View source for Mark Eaton

{{Short description|American basketball player (1957–2021)}}
{{other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Mark Eaton
| image = Mark Eaton 1988-89.jpg
| width = 
| caption = Eaton with the [[Utah Jazz]] {{c.|1988}}
| birth_date = {{birth date |1957|01|24}}
| birth_place = [[Inglewood, California]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|05|28|1957|01|24}}
| death_place = [[Park City, Utah]], U.S.
| height_ft = 7
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 275
| high_school = [[Westminster High School (Westminster, California)|Westminster]] ([[Westminster, California]])
| college =
* [[Cypress College|Cypress]] (1978–1980)
* [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]] (1980–1982)
| draft_year = 1982
| draft_round = 4
| draft_pick = 72
| draft_team = [[Utah Jazz]]
| career_start = 1982
| career_end = 1994
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| career_number = 53
| years1 = {{nbay|1982|start}}–{{nbay|1993|end}}
| team1 = [[Utah Jazz]]
| highlights =
* [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1989}})
* 2× [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|NBA Defensive Player of the Year]] ({{nbay|1984|end}}, {{nbay|1988|end}})
* 3× [[NBA All-Defensive First Team]] ({{nbay|1984|end}}, {{nbay|1985|end}}, {{nbay|1988|end}})
* 2× [[NBA All-Defensive Second Team]] ({{nbay|1986|end}}, {{nbay|1987|end}})
* 4× [[List of National Basketball Association annual blocks leaders|NBA blocks leader]] ({{nbay|1983|end}}, {{nbay|1984|end}}, {{nbay|1986|end}}, {{nbay|1987|end}})
* {{abbr|No.|Number}} 53 [[Utah Jazz#Retired numbers|retired by Utah Jazz]]
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 5,216 (6.0 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 6,939 (7.9 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| stat3value = 3,064 (3.5 bpg)
}}
'''Mark Edward Eaton'''<ref name=obit/> (January 24, 1957 – May 28, 2021) was an American professional [[basketball]] player who [[List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise|spent his entire career]] (1982–1993) with the [[Utah Jazz]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). Named an [[NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star]] in 1989, he was twice voted the [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|NBA Defensive Player of the Year]] (1985, 1989) and was a five-time member of the [[NBA All-Defensive Team]]. The {{convert|7|ft|4|in|adj=on}} Eaton became one of the best defensive [[center (basketball)|centers]] in NBA history. He led the league in [[block (basketball)|blocks]] four times and holds the NBA single-season records for blocks (456) and blocked shots per game average (5.6), as well as career blocked shots per game (3.5). His {{abbr|No.|Number}} 53 was [[retired number|retired]] by the Jazz.

Eaton was a [[Substitution (sport)|reserve]] on his high school basketball team before graduating and working as an auto mechanic. He was discovered by an assistant coach at [[Cypress College]], who persuaded Eaton to enroll at the [[community college]] and play basketball. Eaton transferred to play [[college basketball]] for the [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA Bruins]], but he was used sparingly. He was drafted in the fourth round of the [[1982 NBA draft]] by the [[Utah Jazz]] as a long-term project. Eaton helped transform the Jazz from a last-place team into a perennial [[NBA playoff|playoff]] team. When he retired from playing in 1994, he ranked second in the NBA in [[List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders|career blocks]] behind [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]].

==Early life==
Mark Edward Eaton was born on January 24, 1957, in [[Inglewood, California]],<ref name=ap_05302021>{{cite news|title=Mark Eaton, Shot-Blocking Star for the Utah Jazz, Dies at 64|date=May 30, 2021|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=The Associated Press|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/30/obituaries/mark-eaton-utah-jazz-dead.html|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref> and grew up in [[Southern California]]. His father, Bud, was a [[diesel mechanic]] instructor and stood {{convert|6|ft|9|in}} tall, while Eaton's mother, Delores, was {{convert|6|ft|0|in}}.<ref name=carr_01121979/> Despite his height, Eaton was more interested in playing [[water polo]] than basketball.<ref name=hersch_05011989/> As a senior at [[Westminster High School (Westminster, California)|Westminster High School]] in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], he stood {{convert|6|ft|11|in}} and weighed {{convert|175|lb}} but was uncoordinated, not very muscular, and relegated to a [[Substitution (sport)|backup]] role on the basketball team.<ref name=hersch_05011989/><ref name=carr_01121979>{{cite news|first=Al|last=Carr|title=Cypress' Tall Order Is Taking Great Strides|date=January 12, 1979|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|at=Part III, pps. 11, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78726090/ 13]| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78588402/mark-eaton-discovered-by-cypress/|access-date=May 30, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> "The coaches didn't know how to teach me to play big, and I didn't know how to play big," said Eaton.<ref name=crowe_04092007>{{cite news|first=Jerry|last=Crowe|title=He reached great heights, kept his head out of clouds|date=April 9, 2007|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-apr-09-sp-crowe9-story.html|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref>

