Player Bio: Larry O'Bannon :: Men's Basketball
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Junior Year:
Averaged 10.3 points and 2.7 rebounds as a starter in 21 games last season.
Double-figure scorer in 15 games.
Produced a career-high 26 points at Memphis (2/4/04).
Hit 86 percent of his free throws (80-of-93), ranking 30th in the nation last year. He has hit 80.5 percent of his career free throws (140-174), ninth on the U of L career list.
Produced 17 points, three rebounds, two steals and matched a career-best with five assists against Houston (1-28-04).
Led U of L with 15 points vs. UAB and grabbed a career-high 8 rebounds.
Good complete game against Tulane with 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals (1-17-04).
Scored 20 points vs. Murray State, adding five rebounds and three assists (1-3-04).
Strong performance off the bench in the Cards' victory at then No. 1 Kentucky with 11 points and three rebounds, hitting 8-of-8 free throws (12-27-03).
One of five current Cardinals who earned recognition on the U of L Athletic Director's Honor Roll for the 2004 spring semester (3.0 or better GPA).
Sophomore Year:
Saw action in 30 games as a sophomore, scoring in 18.
Reserve forward who started the first four games of the season.
Handed out a season-best four assists and hit a three-point goal off the bench in the Cardinals' overtime victory at Ohio State.
Had a stellar performance against South Alabama (12-7-02), with a career-high 16 points, four rebounds and two steals in just 23 minutes with a perfect shooting effort (5-5 FG, 2-2 3FG, 4-4 FT).
Freshman Year:
Solid reserve forward for the Cardinals as a freshman, earning more playing time as the season progressed.
Saw at least 13 minutes of action in 28 of the Cards' 32 games.
Starter in six games, including five of the last six.
Scored five or more points 17 times, reaching double figures in three of the last four. He averaged 8.2 points over the last five games.
His .778 free throw percentage was second best on the team and his 54 free throw attempts was the fourth highest.
Scored 12 points, including the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime, as U of L beat Charlotte.
Produced seven points, five rebounds and a career-high five assists in a starting role against Cincinnati in Louisville.
Had 14 points, three rebounds and four assists against DePaul, hitting four-of-six three-point attempts.
Had nine points and three rebounds in his first start at Cincinnati.
His tip-in of a missed free throw with 1:24 remaining put the Cardinals ahead to stay against Tennessee Tech. He had five points and six rebounds in the game.
Had 10 points and two steals at UAB with a perfect shooting day (3-3 FG, 4-4 FT).
Produced season highs with 15 points and three steals against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He hit 8-of-10 free throws.
High School:
Averaged 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a senior, leading Male to a 32-4 record and a runner-up spot in the state championship.
Shot 58 percent from the field and 85 percent at the free throw line as a senior.
Ranks eighth on Male's all-time scoring list with nearly 1,900 career points. Former U of L All-America Darrell Griffith is Male's career scoring leader.
Averaged 18 points and 6.8 rebounds in earning all-state honors as a junior in helping Male produce a 28-7 record and reach the second round of the Sweet 16 state championship.
Top vote-getter on The Courier-Journal's all-state team as a senior.
Honored on the all state tournament team the as a junior and senior and was the MVP of the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tenn. as a senior.
Scored 13 points in the Kentucky Derby Festival Classic (4-6-01).
Ranked among the top 50 small forwards in the nation (#47 by Insiders Report).
Competed in the high jump and long jump on the Male track team for three years.
Also considered Colorado, Dayton, Alabama and UAB before signing with the Cardinals.
Personal:
Born August 15, 1983 ... Son of Gail and Larry O'Bannon, Sr. ... Has two older sisters ... Major is accounting.
His sister Sharonda O'Bannon-Morton played basketball at Bellarmine University.
Personal goal at U of L is to graduate.
Enjoys playing Playstation, chess and golf in his spare time.
Feels Lorenz Tate would be the best actor to play him in a movie.
Chose to attend U of L because "it was No. 1 in all of my categories -- close to home, school, and coach."
Best basketball advice given to him was to "leave the fan with something to talk about."
Most proud of his family.
What impresses him the most about Coach Pitino: his drive to succeed and knowledge.
Best moment of his collegiate career was beating Charlotte on a last-second shot; worst was losing to DePaul in Freedom Hall last year.
His parents have had the greatest influence on his athletic career.
When he played basketball as a kid, he pretended he was Michael Jordan and Ray Allen.
Would most like to meet Jesus.
Favorites:
Basketball Player: Ray Allen
NBA Team: Dallas Mavericks
Athlete, Other than a basketball player: Ray Lewis
Movies: He Got Game, Love and Basketball, Above the Rim
TV Shows: The Wire, Nip Tuck, Without a Trace
Musical group/singers: Dr. Dre, Jay Z
Comedian: Mike Epps
Books: Bible
Class at U of L: Pan African American Studies
Foods: okra, pork chops
Midnight Snack: soft batch cookies
Best Athlete Ever Faced: Dwayne Wade
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