Editing Bill Cartwright (section)

==Professional career==

===New York Knicks (1979–1988)===
Cartwright was the third overall pick in the [[1979 NBA draft]] selected by the [[New York Knicks]], making his only career [[1980 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] appearance in his first season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bill Cartwright Stats|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cartwbi01.html|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}}</ref> He averaged more than 20 points per game in his first two seasons for the Knicks, but after playing no fewer than 77 games in his first five seasons, a series of foot injuries caused him to miss the entire 1984–1985 season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CARTWRIGHT THE ONE LEFT STANDING|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-06-17-9102230818-story.html|last=Sullivan|first=Paul|website=chicagotribune.com|date=June 17, 1991 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-12}}</ref> Following that season, the Knicks drafted center [[Patrick Ewing]] with the number-one overall pick in the [[1985 NBA draft]]. However, ongoing foot problems limited Cartwright to only two appearances during the [[1985–86 NBA season|1985–1986 season]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Johnson|first=Roy S.|date=1986-01-28|title=Cartwright Likely to Be Lost for Season|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/01/28/sports/cartwright-likely-to-be-lost-for-season.html|access-date=2020-05-12|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Knicks Top Even Themselves for Injuries|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-06-sp-25155-story.html|date=1986-04-06|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-12}}</ref> When Cartwright returned for the [[1986–87 NBA season|1986–1987 season]], he and Ewing would often start and play together but during the [[1987–88 NBA season|1987–1988 season]] Cartwright was relegated to the bench.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Life and Times of Mr. Bill – Chicago Bulls History|url=http://history.bulls.com/the-life-and-times-of-mr-bill/|website=History.Bulls.com|date=January 15, 2018|language=en-US|access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref>

===Chicago Bulls (1988–1994)===
[[File:Bill Cartwright - Chicago Bulls, March 28, 1991 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Cartwright playing for the Chicago Bulls in 1991]]
On June 15, 1988, Cartwright was traded, along with two draft picks, to the [[Chicago Bulls]] for forward [[Charles Oakley]] and two draft picks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/oaklech01.html|title = Charles Oakley Stats |website=BasketballReference.com|access-date=August 19, 2023}}</ref> The Bulls were willing to part with Oakley, the league's second-leading rebounder in the [[1986–87 NBA season|1986–87]] and [[1987–88 NBA season|1987–88]] seasons, because of their need for a center and the rapid development of power forward [[Horace Grant]].<ref>[http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/Chicago_Bulls_History-24393-42.html?nav=ArticleList#10 "YEAR-BY-YEAR HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO BULLS"]. NBA.com. Retrieved June 16, 2015.</ref> Cartwright was the Bulls' starting center during their string of three consecutive NBA championships in [[1991 NBA Finals|1991]], [[1992 NBA Finals|1992]] and [[1993 NBA Finals|1993]]. During the [[1992–93 Chicago Bulls season|1992–93]] season, Cartwright took an elbow to the throat during a regular-season game against the [[Indiana Pacers]] that fractured his [[larynx]] and left him with a hoarse voice.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19941103/1939542/bill-cartwright----elbowing-way-to-top----when-sonic-centers-around-foes-have-a-lot-to-think-about|title=Bill Cartwright – Elbowing Way To Top – When Sonic Center's Around, Foes Have A Lot To Think About|first=Bob|last=Sherwin|date=November 3, 1994|access-date=December 19, 2013}}</ref>

The Bulls, who were without [[Michael Jordan]] the [[1993–94 NBA season|following season]] following his retirement, made the [[1994 NBA playoffs]] but were eliminated in a controversial game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Knicks. Cartwright departed the team thereafter as an unrestricted free agent.

===Seattle SuperSonics (1994–1995)===
Cartwright left the Bulls as a free agent and signed with the [[Seattle SuperSonics]]. He only played in 29 games for the Sonics, and retired after the [[1994–95 NBA season]].