Greg Kelser facts for kids

Gregory Kelser (born September 17, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player. He is also a television sports commentator today. People often called him "Special K" when he played. Kelser was a very important player for the Michigan State Spartans team that won the national championship in 1979. He played for six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Early Life and Discipline

Greg Kelser grew up in a military family. He lived in Okinawa, Japan for part of his childhood. His father, Walter Kelser Jr., taught him a lot about life. Greg says that the discipline he learned from his military background helped him succeed in sports. He learned to respect authority and listen to his coaches. This helped him on the basketball court and in school.

He was raised Catholic and went to a special middle school in Boston. He was the only Black student there at the time.

College Basketball Career

After finishing Henry Ford High School in Detroit in 1975, Kelser went to Michigan State University. There, he got his famous nickname, "Special K." This name was a fun play on the Kelloggs breakfast cereal.

Becoming a Champion

In his junior year, a new player named Earvin "Magic" Johnson joined the team. With coach Jud Heathcote, the Spartans had a great season. They won 25 games and lost only 5. They also won the Big Ten Conference title. In the 1978 NCAA tournament, they reached the regional finals. They lost a close game to Kentucky.

The next year, as a senior, Kelser and Magic Johnson led the Spartans to the 1979 NCAA tournament championship. They beat Larry Bird and the Indiana State team 75–64. This was the first national title for Michigan State basketball. Kelser often caught amazing "alley-oop" passes from Magic Johnson. An alley-oop is when one player throws the ball high near the basket, and another player jumps to catch it and dunk it.

Kelser said that playing in that championship game was his biggest thrill. He was proud to be a "difference maker" in a game with two of the greatest players ever, Magic and Bird.

College Achievements

Greg Kelser finished his college career with impressive stats. He averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. He was named a third-team All-American in 1979. He was also an Academic All-American twice, meaning he was great at both sports and school. He was the first player in the Big Ten Conference to score over 2,000 points and get over 1,000 rebounds. No other Michigan State player has done this since.

Professional NBA Career

In the 1979 NBA draft, the Detroit Pistons picked Greg Kelser as the 4th overall player. He started strong, averaging 14.2 points per game in his first season. However, he began to have ongoing knee injuries. These injuries limited how many games he could play.

Team Changes

Because of his knee problems, the Pistons traded Kelser to the Seattle SuperSonics in December 1981. He played for the Sonics for most of two seasons. In 1983, he was traded again to the San Diego Clippers. He played a career-high 80 games there, averaging 11.0 points per game. He finished his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers in 1985. His knee injuries eventually forced him to retire. In his six NBA seasons, Kelser averaged 9.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He never played a full season without missing games due to injury.

Announcing Career

After his basketball career, Greg Kelser became a sports announcer and commentator. He works on radio and television. He comments on Detroit Pistons games for FanDuel Sports Network Detroit with his partner George Blaha. He also works for the Big Ten Network, covering college sports.

Personal Life and Honors

Greg Kelser went back to Michigan State and finished his college degree in Social Sciences in 1981. His coach, Jud Heathcote, really encouraged him to complete his studies.

Kelser has received many honors. He was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. In October 2007, his high school, Henry Ford High School, named its gymnasium the Gregory Kelser Gymnasium. He was also inducted into the Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996. Today, he lives in Franklin, Michigan with his wife, Donna.

See also

In Spanish: Greg Kelser para niños

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds