Kevin Willis facts for kids
Willis at the White House in 2003
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 6, 1962 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| High school | John J. Pershing (Detroit, Michigan) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Pro career | 1984–2005, 2007 |
| Career history | |
| 1984–1994 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1994–1996 | Miami Heat |
| 1996 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1996–1998 | Houston Rockets |
| 1998–2001 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2001 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2001–2002 | Houston Rockets |
| 2002–2004 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2004–2005 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2007 | Dallas Mavericks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 17,523 (12.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 11,901 (8.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,328 (0.9 apg) |
Kevin Alvin Willis (born September 6, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. He is best known for playing with the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 7 feet tall, he played as a power forward and center. Kevin Willis played for a very long time in the NBA, making him one of the players with the most seasons played!
Kevin is one of only fifteen players in NBA history to score over 16,000 points and grab more than 11,000 rebounds. In 1992, he was chosen for the NBA All-Star team. That season, he averaged an amazing 15.5 rebounds per game, which was his career high. He played for 21 seasons in the NBA, averaging 12.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. During his long career, Kevin won one NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003. He is tied for the second-most seasons played in the NBA with other famous players like Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki.
In the 2004–05 season, Kevin Willis was the oldest player in the league at 42 years old. He continued to play until he retired at the end of the 2006–07 season, when he was 44.
Contents
Early Life and College
Kevin Willis was born in Los Angeles, California. He went to Pershing High School in Detroit. He joined the basketball team there in his junior year.
After high school, Kevin played basketball at Jackson College for his first year. Then, he moved to Michigan State University. He played three seasons for Michigan State while studying fashion and textiles.
Playing in the NBA
Atlanta Hawks (1984–1994)
The Atlanta Hawks picked Kevin Willis in the 1984 NBA draft. On March 11, 1986, he had an incredible game, scoring 39 points and getting 21 rebounds against the Denver Nuggets. He played with the Hawks for nine full seasons. He was a key player, often helping the Hawks reach the playoffs. He was known for his strong rebounding. He played alongside other great players like Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb, and Doc Rivers. Towards the end of his time with the Hawks, he and Dominique Wilkins became team captains.
Moving to Other Teams (1994–2002)
In 1994, Kevin was traded to the Miami Heat. After a season and a half, he was traded again to the Golden State Warriors in 1996. Later that year, he signed with the Houston Rockets.
In 1998, Kevin Willis joined the Toronto Raptors. He played there for a few seasons. In 2001, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. After a short time with the Nuggets, he was traded back to the Houston Rockets in 2001.
San Antonio Spurs (2002–2004)
In 2002, Kevin signed with the San Antonio Spurs. This was a very special time for him! In 2003, he and the Spurs won the NBA Championship. This was his first and only championship ring.
Back to the Hawks and Mavericks (2004–2007)
Kevin Willis returned to the Atlanta Hawks for one more season in 2004–05. By playing that season, he became the oldest player in the league at that time.
After not playing in the 2005–06 season, Kevin signed a short contract with the Dallas Mavericks in 2007. He played in five games that season. By doing so, he became the oldest player to play more than two games in an NBA season. He was 44 years old!
Retirement and Business
Kevin Willis stopped playing basketball after the 2006–07 season. He then focused on his clothing business called Willis & Walker. He started this company in 1988 with his former Michigan State teammate, Ralph Walker. Their company, based in Atlanta, makes custom clothes for big and tall men.
Television Appearances
In 2007, Kevin Willis appeared on a TV show called Pros vs Joes three times. It was a reality show on Spike TV.
Amazing Career Stats
Kevin Willis had a long and successful career in the NBA. Here are some highlights of his regular season averages:
- He played in 1,424 games.
- He averaged 12.1 points per game.
- He averaged 8.4 rebounds per game.
- He averaged 0.9 assists per game.
In the playoffs, where teams compete for the championship, Kevin also played very well:
- He played in 98 playoff games.
- He averaged 9.9 points per game.
- He averaged 6.5 rebounds per game.
| 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 |
See also
- List of NBA career games played leaders
- List of NBA career minutes played leaders
- List of NBA career rebounding leaders
- List of NBA single-season rebounding leaders
- List of NBA single-game rebounding leaders
- List of NBA career personal fouls leaders
- List of oldest and youngest NBA players
- List of NBA seasons played leaders