==College career==
After graduating from high school in 1975, Eaton attended the Arizona Automotive Institute in [[Glendale, Arizona|Glendale]] and graduated as an automotive service technician.<ref name=hersch_05011989/><ref name=crowe_04092007/> He returned to Orange County and worked as an auto mechanic, making $20,000 a year, when he was eventually discovered by Tom Lubin while repairing cars in [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] in April 1977.<ref name=hersch_05011989>{{cite magazine|first=Hank|last=Hersch|title=Big Man on the Block|date=May 1, 1989|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1989/05/01/big-man-on-the-block-mark-eaton-utahs-7-4-centeris-the-sultan-of-swat-on-what-has-become-the-nbas-stingiest-team|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref><ref name=crowe_04092007/> Lubin, a chemistry professor, was an assistant basketball coach at [[Cypress College]]. He had previously discovered [[Swen Nater]], who did not play in high school but went on to a long, pro career.<ref name=vescey_01181984/> Lubin's uncle, [[Frank Lubin|Frank]], played on the [[1936 United States men's Olympic basketball team|1936 U.S. Olympic basketball team]].<ref name=crowe_04092007/> Lubin's encouragement led Eaton to enroll at the [[community college]] in 1978 and try out for its basketball team.<ref name=hersch_05011989/><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Torre|first=Pablo S.|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2011/07/04/larger-than-real-life | magazine=Sports Illustrated | title=Larger Than Real Life | date=July 4, 2011|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref>

After his freshman year at Cypress, Eaton was selected by the [[Phoenix Suns]] in the fifth round of the [[1979 NBA draft]] with the 107th pick.<ref name=hersch_05011989/> He was eligible to be drafted because he was already four years removed from high school. However, he opted to return to college basketball.<ref name=whitfield_01111983>{{cite news|first=Tim|last=Whitfield|title=More than a clunker down the racks|date=January 11, 1983|newspaper=The Kansas City Times|pages=C-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78592391/ C-4]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78591951/|access-date=May 30, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Eaton developed into a solid [[junior college]] player under head coach [[Don Johnson (basketball)|Don Johnson]]. He averaged 14.3 points per game in two seasons at Cypress and led the school to the California junior college title as a sophomore in 1980.<ref name=hersch_05011989/>

Eaton transferred to the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (UCLA) in 1980, but did not see much action in his two seasons with the [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|Bruins]].<ref name=whitfield_01111983/> He played sparingly under head coach [[Larry Brown (basketball)|Larry Brown]] in [[1980–81 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1980–81]]. The tallest players in the [[starting lineup]] were [[Darren Daye]] and Cliff Pruitt at {{convert|6|ft|7|in}},<ref>{{cite news|first=John|last=Nelson|title=Brown's Bruins set for big doins'|date=February 11, 1981|newspaper=Messenger-Inquirer|page=4B|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789764/|access-date=June 2, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> but Eaton was too slow for the team's fast-paced offense.<ref>{{cite news|first=Peter|last=May|title=Utah's 7–4 Eaton Is Eager To Grow As Offensive Player|date=November 20, 1985|newspaper=The Hartford Courant|page=D5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78791870/|access-date=June 2, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In Eaton's senior year in [[1981–82 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1981–82]], new coach [[Larry Farmer (basketball)|Larry Farmer]] vowed to give him a shot to start, but heralded freshman [[Stuart Gray (basketball)|Stuart Gray]] got the nod instead.<ref name=whitfield_01111983/> Eaton played just 41 total minutes that season,<ref name=vescey_01181984/> averaging 1.3 points and 2.0 [[rebound (basketball)|rebounds]] in 11 games.<ref name=srcoll/> Farmer did not play him at all towards the end of the season and did not allow him to travel with the team on their last road trip to [[Oregon Ducks men's basketball|Oregon]] and [[Oregon State Beavers men's basketball|Oregon State]].<ref name=whitfield_01111983/><ref name=digiovanna_02041993>{{cite news|first=Mike|last=DiGiovanna|title=Getting It Done : 7-Foot-4 Eaton Grows Into His Own in NBA|date=February 4, 1993|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-04-sp-1187-story.html|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name=campbell_01311989>{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Campbell|title=Eaton|date=January 31, 1989|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|at=Section 3, page 4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78791114/|access-date=June 2, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> "If I ever felt cheated, that was the time I felt the worst," recalled Eaton in 1985. "I had worked so hard and it wasn't like I was causing any problems."<ref name=littwin_01061985/>

