Kent Washington
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1956)}}
{{About|the basketball player|the city|Kent, Washington|the neighborhood|Kent (Washington, D.C.)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kent Washington
| position = Point guard
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|01|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place = New Rochelle, New York, United States
| height_cm = 178
| high_school = New Rochelle High School
| college = Southampton College (1974–1978)
| draft_year =
| draft_round = 10
| draft_pick =
| draft_team = Los Angeles Lakers
| draft_league = NBA
| career_start = 1974
| career_end = 1995
| league = PLK (1978–1983)
Basketligaen (1983–1995)
| years1 = 1978–81
| team1 = Start Lublin
| years2 = 1981–83
| team2 = Zagłębie Sosnowiec
| years3 = 1983–8?
| team3 = IFK Linköping
| years4 = 198?–19??
| team4 = Plannja Basket Luleå
| years5 = 19??–1995
| team5 = BC Växjö
| cyears1 = {{0|00000000}}
| cteam1 = IFK Linköping
| cyears2 = {{0|00000000}}
| cteam2 = Luleå BBK
| cyears3 = 1997–?
| cteam3 = Iona Gaels
| cyears4 = 2000–04
| cteam4 = Mercy College
| medal templates =
}}
Kent "Nut" Washington (born January 10, 1956){{Cite web|url=https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2020/06/12/kent-washington-poland-basketball-player-new-rochelle/3169537001/|title=Breaking barriers: Washington first American to play pro basketball behind Iron Curtain|first=Nancy|last=Haggerty|website=The Journal News|date=June 12, 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Historia Polskiej Ligi Koszykówki Mężczyzn |url=http://www.plkhistory.ugu.pl/index.php?profil=3897&tab=1 |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=plkhistory.ugu.pl}} is an American former professional basketball player. He was the first American as well as the first black professional basketball player to play behind the Iron Curtain. He played professional basketball in the Polish People's Republic from 1979–83. He was the PLK Most Valuable Player in 1980. He won the Polish Cup in 1983. In total, he played professional basketball in Europe for 14 years. He is the author of the 2021 memoir Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland.
Early and personal life
Washington was born in New Rochelle, New York, to Ralph (New Rochelle’s first black police detective) and Cloteal Washington.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/kent-washington|title=Kent Washington|website= Wilson Center}}{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Kent-Washington/Summary/203041|title=Kent Washington Player Profile|website=RealGM Basketball}} He has an older brother, Kurt.{{Cite web|url=https://nrhs.nred.org/o/nrhs/article/681082|title=Former New Rochelle High School Basketball Star Writes Book|website=New Rochelle High School|author=Daylin Salas|date=March 9, 2022}} He attended New Rochelle Public Schools. He was New Rochelle High School’s starting point guard, was All-Conference and All-County, and was MVP of the Westchester Holiday Tournament. He graduated in 1973.{{Cite web|url=https://talkofthesound.com/2022/10/16/new-rochelle-high-school-retires-jerseys-of-3-all-time-great-basketball-players/|title=New Rochelle High School Retires Jerseys of 3 All-Time Great Basketball Players|first=Robert|last=Cox|date=October 16, 2022|website=Talk of the Sound}}
He received a four-year scholarship to NCAA Division II Southampton College (now Stony Brook Southampton).{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/new-york/newrochelle/new-rochelle-hs-retires-jerseys-3-its-all-time-greatest-players|title=New Rochelle HS Retires Jerseys Of 3 Of Its All-Time Greatest Players|date=October 17, 2022|website=New Rochelle, NY Patch}} There, he majored in sociology and scored 1,082 points for the Colonials.{{Cite web|url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=sp19761209-01.1.12&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------|title= 9 December 1976|website=Southampton Press}}{{Cite web|url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=teh19770224-01.1.8&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------|title=College Wins Four|page=8|date= 24 February 1977 |website=The East Hampton Star}} He was team captain in 1976 and 1977. In his junior year in college Washington averaged 15 points and 8 assists per game, shooting 54% from the floor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportshistoryweekly.com/stories/polish-basketball-league-kent-washington-lublin-ks-start-southampton-college,1128|title=Cut By the NBA, He Found Fame In Communist Poland|date=January 8, 2023|website=Sports History Weekly}} He completed his career as the school's career assists leader.[https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1698156/Newsletter-Nov192021.pdf "Huguenot Sports Legends Washington and Rice Join Hall of Fame"] He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 10th round in 1977. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall.
