Tanoka Beard


Tanoka Dwight Beard is an American former professional basketball player and coach. During his career, he was able to play both the power forward and center positions. He earned an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2005, while leading the competition in rebounds, with an average of 10.6 per game. He won various European national domestic league championships and national domestic cup titles, in three different European countries.

High school

Beard attended Bonneville High School, in Washington Terrace, Utah, where he played high school basketball.

College career

After high school, Beard played college basketball at Boise State University, with the Boise State Broncos, from 1989 to 1993. He was named the Big Sky Conference's Freshman of the Year in 1990. He was named to the Big Sky Conference's First Team in 1991, 1992, and 1993. He was also named the MVP of the Big Sky Conference Tournament in 1993.
Over his four year college career, Beard averaged 17.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. In his senior season, he averaged 21.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Beard was named to the school's all-time basketball team in 2007.

Professional career

Beard was twice named the Liga ACB's Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player], in 1999 and 2002. He also holds the EuroLeague record, for the highest Performance Index Rating, in a single game, with 63. He achieved the record while he was a member of Žalgiris Kaunas, in a EuroLeague 2003–04 season game against Fortitudo Bologna, on 22 January 2004. In that game, Beard recorded 35 points, 19 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, in 38 minutes of playing time.

Coaching career

After he retired from playing pro club basketball, Beard began working as a basketball coach in 2012. In 2013, he opened up a basketball academy youth club called Ogden Pride Youth Basketball Club, in Ogden, Utah.

Awards and achievements

Clubs

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During 2005–06 season with Žalgiris, Beard recorded a track and a music video, with duo Linas and Simona, named "I Love U". This song was released on the album with the same name, on 22 July 2005, and in two weeks, it reached number 1 on the Lithuanian M-1 radio station. The lead singer of the duo, Linas Adomaitis, produced Beard's album, which has never been released.

EuroLeague career statistics