Eaton was initially disappointed with his inability to play effectively in college. At a summer pickup game, [[Wilt Chamberlain]] saw his frustration, and encouraged Eaton to focus on protecting the basket, getting rebounds, and passing the ball to quicker [[guard (basketball)|guards]], rather than trying to compete with smaller, quicker players in scoring. Eaton cited Chamberlain's advice as the turning point in his basketball career.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ben|last=Anderson|title=Chance Encounter With Wilt Chamberlain Launched Mark Eaton's Career|date=April 21, 2020|website=KSLSports.com|url=https://kslsports.com/432853/chance-encounter-with-wilt-chamberlain-launched-mark-eatons-career/|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Brad|last=Rock|title=Jazz commitment strategy dates back to Mark Eaton|date=March 31, 2018|work=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/2018/3/31/20627125/jazz-commitment-strategy-dates-back-to-mark-eaton#mark-eaton-signs-his-new-book-at-the-jazz-100-club-in-vivint-arena-in-salt-lake-city-on-friday-march-30-2018|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|RERLqgpY_K4|Mark Eaton – NBA All-Star}}, motivational speech given by Mark Eaton.</ref>

==Professional career==
Because of his lack of playing time at UCLA, few [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] teams had an interest in Eaton after he finished his college career. He paid for two tryout camps, but only received an offer of $15,000 to play in Israel and another for $25,000 in [[Monte Carlo]].<ref name=campbell_01311989/> However, the [[Utah Jazz]], who finished in last place [[1981–82 Utah Jazz season|the prior season]],<ref name=hemphill_031996/> saw him as a potentially dominant defender and selected him as a long-term project in the fourth round of the [[1982 NBA draft]] with the 72nd overall pick.<ref name=vescey_01181984/><ref name=campbell_01311989/><ref name=br/> Utah coach [[Frank Layden]] quipped, "Like [former University of Utah coach] [[Jack Gardner (basketball)|Jack Gardner]] said, 'You can't teach height.'"<ref name=vescey_01181984/><ref>{{cite news|first=Lex|last=Hemphill|title=Bucks Draft Y.'s Roberts|page=2C|date=June 30, 1982|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78794240/|access-date=June 2, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Also the team's general manager, Layden discouraged Eaton from playing in Europe and signed him to a five-year contract, with the first season guaranteed at $45,000, for a total $570,000.<ref name=vescey_01181984/><ref name=whitfield_01111983/><ref name=benson_11142010>{{cite news|first=Lee|last=Benson|title=About Utah: Mark Eaton leads an elevated Utah life at 7 foot 4|date=November 14, 2010|newspaper=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/2010/11/15/20153117/about-utah-mark-eaton-leads-an-elevated-utah-life-at-7-foot-4|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

Eaton had worn No. 35 at UCLA, but the number was already taken on the Jazz by [[Darrell Griffith]], prompting Eaton to choose the reversed No. 53.<ref name=hemphill_031996/> Entering the NBA, Eaton's goal was to become a journeyman backup.<ref name=littwin_01061985/> He made an immediate impact as a rookie, starting 32 games and replacing [[Danny Schayes]] after the cash-strapped Jazz traded the center mid-season.<ref name=walden_05292021/><ref name=hersch_05011989/> Eaton finished the season with a then-franchise record 275 [[blocked shot]]s while averaging only 19 minutes per game.<ref name=vescey_01181984>{{cite news|first=George|last=Vescey|title=Utah's Mechanic|date=January 18, 1984|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/18/sports/sports-of-the-times-utah-s-mechanic.html|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Utah Jazz Season Leaders|work=Basketball Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/UTA/leaders_season.html|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref> His 3.4 blocks per game ranked third in the NBA, behind [[Atlanta Hawks|Atlanta]]'s [[Tree Rollins]] and [[Los Angeles Clippers|San Diego]]'s [[Bill Walton]].<ref>{{cite web|title=1982–83 NBA Leaders|work=Basketball Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1983_leaders.html|access-date=May 31, 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215026/https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1983_leaders.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Jazz placed Eaton on a six-day-a-week program in the offseason. Layden said they treated him "like a high school kid as far as basketball skills are concerned".<ref>{{cite news|first=Thomas|last=Rogers|title=Scouting: Summer Project|date=May 18, 1983|newspaper=The New York Times|page=B14|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/18/sports/scouting-summer-project.html|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> Eaton continued to improve in his second season. In 82 games in [[1983–84 Utah Jazz season|1983–84]], he grabbed a team-leading 595 rebounds and blocked 351 shots (breaking his own franchise record). His 4.28 [[List of National Basketball Association annual blocks leaders|blocks per game led the NBA]], well ahead of Rollins (who finished second with 3.60 blocks per game).<ref name=br/> During the season, he failed in his attempt to block the [[hook shot]] which gave [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] his 31,421st point to break the NBA career scoring record held by Chamberlain.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Bruce|last=Newman|title=A Sky Hook that Was For The Book|date=April 16, 1984|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1984/04/16/a-sky-hook-that-was-for-the-book|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Ron|last=Kantowski|title=NBA big man recalled for shots he blocked and 1 he didn't|date=June 5, 2021|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/sports-columns/ron-kantowski/nba-big-man-recalled-for-shots-he-blocked-and-1-he-didnt-2371686/|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> Eaton's strong defense helped the Jazz improve from 30–52 in his rookie season to 45–37,<ref name=kragthorpe_09291994>{{cite news|first=Kurt|last=Kragthorpe|title=Eaton Puts Wraps on Jazz Career|date=September 29, 1994|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|pages=D-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78790905/ D-4]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78790991/|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref> winning their first [[Midwest Division (NBA)|Midwest Division]] title and making their first playoff appearance.<ref name=hanlon_02282014>{{cite news|first=Matt|last=Hanlon|title=Tall Order|date=February 28, 2014|newspaper=The Orange County Register|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2014/02/28/tall-order/|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref>

