Kevin Duckworth facts for kids
| No. 54, 00 | |
|---|---|
| Center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 1, 1964 Harvey, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | August 25, 2008 (aged 44) Gleneden Beach, Oregon |
| High school | Thornridge (Dolton, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 300 lb (136 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Eastern Illinois (1982–1986) |
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33rd overall |
| Selected by the San Antonio Spurs | |
| Pro career | 1986–1997 |
| Career history | |
| 1986 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986–1993 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1993–1995 | Washington Bullets |
| 1995–1996 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1996–1997 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 8,085 (11.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,945 (5.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 598 (0.9 apg) |
Kevin Jerome Duckworth (born April 1, 1964 – died August 25, 2008) was a talented American professional basketball player. He played as a "center" in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Kevin was known for his strong play in the paint.
He grew up in Illinois and played college basketball at Eastern Illinois University. In 1986, the San Antonio Spurs picked him in the second round of the NBA draft. Soon after, he joined the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played for six seasons. With the Blazers, he became the NBA's Most Improved Player and was chosen for the All-Star team twice. After playing for a few more teams, he retired in 1997. He then returned to Oregon and worked for the Trail Blazers' team organization.
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Kevin Duckworth's Early Life & College Career
Kevin Duckworth was born in Harvey, Illinois. He grew up in Chicago, where he started playing basketball at Thornridge High School. While in high school, he played in big tournaments. He even became the top scorer in the history of one of these events, the Illinois State Holiday Classic.
After high school, Kevin went to Eastern Illinois University (EIU). He was an amazing rebounder there. He set a university record with 867 rebounds, which was still the record when he passed away. He also helped his college team win the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Championship in 1985. The next year, in 1986, he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Kevin Duckworth's NBA Journey
Kevin Duckworth was picked by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1986 NBA draft. He was the 33rd player chosen overall. Later in his first season, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He joined the Blazers in exchange for another rookie player, Walter Berry.
Becoming an NBA Star
Kevin's first season in the NBA was quiet. He mostly played as a backup center. However, in his second season, the main centers on the team got injured. This meant Kevin had to step up and become a starter. He played great, averaging 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He also improved his free throw shooting a lot. Because of his big improvements, he won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 1988.
The next season, Kevin played even better. He averaged 18.1 points and 8.0 rebounds. His strong performance earned him a spot on the NBA All-Star team for the first time. After this season, the Blazers made some trades. This allowed Kevin to become the main starting center for the team.
Success with the Portland Trail Blazers
The 1990 and 1991 seasons were very successful for Kevin and the Blazers. Even though his stats were highest in 1989, the team achieved more in these years. They reached the NBA Finals in 1990. In the 1990-91 season, they had an amazing record of 63 wins and only 19 losses. Having Buck Williams as a teammate, who was great at rebounding, helped Kevin focus on scoring and defense. In 1991, Kevin was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the second time.
Later Career and Retirement
After 1991, Kevin's performance started to decline a bit. He struggled during the 1992 NBA Finals. At the end of the 1992-93 season, Kevin was traded to the Washington Bullets. He played two seasons with the Bullets. During this time, he faced challenges with his weight. He was even suspended for not staying in good physical shape.
He was then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1995. He missed most of that season due to injuries. His last NBA team was the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1996-97 season. After that season, he retired from professional basketball.
Kevin Duckworth's NBA Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–87 | San Antonio | 14 | 1 | 8.7 | .400 | .000 | .643 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 3.2 |
| 1986–87 | Portland | 51 | 0 | 14.8 | .491 | .000 | .692 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 6.0 |
| 1987–88 | Portland | 78 | 50 | 28.5 | .496 | .000 | .770 | 7.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 15.8 |
| 1988–89 | Portland | 79 | 79 | 33.7 | .477 | .000 | .757 | 8.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 18.1 |
| 1989–90 | Portland | 82 | 82 | 30.0 | .478 | .000 | .740 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 16.2 |
| 1990–91 | Portland | 81 | 81 | 31.0 | .481 | .000 | .772 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 15.8 |
| 1991–92 | Portland | 82 | 82 | 27.1 | .461 | .000 | .690 | 6.1 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 10.7 |
| 1992–93 | Portland | 74 | 55 | 23.8 | .438 | .000 | .730 | 5.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 9.9 |
| 1993–94 | Washington | 69 | 52 | 21.5 | .417 | .000 | .667 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 6.6 |
| 1994–95 | Washington | 40 | 22 | 20.5 | .442 | .200 | .643 | 4.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
| 1995–96 | Milwaukee | 8 | 1 | 7.3 | .214 | .000 | .500 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| 1996–97 | Los Angeles | 26 | 22 | 14.8 | .437 | .750 | .688 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 4.0 |
| Career | 684 | 527 | 25.5 | .468 | .208 | .736 | 5.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 11.8 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Portland | 4 | 0 | 13.3 | .500 | .000 | .400 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 3.5 |
| 1988 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 37.8 | .486 | .000 | .783 | 11.0 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 21.5 |
| 1989 | Portland | 3 | 3 | 27.7 | .400 | .000 | .545 | 5.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 11.3 |
| 1990 | Portland | 15 | 15 | 30.2 | .439 | .000 | .717 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 13.1 |
| 1991 | Portland | 16 | 16 | 31.9 | .401 | .000 | .732 | 6.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 11.7 |
| 1992 | Portland | 21 | 21 | 30.8 | .495 | .000 | .660 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 11.9 |
| 1993 | Portland | 4 | 0 | 14.5 | .333 | .000 | 1.000 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 4.5 |
| Career | 67 | 59 | 29.2 | .447 | .000 | .702 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 11.7 | |
Life After Basketball
After retiring from basketball, Kevin Duckworth stayed busy. In 1996, he and another player, Kermit Washington, opened a sports cafe in Vancouver, Washington. Kevin settled in Tigard, Oregon with his girlfriend and her two children.
He became a "Heritage Ambassador" for the Trail Blazers. This meant he helped represent the team in the community. He also spent several years working at a company that bought and sold small yachts.
Kevin Duckworth's Passing
Kevin Duckworth passed away on August 25, 2008, in Gleneden Beach, Oregon. He was 44 years old. He collapsed in his hotel room, and emergency workers could not save him. His death was caused by heart failure, specifically a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. At the time, Kevin was in town with the Trail Blazers. They were hosting a free basketball clinic for children.
After his death, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Oregon Community Foundation created a scholarship in his name. This scholarship helps students in Oregon and Southwest Washington go to college or get professional training. During the 2008-09 NBA season, the Trail Blazers honored Kevin. They wore a special stripe on their jerseys and a patch with his number ('00') on their warmups. The Portland City Council also renamed a dock after him. It is now called the Kevin J. Duckworth Memorial Dock.
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Duckworth para niños
