Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here’s detailed information about Steve Novak:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Steven Michael Novak
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on June 13, 1983
  • Hometown: Libertyville, Illinois, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters)
  • Weight: 225 pounds (102 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet (2.13 meters)
  • Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
  • Number: 16 (primarily), also wore 20 and 6 during his career
  • Position: Power Forward / Small Forward
  • High School: Brown Deer High School (Brown Deer, Wisconsin)
  • College: Marquette University (2002–2006)
  • NBA Draft: 2006 (2nd round, 32nd pick overall by the Houston Rockets)
  • Teams Played For:
    • Houston Rockets (2006–2008)
    • Los Angeles Clippers (2008–2009)
    • Dallas Mavericks (2010)
    • San Antonio Spurs (2011)
    • New York Knicks (2011–2013)
    • Toronto Raptors (2013–2014)
    • Utah Jazz (2014–2015)
    • Oklahoma City Thunder (2015–2016)
    • Milwaukee Bucks (2016–2017)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: 2 children (a son and a daughter)
  • Siblings: 3 siblings (2 brothers and 1 sister)

Player Archetype / Play Style

Steve Novak’s player archetype was the classic specialist stretch forward: a tall floor-spacer whose main value came from elite standstill and movement shooting rather than off-the-bounce creation. At 6-foot-10 with a lean frame, he had the size to play either forward spot offensively, but his game was built around quick release mechanics, deep range, smart relocation, and instant catch-and-shoot pressure that bent defenses and opened driving lanes for others. Defensively, Novak was more of a scheme-dependent team piece than a stopper, as his limited lateral quickness made him vulnerable in space and kept him from being a high-impact one-on-one defender, so his best fit came when his shooting gravity outweighed what he gave back on that end. Overall, his play style was narrow but highly useful: he was not a do-it-all forward, but he was a genuine three-point weapon who could swing lineups by stretching the floor and punishing late closeouts. (Basketball Reference)

Fun Facts

  • He was on the 2007-08 Houston Rockets team that went on a 22-game winning streak, which was extremely rare to have done at the time. He also hit some big three-point shots during that win streak.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Steve Novak Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
Bleacher Report — 5 NBA Bench Players Who Should Be Starting
Bleacher Report — 10 NBA Players Who Are Hidden-Stat Fantasy Gems
ESPN — Opening Tip: More from Novak?
Bleacher Report — How to Succeed in the NBA Without World-Class Athleticism