Playing in Sweden, Washington met his future wife, Susanne.{{Cite web|url=https://sport.rp.pl/koszykowka/art4080901-mlody-ochodzki-czyli-czarodziej-z-harlemu|title=Młody Ochódzki, czyli czarodziej z Harlemu|website=Rzeczpospolita}} Their daughter, Kehli, was born in Sweden, became a star softball player for New Rochelle High School, Rider University, and the Swedish national softball team, and played softball professionally in the Netherlands.
Basketball career
=Poland=
In 1979, at the age of 23, Washington became the first American as well as the first black professional basketball player to play behind the Iron Curtain. He played professional basketball in the Polish People's Republic from 1978–83. In Poland, he played for Start Lublin from 1979–81, with the team winning bronze medals in 1979 and 1980, and for Zagłębie Sosnowiec from 1981–83.{{Cite web|url=https://kurierlubelski.pl/kiedys-czarowal-na-boisku-i-gral-w-misiu-po-40-latach-kent-washington-wrocil-do-lublina/ar/c2-17853029|title=Kiedyś czarował na boisku i grał w "Misiu". Po 40 latach Kent Washington wrócił do Lublina|first=Krzysztof|last=Nowacki|date=September 1, 2023|website=Kurier Lubelski}}{{Cite web|url=https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20091110200736/http://www.polskikosz.pl/zawodnik/977/washington_kent.html?_x_tr_sl=pl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc|title=Kent Washington|date=November 10, 2009|website=polskikosz.pl}} In total, he played professional basketball in Europe for 14 years.
In 1986, between seasons in Poland, Washington played for the New Jersey Jammers in the United States Basketball League, which were coached by Nate Archibald.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/roster/t-USBJEJ/y-1986|title=1986 Jersey Jammers minor league basketball Roster|website=StatsCrew}}
In Poland, Washington averaged 20 points per game, and playing in the Polish Basketball League (PLK) was the PLK Most Valuable Player in 1980. He won the Polish Cup in 1983 with Zagłębie Sosnowiec.{{Cite web|url=https://www.enbleague.eu/post/welcome-mks-start-lublin|title=Welcome MKS Start Lublin!|date=July 12, 2022|website=European North Basketball League|author=Maris Noviks}}{{citation|title=I Felt Polish: A Chat with American Basketball Pro Kent Washington|author= Marek Kępa|publisher= culture.pl|date= 29 June 2021|url=https://culture.pl/en/article/i-felt-polish-a-chat-with-american-basketball-pro-kent-washington}}
His popularity was so great in PRL-era Poland during his five seasons there between 1978 and 1983 that it was dubbed "Kentomania".{{Cite web|url=https://probasket.pl/kurczak-z-frytkami-maly-piesek-i-koszykowka/|title=Kurczak z frytkami, mały piesek i koszykówka |work= PROBASKET|first=Krzysztof|last=Kurasiewicz|date=November 3, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://kronikasportu.lublin.eu/wpisy/start-lublin-polonia-warszawa-debiut-kenta-washingtona/|title=Start Lublin – Polonia Warszawa. Debiut Kenta Washingtona.}}{{citation|title=Amerykanie są jednocześnie zbawieniem i przekleństwem. Podbili świat. Nie ma innego wyjścia?|language=pl|date=2 May 2023|author=Jakub Wojczyński|work=Przegląd Sportowy|url=https://przegladsportowy.onet.pl/koszykowka/amerykanie-sa-jednoczesnie-zbawieniem-i-przeklenstwem-podbili-swiat/4qmyprq}}{{cite book|title=Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland|publisher=independent |year=2021|isbn=9798786557979|author=Kent Washington|pages=1–247}} Washington, a black man, was a novelty for Polish fans; he said: "They touched my hair and my skin out of curiosity."{{Cite journal|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/6/article/900741|title=Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland by Kent Washington (review)|first=Sheldon|last=Anderson|date=March 27, 2023|journal=Journal of Cold War Studies|volume=25|issue=2|pages=255–257|via=Project MUSE}} One time a two-year-old bit Washington on his finger, thinking he was chocolate. Reportedly soldiers assigned to crack down on public gatherings as part of a national martial law decree would abandon their tanks to seek his autograph. Washington also appeared in the 1981 Polish comedy cult film Miś.{{Cite web |last=Żelazko |first=Basia |date=15 May 2020 |title=Kent Washington: pamiętacie koszykarza z "Misia"? |url=https://film.wp.pl/kent-washington-pamietacie-koszykarza-z-misia-6510712957319297a |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=WP Film |language=pl}}
=Sweden=
Washington later played professionally for 10 years in Sweden.{{Cite web |last=Haggerty |first=Nancy |title=Ray Rice headlines five-member class inducted into Westchester Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2021/11/18/westchester-sports-hall-fame-inductees-2021-ray-rice-kent-washington-spedafino-demello-sollazzo/8652034002/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=The Journal News |language=en-US|date=November 18, 2021}} He played for three teams in its top league—IFK Linköping, Plannja Basket Luleå, and BC Växjö, led the league in scoring in 1985–86, and averaged 23 points per game in his Swedish career. At 38 years of age he retired.