In Eaton's third season in [[1984–85 Utah Jazz season|1984–85]], he blocked 456 shots, shattering the NBA record for most blocked shots in a single season set during the [[1973–74 NBA season|1973–74 season]] by [[Elmore Smith]], who had blocked 393 shots for the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]. Eaton averaged 5.56 blocks per game, an NBA single-season record that was more than double the league's second-ranked shot-blocker that season ([[Houston Rockets|Houston]]'s [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] with 2.68 blocks per game).<ref name=ap_05302021/><ref>{{cite news|title=Utah's Eaton named Defensive Player of the Year|date=May 10, 1985|page=E-3|newspaper=The Honolulu Adviser|agency=United Press International|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78658288/|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref><ref name=hemphill_031996>{{cite web|first=Lex|last=Hemphill|title=Mark Eaton: Utah's Master of the Blocked Shot|date=March 1996|work=Utah Jazz HomeCourt Magazine|url=https://www.nba.com/jazz/archives_mark_eaton.html|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> In addition, Eaton averaged 11.3 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the league in that category.<ref name=br/> "We had no idea that he would develop the way he has," said Layden during the season.<ref name=littwin_01061985>{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Littwin|title=Mark Eaton: This is a tall story that appears to have a happy ending. It's about a late-bloomer who happens to be 7–5 and on his way to becoming an NBA star|date=January 6, 1985|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-01-06-sp-7222-story.html|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> Eaton was not on the [[NBA All-Star|All-Star]] ballot that year after being one of the final cuts.<ref name=littwin_01061985/> For his efforts, he was named to the [[NBA All-Defensive First Team]] and was honored as the [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year]].<ref name=br/> On April 26, 1985, Eaton had ten blocks in a 96–94 loss to the Rockets,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198504260UTA.html|title=Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz Box Score, April 26, 1985|publisher=Basketball-Reference|access-date=April 13, 2020}}</ref> becoming the first NBA player to record ten blocks in a playoff game (later tied by Olajuwon and [[Andrew Bynum]]).<ref>{{cite news|first=Greg|last=Beacham|title=Bynum's a gem in rocking Nuggets|date=April 30, 2012|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|agency=Associated Press|page=C8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654320/|access-date=May 31, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Although he was not a significant offensive contributor, the Jazz relied heavily on Eaton for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and occasional "tippy toe" dunks. With the emergence of superstars [[Karl Malone]] and [[John Stockton]], the Jazz became one of the best teams in the NBA. Eaton's stifling defense was a major factor in Utah's success. He continued to rank among NBA leaders in blocked shots, leading the league in [[1986–87 Utah Jazz season|1986–87]] and [[1987–88 Utah Jazz season|1987–88]].<ref name=br/> On November 17, 1987, Eaton set a career high with 25 rebounds in a 120–110 win over the [[Denver Nuggets]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mark Eaton Career High 25 Rebounds |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/mark-eaton-most-25-rebound-in-a-game |website=Statmuse}}</ref> In [[1988–89 Utah Jazz season|1988–89]], he averaged 10.3 rebounds per game (seventh in the NBA) and 3.84 blocks per game (second behind [[Golden State Warriors|Golden State]]'s [[Manute Bol]]).<ref name=hersch_05011989/> He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career and received his third selection to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.<ref name=br/> In addition, he was chosen to play in the [[1989 NBA All-Star Game]],<ref name=hersch_05011989/> joining teammates Malone and Stockton on the Western Conference team. It was the first time that the Jazz had three players in the All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web|title=1989 NBA All-Star recap|date=August 24, 2017|website=NBA.com|url=https://www.nba.com/history/all-star/1989|access-date=May 30, 2021}}</ref>

