John Starks Biography

John Levell Starks, born August 10, 1965, is an American former professional basketball player who played as a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association. He went undrafted in the 1988 NBA draft after completing his collegiate career at four institutions in Oklahoma, including Oklahoma State University. Starks earned recognition as an NBA All-Star during his tenure with the New York Knicks in the 1990s. At Tulsa Central High School, he played one season on the varsity basketball team. He was expelled from Rogers State University after being involved in a theft incident stemming from retaliation over a stolen stereo and subsequent financial demands. In spring 1985, Starks transferred to Northern Oklahoma College, joined the basketball team, and served a five-day jail sentence for the robbery. After working at a Safeway supermarket, he enrolled in Tulsa Junior College during the summer of 1986 to pursue a business degree.