Damon Stoudamire
A fearless, undersized point guard who exploded onto the NBA scene as Rookie of the Year and became a symbol of heart over height.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: September 3·Generation X
Biography
Damon Stoudamire's story is one of defiant talent. At just five feet ten inches, he was perpetually told he was too small, a critique he silenced with every deep three and clever assist. Drafted by the expansion Toronto Raptors, 'Mighty Mouse' immediately became the face of the franchise, winning Rookie of the Year honors and captivating a new Canadian fanbase with his audacious style. His trade to Portland marked his peak as a prolific scorer and leader for the Trail Blazers' teams that battled in the brutal Western Conference. After his playing days, Stoudamire transitioned to coaching, applying his hard-nosed, guard-centric philosophy to college programs, aiming to instill the same resilient mindset that defined his 13-year NBA journey.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Damon was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Damon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Damon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1995-96 NBA Rookie of the Year Award after being the 7th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors.
- Averaged over 20 points per game in the 1997-98 season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
- Played a key role on the Portland Trail Blazers teams that reached the Western Conference Finals in 1999 and 2000.
- Scored a career-high 54 points in a double-overtime game for Portland against the New Orleans Hornets in 2005.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Mighty Mouse' was given to him by University of Arizona teammate Reggie Geary.
He is the cousin of former NBA player and coach Salim Stoudamire.
He was known for his distinctive high-arching three-point shot.
“I've always been the smallest guy on the court, but I've never played small.”