In the 1989 playoffs, the second-seeded Jazz were upset in the first round 3–0 by the seventh-seeded [[Golden State Warriors|Warriors]]. Golden State coach [[Don Nelson]] spread out his offense and avoided going inside against Eaton, and they played most of the series with a [[small ball (basketball)|small lineup]] in which their tallest players on the court were {{convert|6|ft|8|in|adj=on|abbr=unit}} [[Larry Smith (basketball, born 1958)|Larry Smith]] or [[Ben McDonald (basketball)|Ben McDonald]] or even {{convert|6|ft|7|in|adj=on|abbr=unit}} [[Rod Higgins]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Jan|last=Hubbard|title=Nelson's Actions as Strong as His Reputation|date=May 7, 1989|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-07-sp-3737-story.html|access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mark Eaton, NBA shot-blocking legend, dies in bicycle crash|date=May 30, 2021|newspaper=The Mercury News|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/29/mark-eaton-shot-blocking-king-and-jazz-legend-dies-at-64/|access-date=June 4, 2021|quote=With 6-foot-7 Rod Higgins as their tallest player on the floor for most of the series, the seventh-seeded Warriors stunned the second-seeded Jazz by sweeping them in three games in their- first-round series.}}</ref> Opponents were increasingly playing with smaller lineups, forcing Eaton to guard a quicker player who would draw him out to the perimeter and seek to drive past him. Utah coach [[Jerry Sloan]] countered by decreasing Eaton's playing time and employing his own small lineup with backup center [[Mike Brown (basketball, born 1963)|Mike Brown]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Kurt|last=Kragthorpe|title=EATON VS. 'LITTLE GUYS'; JAZZ CENTER FACES NEW DEFENSIVE CHALLENGE|date=April 5, 1990|newspaper=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/1990/4/5/18855112/eaton-vs-little-guys-jazz-center-faces-new-defensive-challenge|access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name=digiovanna_02041993/> In [[1991–92 Utah Jazz season|1991–92]], there was speculation that the more offensive-minded Brown would start the season at center, but Sloan stuck with Eaton.<ref>{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Luhm|title=Jazz Will Open Season With Familiar Look|date=October 30, 1991|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|page=D1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78915004/|access-date=June 4, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> However, Eaton's playing time dropped to 25 minutes per game from 32 minutes in [[1990–91 Utah Jazz season|1990–91]].<ref name=digiovanna_02041993/>

After missing just nine games in his first 10 seasons,<ref name=digiovanna_02041993/> Eaton was hindered by knee and back injuries late in his career. His rebounding and shot-blocking averages declined. During the [[1992–93 Utah Jazz season|1992–93 season]], knee surgery and back problems limited him to 64 games, averaging 17.3 minutes per game, both career lows. A degenerative back ailment forced him to drop out of training camp and miss the [[1993–94 Utah Jazz season|1993–94 season]];<ref name="latimes-1994-09-29"/> his contract expired at the end of the season.<ref name=kragthorpe_09291994/> After therapy failed to correct the problem, he announced his retirement from basketball in September 1994.<ref name="latimes-1994-09-29">{{cite news |title=Back Troubles Force Utah's Eaton to Retire |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-29-sp-44528-story.html |access-date=May 30, 2021 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=September 29, 1994}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Eaton [[List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise|spent his entire 11-year NBA career]] with the Utah Jazz, helping transform the franchise from perennial 50-game losers to perennial 50-game winners.<ref name=hemphill_031996/> After going 30–52 in his first year, they made the playoffs in each of his 10 other seasons,<ref name=benson_11142010/> beginning a run of 20 straight postseason appearances for the Jazz.<ref name=cwik_05292021>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Cwik|title=Jazz great Mark Eaton dies at 64|date=May 29, 2021|work=Yahoo Sports|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/jazz-great-mark-eaton-dies-at-64-163926871.html|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> In 875 games, he scored 5,216 points, grabbed 6,939 rebounds, and blocked 3,064 shots.<ref name=br/> At the time of his retirement, he ranked second all-time in [[List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders|league history in total blocked shots]], behind [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]'s career total of 3,189.<ref>{{cite news|title=Back ailment forces Mark Eaton to retire|date=September 29, 1994|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|page=2D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78658364/|access-date=May 31, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Blocks were not recorded as an official statistic until Abdul-Jabbar's fifth NBA season in [[1973–74 NBA season|1973–74]].<ref name=hemphill_031996/><ref>{{cite news|first=Jeffrey|last=Denberg|title='Man Mountain' Eaton Helps Jazz Climb|date=December 1, 1989|newspaper=Atlanta Journal and Constitution|page=F-8|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78928799/|access-date=June 4, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Eaton is the NBA's all-time leader in blocks per game, with a career average of 3.50.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/blogs/Off-Track/nba-big-man-eaton-meets-nascars-biggest-track.html|title=NBA big man Eaton meets NASCAR's biggest track|work=[[NASCAR]]|date=June 20, 2013|access-date=June 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201215726/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/blogs/Off-Track/nba-big-man-eaton-meets-nascars-biggest-track.html|archive-date=February 1, 2014}}</ref> In a six-season span from his second season through his seventh (1983–1989), he led the league in blocks four times and was the runner-up twice while averaging 4.3 blocks per games over 488 contests.<ref name=hemphill_031996/> He never averaged more than 10 points per game in a season, which frustrated Utah fans after his scoring tapered off following a career high of 9.7 in 1984–85.<ref name=kragthorpe_09291994/><ref name=hemphill_031996/>