=Coaching=
Washington coached women's basketball in Sweden for two years. In 1997, he and his wife and daughter returned to New Rochelle.
Washington then coached the women's basketball teams at Iona University (beginning in 1997) and Mercy College in Westchester (2000–04), and worked as a teacher's assistant at Washington Irving School in Tarrytown, New York.[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/06/sports/transactions-521159.html "Transactions,"] The New York Times.[https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/mercy.sidearmsports.com/documents/2023/5/30/WBB_Record_Book_FULL_UPDATED_5-30-23.pdf "All-time Coaching Records,"] Mercy College Women's Basketball.{{Cite web|url=https://brooklyn.news12.com/new-rochelle-high-school-retires-numbers-of-3-basketball-legends|title=New Rochelle High School retires numbers of 3 basketball legends|website=News 12|date=October 17, 2022}}
Honors
Washington was inducted into the New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nrshof.com/2002.html|title=2002|website=New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame}} He was inducted into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/new-york/newrochelle/2-new-rochelle-athletes-inducted-westchester-hall-fame|title=2 New Rochelle Athletes Inducted To Westchester Hall Of Fame; NFL legend Ray Rice and former Iona basketball coach Kent Washington earned their places in Westchester sports history.|date=27 July 2021|website=New Rochelle, NY Patch|author=Jeff Edwards}}
Memoir
Washington is the author of the 2021 memoir Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland.{{Cite web|url=https://polskieradio.pl/395/7790/artykul/3235553,kentomania-american-basketball-player-recounts-his-life-in-communist-poland|title='Kentomania': American basketball player recounts his life in communist Poland; A book newly published in Poland recounts the story of Kent Washington, an American basketball player who lived in communist Poland from 1979 to 1983.|website=Polskie Radio|date=April 9, 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- Autobiography: {{cite book|title=Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland|publisher=independent |year=2021|isbn=9798786557979|author=Kent Washington|pages=1–247}}
External links
- PLK History profile - {{cite web|url=http://www.plkhistory.ugu.pl/index.php?profil=3897&tab=1|title=Kent Washington}}
- [https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/westchestertalkradio/episodes/2021-10-21T09_35_06-07_00 "New Rochelle High School, Southampton College and international basketball legend Kent Washington discusses his memorable career"], The Sports Report Ep 24 Podcast, Westchester Talk Radio, October 21, 2021.
- [https://instytutpolski.pl/newyork/2023/07/26/interview-with-kent-washington-former-professional-basketball-player/ "Interview with Kent Washington—Former Professional Basketball Player,"] Polish Cultural Institute New York, July 26, 2023.
{{PLK Season MVP}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Kent}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Poland
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Sweden
Category:American emigrants to Poland
Category:Basketball players from Westchester County, New York
Category:Iona Gaels women's basketball coaches
Category:Mercy University faculty
Category:New Rochelle High School alumni
Category:Southampton College alumni
Category:Sportspeople from New Rochelle, New York