Ken Durrett
{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Ken Durrett
| image =
| width =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lb = 190
| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|12|08}}
| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2001|01|07|1948|12|08}}
| death_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| high_school = Schenley (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
| college = La Salle (1968–1971)
| draft_year = 1971
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 4
| draft_team = Cincinnati Royals
| career_start = 1971
| career_end = 1977
| career_number = 33
| career_position = Power forward
| years1 = {{nbay|1971|start}}–{{nbay|1974|end}}
| team1 = Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha Kings
| years2 = {{nbay|1974|end}}
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers
| years3 = 1975–1977
| team3 = Lancaster Red Roses
| highlights =
- All-EBA Second Team (1976)
- Consensus second-team All-American (1971)
- 3× Robert V. Geasey Trophy winner (1969–1971)
- No. 33 retired by La Salle Explorers
}}
Kenneth L. Durrett (December 8, 1948 – January 7, 2001) was an American professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association's Kansas City Kings and Philadelphia 76ers. A {{convert|6|ft|7|in|adj=on}} power forward, Durrett was a star at La Salle University from 1968 to 1971.
La Salle
Durrett was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Schenley High School and committed to La Salle. Durrett played for the Explorers from 1968 to 1971 and was a three-time recipient of the Robert V. Geasey Trophy, awarded annually to the top player in the Philadelphia Big 5 – one of only four players to accomplish this feat. Durrett finished his collegiate career with 1,679 points (23.6 per game) and led the Big 5 in scoring each of his three years. He was a Co-MVP in the Big 5 as a sophomore in 1969, during the Explorers’ 23–1 season. Durrett led La Salle to a berth in the 1971 National Invitation Tournament and was a Consensus second-team All-American in 1971.[http://www.lasalle.edu/advancement/alumni/group.php?section=assoc&type=uc&page=athletes&id=504 La Salle University Hall of Athletes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527172141/http://www.lasalle.edu/advancement/alumni/group.php?section=assoc&type=uc&page=athletes&id=504 |date=2010-05-27 }} He was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1975 and the La Salle Hall of Athletes in 1976. A knee injury ended his college career.
NBA
After completing his collegiate eligibility, Durrett was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals with the fourth pick overall in the 1971 NBA draft. Durrett, still slowed by his college knee injury, played parts of four seasons for the Royals and stayed with the franchise as they became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. He was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers midway through the 1974–75 NBA season and retired at the end of that season. His career averages were 4.0 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/durreke01.html| title = Ken Durrett NBA Stats|website=Basketball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=24 December 2024}}
Durrett played for the Lancaster Red Roses of the Eastern Basketball Association (EBA) from 1975 to 1977.{{cite web |title=Ken Durrett minor league basketball statistics |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/stats/p-durreken001 |website=Stats Crew |access-date=February 19, 2025}} He was selected to the All-EBA Second Team in 1976.
After a post-playing career as a community activist and basketball coach in his native Pittsburgh, Durrett died at age 52 of an apparent heart attack.[http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20010108durrett4.asp Obituary: Kenny Durrett / Basketball star who went on to coach in Wilkinsburg]
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=NBA=
==Regular season==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
!Year
!Team
!GP
!GS
!MPG
!FG%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!SPG
!BPG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1971}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Cincinnati
| 19 || || 12.3 || .392 || .750 || 2.1 || .7 || || || 4.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1972}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Kansas City–Omaha
| 8 || || 8.1 || .381 || .750 || 1.8 || .4 || || || 2.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1973}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Kansas City–Omaha
| 45 || || 10.3 || .489 || .609 || 1.7 || .4 || .3 || .1 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1974}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Kansas City–Omaha
| 21 || || 8.3 || .410 || .550 || 1.9 || .4 || .2 || .2 || 3.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1974|nolink=y}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Philadelphia
| 27 || 0 || 10.0 || .398 || .625 || 2.3 || .4 || .1 || .1 || 3.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 120 || 0 || 10.0 || .434 || .637 || 1.9 || .5 || .2 || .1 || 4.0
{{s-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/durreke01.html NBA and College stats]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100527172141/http://www.lasalle.edu/advancement/alumni/group.php?section=assoc&type=uc&page=athletes&id=504 La Salle Hall of Athletes bio]
{{1971 NBA draft}}
{{1971 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Robert V. Geasey Trophy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Durrett, Ken}}
Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:All-American college men's basketball players
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Pittsburgh
Category:Cincinnati Royals draft picks
Category:Cincinnati Royals players
Category:Denver Rockets draft picks
Category:Kansas City Kings players
Category:Lancaster Red Roses (CBA) players
Category:La Salle Explorers men's basketball players
Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
Category:Philadelphia 76ers players