To honor his contributions to the team, the Utah Jazz [[retired number|retired]] Eaton's No. 53 in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|first=Richard|last=Evans|title=NO. 53: FROM FLOOR TO RAFTERS|date=March 1, 1996|newspaper=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/1996/3/1/19227960/no-53-from-floor-to-rafters|access-date=April 19, 2022}}</ref> In 2010, he was inducted into the [[Utah Sports Hall of Fame]] along with former Jazz player [[Tom Chambers (basketball)|Tom Chambers]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Rod|last=Zundel|title= 5 inducted into Utah Sports Hall Of Fame|date=November 16, 2010|website=KSL.com|url=https://www.ksl.com/?sid=13301724|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref>

In 2014, Eaton had his jersey retired at Westminster High School and also at Cypress College, along with [[Swen Nater]] and head coach [[Don Johnson (basketball)|Don Johnson]].<ref name=hanlon_02282014/><ref>{{cite news|title=Cypress College legends come home|date=March 1, 2014|newspaper=Event-News Enterprise|url=https://event-newsenterprise.com/cypress-college-legends-come-home/|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y|record=y}}

===NBA===
====Regular season====
Source:<ref name=br>{{cite basketball-reference|name=Mark Eaton|id=e/eatonma01|accessdate=May 30, 2021}}</ref>
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1982}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1982–83 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 81 || 32 || 18.9 || .414 || .000 || .656 || 5.7 || 1.4 || .3 || 3.4 || 4.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1983}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983–84 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || 78 || 26.1 || .466 || .000 || .593 || 7.3 || 1.4 || .3 || style="background:#cfecec;"|4.3* || 5.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1984}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984–85 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || 34.3 || .449 || {{sort|-|—}} || '''.712''' || '''11.3''' || '''1.5''' || .4 || style="background:#e0cef2;"|'''5.6'''{{Double-dagger}} || '''9.7'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1985}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1985–86 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 80 || 80 || 31.9 || .470 || {{sort|-|—}} || .604 || 8.4 || 1.3 || .4 || 4.6 || 8.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1986}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1986–87 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 79 || 79 || 31.7 || .400 || {{sort|-|—}} || .657 || 8.8 || 1.3 || '''.5''' || style="background:#cfecec;"|4.1* || 7.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1987}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| style="background:#cfecec;"| '''82'''* || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || 33.3 || .418 || {{sort|-|—}} || .623 || 8.7 || .7 || '''.5''' || style="background:#cfecec;"|3.7* || 7.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1988}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988–89 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || '''35.5''' || .462 || {{sort|-|—}} || .660 || 10.3 || 1.0 || '''.5''' || 3.8 || 6.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1989}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1989–90 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''82'''* || 27.8 || .527 || {{sort|-|—}} || .669 || 7.3 || .5 || .4 || 2.5 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1990}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1990–91 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 80 || 80 || 32.3 || '''.579''' || {{sort|-|—}} || .634 || 8.3 || .6 || '''.5''' || 2.4 || 5.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1991}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1991–92 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 81 || 81 || 25.0 || .446 || {{sort|-|—}} || .598 || 6.1 || .5 || .4 || 2.5 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1992}}
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1992–93 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 64 || 57 || 17.3 || .546 || {{sort|-|—}} || .700 || 4.1 || .3 || .3 || 1.2 || 2.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 875 || 815 || 28.8 || .458 || .000 || .649 || 7.9 || 1.0 || .4 || style="background:#e0cef2;"|3.5{{Double-dagger}} || 6.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|All-Star
| 1 || 0 || 9.0 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || 5.0 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || 2.0 || —
{{s-end}}

