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Benoit Benjamin

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1964)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{BLP sources|date=July 2016}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Benoit Benjamin

| image =

| height_ft = 7

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 250

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|11|22}}

| birth_place = Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.

| high_school = Carroll (Monroe, Louisiana)

| college = Creighton (1982–1985)

| draft_year = 1985

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 3

| draft_team = Los Angeles Clippers

| career_start = 1985

| career_end = 2001

| career_position = Center

| career_number = 00, 7

| years1 = {{nbay|1985|start}}–{{nbay|1990|end}}

| team1 = Los Angeles Clippers

| years2 = {{nbay|1990|end}}–{{nbay|1992|end}}

| team2 = Seattle SuperSonics

| years3 = {{nbay|1992|end}}

| team3 = Los Angeles Lakers

| years4 = {{nbay|1993|start}}–{{nbay|1994|end}}

| team4 = New Jersey Nets

| years5 = {{nbay|1995|start}}

| team5 = Vancouver Grizzlies

| years6 = {{nbay|1995|full=y}}

| team6 = Milwaukee Bucks

| years7 = {{nbay|1996|start}}

| team7 = Toronto Raptors

| years8 = 1997

| team8 = Yakima Sun Kings

| years9 = 1997–1998

| team9 = Peristeri Athens

| years10 = {{nbay|1997|end}}

| team10 = Philadelphia 76ers

| years11 = 1998

| team11 = Grand Rapids Hoops

| years12 = 1998

| team12 = Criollos de Caguas

| years13 = {{nbay|1998|end}}

| team13 = Philadelphia 76ers

| years14 = {{nbay|1999|start}}

| team14 = Cleveland Cavaliers

| years15 = 1999

| team15 = Atenas de Córdoba

| years16 = 1999

| team16 = Criollos de Caguas

| years17 = 2000

| team17 = Detroit Dogs

| years18 = 2000–2001

| team18 = Al Riyadi Beirut

| highlights =

| stats_league = NBA

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 9,223 (11.4 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 6,063 (7.5 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 1,070 (1.3 apg)

}}

Lenard Benoit Benjamin [be-NOYT] ({{IPAc-en|b|ə|ˈ|n|oɪ|t}}; born November 22, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the 1985 NBA draft. A 7'0" center from Creighton University, Benjamin played for nine NBA teams in 15 seasons from 1985 to 1999. He played for the Clippers (1985–91), Seattle SuperSonics (1991–93), Los Angeles Lakers (1993, 1999 preseason), New Jersey Nets (1993–95), Vancouver Grizzlies (1995), Milwaukee Bucks (1995–96), Toronto Raptors (1996), Philadelphia 76ers (1998–99) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1999).{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/benjabe01.html|title=Benoit Benjamin Stats|website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=9 February 2022}} Benjamin's daughter is Khaalia Hillsman who played at Texas A&M.

Career

Benjamin's best year as a professional came during the 1988–89 NBA season as a member of the Clippers, appearing in 79 games and averaging 16.4 ppg. It was also during this season that some criticized Benjamin's on-court actions, as famously exemplified by television announcer Dick Vitale after a January 1988 game against the Milwaukee Bucks: “He has a double zero on his back, but he should add another zero. I give him a zero for his offensive attitude, a zero for his defensive attitude, and a zero for his mental attitude ... he’s an absolute, flat-out disgrace to everyone that’s ever worn a basketball uniform.”{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-10-sp-34614-story.html|title=NBA Notes : Pistol Pete Spent His Life Searching for Something to Fill Void|date=10 January 1988|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=9 February 2022}}

In his NBA career, he had a .541 field goal percentage, recorded 4,604 defensive rebounds and 1,581 blocks and averaged 11.4 points and 2.0 blocks per game. Benjamin also played briefly in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in the latter part of his career. In 8 games over two seasons with the Yakima Sun Kings and Grand Rapids Hoops, he averaged 10.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest.1999–2000 Official CBA Guide and Register, page 246

He is the Clippers' career leader in blocked shots per game (2.75).

