Harold Blevins facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 19, 1943 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 188 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Arkansas–Pine Bluff (1961–1965) |
| NBA Draft | 1965 / Round: 2 / Pick: 14th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1965–1966 |
| Coaching career | 1975–2002 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1965–1966 | Trenton Colonials |
| As coach: | |
| 1995–2002 | Arkansas–Pine Bluff |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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Harold Blevins (born October 19, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He was a talented player for the Arkansas AM&N Golden Lions college team. Many people think he was one of the best scorers in their history.
Blevins was chosen three times as an All-American by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He was also picked four times for the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) team.
Early Career and Draft
In 1965, Harold Blevins was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1965 NBA draft. He was the 14th player chosen overall. This made him the very first player from the Golden Lions team to be picked in an National Basketball Association (NBA) draft.
Even though he didn't play football in college, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) that same year. However, Blevins didn't end up playing in either the NBA or the NFL. Instead, he played for the Trenton Colonials in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL) during the 1965–66 season.
Military Service
In 1966, Blevins joined the United States Army. He served for two years overseas.
Coaching Career
After his time in the Army, Harold Blevins became a head basketball coach. He coached for two different junior colleges. This included leading both the men's and women's teams at Harford Community College.
In 1995, Blevins returned to his old team, the Golden Lions, as the head coach for their men's basketball team. He coached for seven seasons. His team's record during that time was 36 wins and 147 losses. He finished his coaching role there on July 16, 2002.
Hall of Fame Honors
Harold Blevins has been honored for his great career. In 2004, he was inducted into the Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions Hall of Fame. The next year, in 2005, he also joined the SWAC Hall of Fame.
A special tribute happened in 2016. The Golden Lions team retired his No. 50 jersey. This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again, showing how important he was to the program.