====Playoffs====
Source:<ref name=br/>
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984 NBA playoffs|1984]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983–84 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 11 || {{sort|-|—}} || 23.1 || .512 || {{sort|-|—}} || .471 || 6.9 || .8 || .5 || 3.1 || 4.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1985 NBA playoffs|1985]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984–85 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 5 || 5 || 31.6 || .353 || {{sort|-|—}} || .714 || 9.0 || 1.0 || .8 || '''5.8''' || 5.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1986 NBA playoffs|1986]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1985–86 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 4 || 4 || 39.3 || .491 || {{sort|-|—}} || .667 || 9.0 || '''2.5''' || .3 || 4.5 || '''14.5'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1986–87 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 5 || 5 || 38.6 || .463 || {{sort|-|—}} || .640 || '''11.0''' || .6 || .2 || 4.2 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988 NBA playoffs|1988]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 11 || 11 || '''41.9''' || .477 || {{sort|-|—}} || .639 || 9.4 || 1.2 || '''1.1''' || 3.1 || 7.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988–89 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 3 || 3 || 33.0 || .471 || {{sort|-|—}} || '''.818''' || '''11.0''' || .3 || .3 || .7 || 8.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1990 NBA playoffs|1990]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1989–90 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 5 || 5 || 25.6 ||.529 || {{sort|-|—}} || .200 || 6.0 || .0 || .6 || 2.8 || 3.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1991 NBA playoffs|1991]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1990–91 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 9 || 9 || 28.3 || .516 || {{sort|-|—}} || .583 || 6.2 || .6 || .1 || 1.4 || 4.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1992 NBA playoffs|1992]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1991–92 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 29.6 || '''.565''' || {{sort|-|—}} || .778 || 5.6 || .3 || .4 || 2.3 || 4.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1993 NBA playoffs|1993]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1992–93 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 5 || 5 || 23.4 || .526 || {{sort|-|—}} || .500 || 6.6 || .4 || .0 || 1.8 || 4.4
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 74 || 63 || 31.0 || .489 || {{sort|-|—}} || .639 || 7.5 || .7 || .5 || 2.8 || 6.1
{{s-end}}

===College===
Source:<ref name=srcoll>{{cite web|title=Mark Eaton College Stats|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/mark-eaton-1.html|work=Sports Reference|access-date=June 1, 2021}}</ref>

{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1980–81]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1980–81 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|UCLA]]
| '''19''' || 0 || '''8.2''' || '''.459''' || – || .294 || '''2.6''' || '''.2''' || '''.2''' || '''1.1''' || '''2.1'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1981–82]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1981–82 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|UCLA]]
| 11 || 0 || 3.7 || .417 || – || '''.800''' || 2.0 || .1 || .1 || .5 || 1.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 30 || 0 || 6.5 || .449 || – || .409 || 2.4 || .1 || .1 || .9 || 1.8
{{S-end}}

==Post-playing career==
After his retirement, Eaton worked for [[KJZZ-TV]] in [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]], providing [[color commentary]] and analysis for television broadcasts of Utah Jazz and [[University of Utah]] basketball games.<ref>{{cite news|first=Richard|last=Shaw|title=The Sports View|date=September 4, 2001|newspaper=Sun Advocate|page=6A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78792971/|access-date=June 2, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UTAH MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES – GAME #14|date=January 2, 2005|website=UtahUtes.com|url=https://utahutes.com/news/2005/1/2/Utah_Men_s_Basketball_Notes_Game_14|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> He also hosted a radio talk show before Jazz games.<ref name=mcleod_01032001>{{cite news|first=Paul|last=McLeod|title=Eaton Isn't Taking His Retirement Sitting Down|date=January 3, 2001|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-03-sp-7779-story.html|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

Eaton was a partner in Salt Lake City-area restaurants Tuscany and Franck's.<ref name=flores_05292021>{{cite news|first1=Cristina|last1=Flores|first2=David|last2=James|first3=Jared|last3=Turner|title=Former Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton dies at age 64|date=May 29, 2021|website=KUTV.com|url=https://kutv.com/newsletter-daily/former-utah-jazz-player-mark-eaton-dies-at-age-64|access-date=April 19, 2022}}</ref><ref name=cwik_05292021/><ref>{{cite web| title=Owner Bios| url=http://www.tuscanyslc.com/owner_bio.htm| access-date = March 19, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070212082013/http://www.tuscanyslc.com/owner_bio.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = February 12, 2007}}</ref>

He was a president/board member of the [[National Basketball Retired Players Association]] (NBRPA) from 1997 to 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Eaton|first1=Mark|title=Mark Eaton on LinkedIn|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/markeaton7ft4|publisher=LinkedIn}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2005 NBA All – Star Technology Summit|url=http://d24wuq6o951i2g.cloudfront.net/img/events/2358586/assets/072d.2005nbatechnologysummit.pdf|publisher=NBA|date=February 18, 2005|quote=Mark Eaton (President, National Basketball Retired Players Association)}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Retirees: Slick NBA still short on skills|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/allstar/2006-02-20-roundtable_x.htm|work=USA Today|date=February 20, 2006}}</ref> He was also a founder and chairman of the Mark Eaton Standing Tall for Youth organization, which provided sports and outdoor activities for at-risk children in [[Utah]]. He was also a motivational speaker,<ref name=crowe_04092007/><ref>{{cite news|first=Maren|last=Jensen|title=Person 2 Person: Mark Eaton|date=April 23, 2018|work=KUTV.com|url=https://kutv.com/features/person-2-person/person-2-person-mark-eaton-04-20-2018|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref> and published the book ''The Four Commitments of a Winning Team''.<ref name=flores_05292021/>

