Kenny Battle facts for kids

Kenneth R. Battle, born on October 10, 1964, is an American former professional basketball player. He was known for his exciting style of play and amazing dunks.

Kenny Battle's High School Basketball Journey

In 1984, Kenny Battle led his team, Aurora West High School, to a great finish. They took third place in the Illinois High School Association Class AA state basketball tournament. Kenny was the top scorer in that tournament, getting 86 points in just four games.

Years later, in 2007, the Illinois High School Association honored Kenny. They named him one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament. This shows how important he was to high school basketball history in Illinois.

Kenny Battle's College Basketball Career

Kenny Battle started his college basketball journey at Northern Illinois University. He played there from 1984 to 1986. During his time at Northern Illinois, he earned the nickname "King of the 360s" because of his incredible dunks.

Later, he transferred to the University of Illinois. He became the captain of the 1989 Illinois team. This team was famously known as the "Flyin' Illini" because of their fast-paced and exciting style of play. The team made it all the way to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament, which is a huge achievement. They were eventually beaten by Michigan.

Fans loved Kenny Battle for his hard work and spectacular slam dunks. To this day, the Illini basketball team gives out the "Kenny Battle Inspirational Award." This award goes to the player who shows the most hustle and effort throughout the season.

Kenny Battle's Professional Basketball Career

Kenny Battle was chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the 1989 NBA draft. He was the 27th player picked overall. On the same day, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played in the NBA for four seasons. He played for the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors.

His best year in the NBA was during the 1991-92 NBA season. He played for both the Suns and the Nuggets that year. He played in 56 games and averaged 6.1 points per game (ppg). His best single game was on November 10, 1990. He scored 23 points for the Suns in a big win against the Nuggets.

Before that, in 1990, Kenny competed in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. This is a fun event where players show off their best dunks. He finished in eighth place that year. After his NBA career, Kenny also played for other teams, including the Fargo-Moorhead Beez in 2000. Today, Kenny Battle is the director of basketball at Camp Judaea in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Honors and Awards for Kenny Battle

Kenny Battle received many awards and honors throughout his basketball career. These show how talented and impactful he was as a player.

College and National Honors

• 1985–96 – NABC National Dunker of the Year
• 1985 – 2nd Team All-Mid-American Conference
• 1985 – Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year
• 1985 – Honorable Mention All American
• 1986 – Youngest player in MAC History to Reach 1,000 Career Points
• 1986 – 1st Team All-Mid-American Conference
• 1986 – Honorable Mention All American
• 1987 – Illini Co-MVP (Most Valuable Player)
• 1988 – 3rd Team All-Big Ten
• 1988 – Honorable Mention All American
• 1989 – Team Co-Captain
• 1989 – Preseason Wooden Award Nominee (an award for the best college player)
• 1989 – 2nd Team All-Big Ten
• 1989 – Honorable Mention All American
• 1989 – NCAA All-Regional Team
• 1989 – Kenny Battle Leadership Award (given by his college team)

Hall of Fame and All-Century Teams

• 1996 – Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame as a player.
• 2000 – Named to the Northern Illinois University All-Century Team.
• 2004 – Elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team".
• 2008 – Honored as one of the thirty-three honored jerseys. These jerseys hang in the State Farm Center to celebrate the most famous basketball players in the University of Illinois' history.

See also

In Spanish: Kenny Battle para niños