NBA career statistics

{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}

=Regular season=

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| align="left" | 1985–86

| align="left" | L.A. Clippers

| 79 || 37 || 26.4 || .490 || .333 || .746 || 7.6 || 1.0 || 0.8 || 2.6 || 11.1

|-

| align="left" | 1986–87

| align="left" | L.A. Clippers

| 72 || 61 || 31.0 || .449 || .000 || .715 || 8.1 || 1.9 || 0.8 || 2.6 || 11.5

|-

| align="left" | 1987–88

| align="left" | L.A. Clippers

| 66 || 59 || 32.9 || .491 || .000 || .706 || 8.0 || 2.6 || 0.8 || 3.4 || 13.0

|-

| align="left" | 1988–89

| align="left" | L.A. Clippers

| 79 || 62 || 32.7 || .541 || .000 || .744 || 8.8 || 2.0 || 0.7 || 2.8 || 16.4

|-

| align="left" | 1989–90

| align="left" | L.A. Clippers

| 71 || 58 || 32.6 || .526 || .000 || .732 || 9.3 || 2.2 || 0.8 || 2.6 || 13.5

|-

| align="left" | 1990–91

| align="left" | L.A. Clippers

| 39 || 38 || 34.3 || .492 || .000 || .728 || 12.0 || 1.9 || 0.7 || 2.3 || 14.9

|-

| align="left" | 1990–91

| align="left" | Seattle

| 31 || 27 || 29.0 || .502 || .000 || .690 || 8.2 || 1.5 || 0.9 || 1.7 || 12.9

|-

| align="left" | 1991–92

| align="left" | Seattle

| 63 || 61 || 30.8 || .478 || .000 || .687 || 8.1 || 1.2 || 0.6 || 1.9 || 14.0

|-

| align="left" | 1992–93

| align="left" | Seattle

| 31 || 6 || 14.5 || .497 || .000 || .701 || 3.6 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 1.1 || 6.7

|-

| align="left" | 1992–93

| align="left" | L.A. Lakers

| 28 || 0 || 10.9 || .481 || .000 || .595 || 3.4 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 4.5

|-

| align="left" | 1993–94

| align="left" | New Jersey

| 77 || 74 || 23.6 || .480 || .000 || .710 || 6.5 || 0.6 || 0.5 || 1.2 || 9.3

|-

| align="left" | 1994–95

| align="left" | New Jersey

| 61 || 57 || 26.2 || .510 || .000 || .760 || 7.2 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 1.0 || 11.1

|-

| align="left" | 1995–96

| align="left" | Vancouver

| style="background:#cfecec;"| 13* || 13 || 31.1 || .441 || .000 || .696 || 7.9 || 1.2 || 0.8 || 1.2 || 13.9

|-

| align="left" | 1995–96

| align="left" | Milwaukee

| style="background:#cfecec;"| 70* || 58 || 21.3 || .520 || .000 || .732 || 6.2 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 1.0 || 7.8

|-

| align="left" | 1996–97

| align="left" | Toronto

| 4 || 3 || 11.0 || .417 || .000 || .750 || 2.3 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 3.3

|-

| align="left" | 1997–98

| align="left" | Philadelphia

| 14 || 0 || 14.1 || .537 || .000 || .633 || 3.8 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 4.5

|-

| align="left" | 1998–99

| align="left" | Philadelphia

| 6 || 0 || 5.5 || .286 || .000 || .000 || 1.3 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.7

|-

| align="left" | 1999–00

| align="left" | Cleveland

| 3 || 0 || 2.7 || .333 || .000 || .000 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 0.7

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 807 || 614 || 27.2 || .497 || .048 || .721 || 7.5 || 1.3 || 0.6 || 2.0 || 11.4

|}

=Playoffs=

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| align="left" | 1990–91

| align="left" | Seattle

| 5 || 5 || 32.6 || .488 || .000 || .906 || 6.6 || 0.2 || 0.6 || 2.6 || 13.8

|-

| align="left" | 1991–92

| align="left" | Seattle

| 9 || 4 || 17.9 || .561 || .000 || .500 || 5.1 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 1.4 || 6.1

|-

| align="left" | 1993–94

| align="left" | New Jersey

| 4 || 4 || 27.0 || .412 || .000 || .875 || 5.3 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 2.0 || 5.3

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 18 || 13 || 24.0 || .505 || .000 || .776 || 5.6 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 1.9 || 8.1

|}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{1985 NBA draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benjamin, Benoit}}

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:All-American college men's basketball players

Category:Al Riyadi Club Beirut basketball players

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Atenas basketball players

Category:Centers (basketball)

Category:Cleveland Cavaliers players

Category:Creighton Bluejays men's basketball players

Category:Criollos de Caguas basketball players

Category:Grand Rapids Hoops players

Category:Los Angeles Clippers draft picks

Category:Los Angeles Clippers players

Category:Los Angeles Lakers players

Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans

Category:Milwaukee Bucks players

Category:New Jersey Nets players

Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)

Category:Peristeri B.C. players

Category:Philadelphia 76ers players

Category:Seattle SuperSonics players

Category:Basketball players from Monroe, Louisiana

Category:Toronto Raptors players

Category:Vancouver Grizzlies expansion draft picks

Category:Vancouver Grizzlies players

Category:Yakima Sun Kings players

Category:20th-century American sportsmen