In the 2013 [[NBA Slam Dunk Contest]], Jazz player [[Jeremy Evans]] jumped over a seated Eaton to dunk the ball.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dan|last=Rasmussen|title=Utah Jazz: Jeremy Evans flies high in Slam Dunk Contest again but settles for second place|date=February 16, 2013|work=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/2013/2/16/20514526/utah-jazz-jeremy-evans-flies-high-in-slam-dunk-contest-again-but-settles-for-second-place-video|access-date=May 31, 2021}}</ref> In later years, Eaton became a mentor to Jazz center [[Rudy Gobert]], who joined him as the only other player in the franchise's history to be named defensive player of the year.<ref name=ap_05302021/>

==Personal life==
Eaton married his first wife, Marci, in 1980. A registered nurse who trained in Los Angeles, she worked as a nurse in [[Santa Monica]] to support him while he was attending college.<ref name=hersch_05011989/><ref>{{cite news|first=Brent|last=Israelsen|title=EATON AND HIS WIFE EXTOL MERITS OF AN EDUCATION|date=February 14, 1991|newspaper=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/1991/2/14/18905720/eaton-and-his-wife-extol-merits-of-an-education|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> The Eatons had two sons, Nicolas and Douglas.<ref name=mcleod_01032001/>

While living in Utah in [[Jeremy Ranch, Utah|Jeremy Ranch]] in the 1980s, Eaton ordered a [[mountain bike]] suitable for his body frame, and he biked a number of the region's first mountain bike trails.<ref name=benson_05292021>{{cite news|first=Lee|last=Benson|title=A friend for all seasons: Biking buddy recalls last ride with Big Mark|date=May 29, 2021|work=Deseret News|url= https://www.deseret.com/2021/5/29/22460336/mark-eaton-biking-buddy-recalls-friendship-with-jazz-center-who-died-at-age-64|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref> Around 2016, he began riding a custom French-built [[road bike]] for tall cyclists, which came outfitted with {{convert|36|in|adj=on}} wheels.<ref name=benson_05292021/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Stein |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Stein (reporter) |date=June 2, 2021 |title=After Bonding Over Basketball and Biking, a Big Loss |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/02/sports/basketball/mark-eaton-bicycle.html?referringSource=articleShare |access-date=June 2, 2021 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

On May 28, 2021, Eaton biked with a neighbor to lunch. A few hours after returning home, Eaton told his wife, Teri, that he was going for a short ride in the neighborhood.<ref name=benson_05292021/> He died after a bicycle accident about a block from his home in [[Park City, Utah]]. He was found unresponsive by a passerby and was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was 64 years old.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|title=Mark Edward Eaton|work=The Memories|url=https://www.thememories.com/obituary/mark-eaton/27234|access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref><ref name=benson_05292021/><ref name=walden_05292021>{{cite web|first1=Andy|last1=Larsen|first2=Eric|last2=Walden|url=https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/05/29/utah-jazz-great-mark/|title=Utah Jazz great Mark Eaton dies at age 64|work=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]|date=May 29, 2021|access-date=May 29, 2021}}</ref> The sheriff said that there were no witnesses to the incident nor any indication that a vehicle was involved.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Miller|title=Utah Jazz legend Mark Eaton, 64, dies following apparent bicycle crash|date=May 29, 2021|work=KSL.com|url=https://www.ksl.com/article/50176282/utah-jazz-legend-mark-eaton-64-dies-following-apparent-bicycle-crash|access-date=May 3, 2024}}</ref>

==Publications==
*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=Eaton|title=The Four Commitments of a Winning Team|year=2018|publisher=Greenleaf Book Group Press|isbn= 9781626345324}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}
* [[List of NBA career playoff blocks leaders]]
* [[List of NBA annual blocks leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game blocks leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-season blocks per game leaders]]
* [[List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise]]
* [[List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://7ft4.com/}}
{{basketballstats |nba=76631 |bbr=e/eatonma01}}

{{NBA Defensive Players of the Year}}
{{NBA blocks leaders}}
{{Utah Jazz}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eaton, Mark}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Inglewood, California]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Salt Lake City]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
[[Category:Cycling road incident deaths]]
[[Category:Cypress Chargers men's basketball players]]
[[Category:NBA All-Stars]]
[[Category:NBA players with retired numbers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Westminster, California]]
[[Category:Phoenix Suns draft picks]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in Utah]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Orange County, California]]
[[Category:UCLA Bruins men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Utah Jazz draft picks]]
[[Category:Utah Jazz players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]