[1991-92 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 81 || 81 || 28.2 || .522 || .379 || .774 || 3.7 || 1.7 || 1.0 || '''0.6''' || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | [[1992–93 NBA season|1992–93]]
| align="left" | [[1992-93 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| '''82''' || 81 || 33.3 || .512 || .349 || .790 || '''4.7''' || '''2.6''' || '''1.6''' || 0.5 || '''16.9'''
|-
| align="left" | [[1993–94 NBA season|1993–94]]
| align="left" | [[1993-94 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| '''82''' || 64 || 28.3 || .478 || .358 || .799 || 4.0 || 2.1 || 1.0 || 0.3 || 11.6
|-
| align="left" | [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95]]
| align="left" | [[1994-95 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| 31 || 7 || 16.4 || .426 || .256 || '''.896''' || 2.1 || 1.5 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 7.1
|-
| align="left" | [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95]]
| align="left" | [[1994-95 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 36 || 0 || 16.8 || .495 || .344 || .762 || 1.8 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 0.2 || 6.6
|-
| align="left" | [[1995–96 NBA season|1995–96]]
| align="left" | [[1995-96 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| '''82''' || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''82'''* || '''33.8''' || .419 || .343 || .755 || 4.2 || '''2.6''' || 1.4 || '''0.6''' || 12.7
|-
| align="left" | [[1996–97 NBA season|1996–97]]
| align="left" | [[1996-97 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| 61 || 12 || 23.6 || .397 || .281 || .817 || 3.1 || 1.9 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 7.8
|-
| align="left" | [[1997–98 NBA season|1997–98]]
| align="left" | [[1997-98 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| 81 || 20 || 24.3 || .439 || .333 || .837 || 2.7 || 2.5 || 1.1 || 0.3 || 10.8
|-
| align="left" | [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99]]
| align="left" | [[1998-99 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 24 || 0 || 11.8 || .444 || '''.400''' || .692 || 1.4 || 1.3 || 0.7 || 0.2 || 3.2
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 704 || 452 || 26.1 || .475 || .335 || .779 || 3.4 || 2.0 || 1.0 || 0.4 || 10.8
|}

===Playoffs===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1989–90 NBA season|1989–90]]
| align="left" | [[1989-90 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 5 || 0 || 18.8 || '''.538''' || .333 || '''.875''' || '''3.6''' || 1.6 || '''1.4''' || '''0.4''' || 7.2
|-
| align="left" | [[1990–91 NBA season|1990–91]]
| align="left" | [[1990-91 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 9 || '''9''' || '''26.8''' || .481 || .500 || .800 || 3.1 || '''1.8''' || 0.9 || 0.1 || '''10.1'''
|-
| align="left" | [[1991–92 NBA season|1991–92]]
| align="left" | [[1991-92 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| '''16''' || 7 || 22.1 || .468 || .200 || .719 || 3.2 || 1.1 || '''1.4''' || 0.2 || 8.1
|-
| align="left" | [[1994–95 NBA season|1994-95]]
| align="left" | [[1994-95 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 4 || 0 || 8.3 || .333 || '''1.000''' || .000 || 1.5 || 0.8 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 2.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 34 || 16 || 21.2 || .473 || .313 || .767 || 3.0 || 1.3 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 7.8
|}

==Child custody issue==

At the end of 2001, Edwards was involved in a highly publicized child custody case in Canada. While playing for the Vancouver Grizzlies in the spring of 1996, Edwards, who was married, started an affair with Canadian citizen Kimberly Van de Perre. He had at least two other affairs. During the affair with Kimberly, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy named Elijah, in June 1997.  When Elijah was three months old, Ms. Van de Perre began proceedings for custody and child support, naming Edwards as the father of the child. Edwards responded initially by seeking joint custody and liberal access, but later changed his response to seek sole custody.<ref>[http://www.fact.on.ca/news/news0003/np00031b.htm His 'rock' of a wife swayed the judges]</ref>

After a lengthy trial that ran from the fall of 1998 to early 1999, the trial judge released his decision and awarded sole custody to the mother. Edwards was given considerable access — four one-week periods quarterly throughout the year, shared time at [[Christmas]] and on Elijah's birthday and additional access upon short notice when he was in [[Vancouver]]. Edwards appealed this decision.

During the hearing at the [[British Columbia Court of Appeal]], the Court invited Mrs. Edwards to apply to be admitted as a party and to request joint custody of Elijah with her husband. Mrs. Edwards is also an [[African American]]. This new, joint application for custody was successful, and Elijah was placed in the custody of Edwards and his wife.

The Court of Appeal's decision was stayed to allow the mother the opportunity to seek leave to appeal to the [[Supreme Court of Canada]], with the result that Elijah remained primarily in his mother's care throughout these proceedings. In 2001 the Supreme Court of Canada restored the trial decision and awarded custody to Elijah's mother; the Court concluded that in this case there was no evidence introduced that race should be "an important consideration".<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mother-wins-custody-in-mixed-race-case-1.269781| url-status = live| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090122034945/http://cbc.ca/canada/story/2001/09/28/scoc_0100928.html| archive-date = 2009-01-22| title = Mother wins custody in mixed race case}}</ref> After the Supreme Court affirmed that the mother should have sole custody, the father ceased visiting and paying child support.

In 2009, the [[Canadian Television Network]] produced and aired a made-for-TV movie based on the custody battle story entitled "Playing for Keeps", which is released in the US under the title "What Color Is Love?".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://shows.ctv.ca/PlayingForKeeps.aspx |title=Playing for Keeps - CTV |access-date=2009-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222043417/http://shows.ctv.ca/PlayingForKeeps.aspx |archive-date=2009-12-22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2009/12/c8343.html |title=CNW Group {{!}} CTV INC. {{!}} CTV Original Movie PLAYING FOR KEEPS Premieres April 5 |website=www.newswire.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316173752/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2009/12/c8343.html |archive-date=2009-03-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1299377/|title = Playing for Keeps|website = [[IMDb]]|date = 18 January 2009}}</ref>

==References==
<references/> 
*Van de Perre v. Edwards, [2001] 2 S.C.R. 1014, 2001 SCC 60 	
*Van de Perre v. Edwards, 2004 CarswellBC 867 (BCSC)

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071028052246/http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=EDWARBL01 Blue Edwards NBA statistics]

{{1989 NBA draft}}
{{Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Blue}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Boston Celtics players]]
[[Category:Dafnis B.C. players]]
[[Category:East Carolina Pirates men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Louisburg Hurricanes men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Miami Heat players]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Bucks players]]
[[Category:Olympiacos B.C. players]]
[[Category:People from Greene County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Shooting guards]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:Utah Jazz draft picks]]
[[Category:Utah Jazz players]]
[[Category:Vancouver Grizzlies expansion draft picks]]
[[Category:Vancouver Grizzlies players]]