Norris Coleman facts for kids

Norris James Coleman (born September 27, 1961) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was chosen by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1987 NBA draft. He played as a forward and was 6 feet 8 inches tall. Coleman played one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

During the 1987–88 season, Coleman played 29 games for the Clippers. He scored a total of 153 points. After his time in the NBA, Coleman had a long and successful career. He played in professional basketball leagues in other countries, especially in Israel. He played for teams like Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 1994, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Coleman continued playing in Israel for many teams until he retired in 2001. He was 40 years old when he finished his career with Hapoel Tel Aviv.

College Basketball Journey

Norris Coleman had a unique path in college basketball at Kansas State University. He had spent five years serving in the U.S. Army. This meant he was 24 years old when he started playing for Kansas State in the 1985–86 basketball season.

First Season Success

In his first season, Coleman was amazing. He led the Big Eight Conference in scoring. He averaged 21.8 points per game. He also grabbed 8 rebounds per game. Because of his great play, he was named first-team All-Conference. He also won the "Newcomer of the Year" award. This made him one of the few players to lead their league in scoring in their first college season.

However, near the end of that season, the NCAA found a problem. They said Coleman had not met the minimum high school requirements. Kansas State immediately declared him ineligible to play.

NCAA Ruling and Return

The situation became even more complicated in April 1986. The NCAA made an unusual decision. They said Coleman would have to sit out a year at Kansas State. He would not get a scholarship during that time. He would also lose a year of his playing eligibility. But, if he transferred to a different school, he would not face these penalties.

Coleman quickly received scholarship offers from 25 different schools. He visited LSU, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Virginia. But in the end, he decided to stay at Kansas State.

Later, in November 1986, the NCAA reduced his penalty. It became a 12-game suspension instead. Coleman returned to the court for the last 19 games of the 1986–87 season. He teamed up with Mitch Richmond. Together, they helped Kansas State reach the 1987 NCAA tournament.

In his shorter sophomore season, he still played very well. He averaged 20.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He was again named first-team All-Conference. After this season, Coleman decided to become a professional player.

Nickname "The Sarge"

Because of his time in the Army, Kansas State fans gave Coleman a special nickname. They affectionately called him "The Sarge."

College Statistics

Here are Norris Coleman's college basketball statistics:

See also

In Spanish: Norris Coleman para niños