Winston Bennett facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 9, 1965 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| High school | Louisville Male (Louisville, Kentucky) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kentucky (1983–1988) |
| NBA Draft | 1988 / Round: 3 / Pick: 64th overall |
| Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| Pro career | 1988–1992 |
| Coaching career | 1995–2013 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1988 | Teorema Arese |
| 1988–1989 | Pensacola Tornados |
| 1989–1992 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1992 | Miami Heat |
| As coach: | |
| 1995–1997 | Kentucky (assistant) |
| 1997–1998 | Boston Celtics (assistant) |
| 2000–2003 | Kentucky State |
| 2007–2013 | Mid-Continent |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
|
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Winston George Bennett III (born February 9, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat in the NBA. After his playing career, he became a basketball coach.
Contents
High School and College Basketball Career
Winston Bennett was a talented basketball player from a young age. He became a star at Louisville Male High School in Kentucky. In 1983, he was named "Mr. Basketball" for the entire state of Kentucky. This award goes to the best high school basketball player in the state.
College Years at Kentucky
Bennett played college basketball at the University of Kentucky. He was known as "Steady Bee" and wore jersey number 25. As a freshman in 1983–84, he helped his team reach the Final Four. This is the final stage of the college basketball championship tournament.
In his junior year (1985–86), Bennett played very well. He averaged 12.7 points and 7 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-SEC team, which means he was one of the best players in his college league. He helped the Wildcats achieve an impressive 32–4 record that season.
After taking a year off to recover from a knee injury, Bennett returned as a senior. He was the team captain and continued to play strongly. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Along with his teammate Rex Chapman, he helped Kentucky win their 37th SEC title. The team was ranked among the top college basketball teams in the nation. They made it to the "Sweet Sixteen" in the 1988 NCAA Tournament.
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Winston Bennett was chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1988 NBA draft. He was the 64th player picked overall. Before joining the NBA, he played for an Italian team called Teorema Arese in 1988. He also played for the Pensacola Tornados in the Continental Basketball Association.
Bennett played three seasons in the NBA from 1989 to 1992. He mostly played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. His best season was his first year with the Cavaliers, where he played in 55 games. He averaged 6.1 points per game during that rookie season.
Coaching Career Highlights
After his time as a professional player, Winston Bennett became a basketball coach. He started as an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky from 1995 to 1997. During this time, the Kentucky Wildcats won the NCAA Championship in 1996. The next season, they were the runner-up, meaning they made it to the championship game but did not win.
Head Coach Roles
In May 2000, Bennett became the head men's basketball coach at Kentucky State University. This is a Division II university. In his first season there, he led his team to win a conference championship in 2001.
He coached at Kentucky State until November 2003. After that, in May 2007, Bennett was named the head men's basketball coach at Mid-Continent University. This was an NAIA school. He coached there for six seasons. He resigned from his coaching position at Mid-Continent in June 2013. Mid-Continent University later closed in 2014.
Personal Life
Winston Bennett lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife, Peggy. After his coaching career, he started working for an insurance agency in Louisville.
See also
In Spanish: Winston Bennett para niños
