Larry Sykes

{{short description|American basketball player}}

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

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Larry Sykes

| image =

| width =

| caption =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 9

| weight_lb = 255

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|4|11}}

| birth_place = Toledo, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| high_school = St. Francis de Sales
(Toledo, Ohio)

| college = Xavier (1991–1995)

| draft_year = 1995

| career_start =

| career_end =

| career_number = 54

| career_position = Power forward

| years1 = 1995–1997

| team1 = Rockford Lightning

| years2 = {{nbay|1995|start}}

| team2 = Boston Celtics

| years3 = 1998–1999

| team3 = Fort Wayne Fury

| highlights =

}}

Larry Sykes (born April 11, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player born in Toledo, Ohio. He played briefly in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after a college career for the Xavier Musketeers.

A 6'9" power forward{{cite news |author1=Todd Jones |title=Xavier foe gives Sykes bad review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97997949/xavier-foe-gives-sykes-bad-review/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=The Cincinnati Post |date=14 February 1995 |page=1D}} from Xavier University,{{cite news |author1=Rory Glynn |title=Xavier seniors want a perfect good-bye |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97997770/xavier-seniors-want-a-perfect-good-bye/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=23 February 1995 |pages=D4}}{{cite news |author1=Todd Jones |title=Good grab: XU's Sykes controls boards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97998003/good-grab-xus-sykes-controls-boards/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=The Cincinnati Post |date=25 February 1995 |page=1C}}{{cite news |author1=Tim Sullivan |title=XU's Sykes switch-hitter on the court |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97997451/xus-sykes-switch-hitter-on-the-court/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=4 December 1994 |pages=1C}}{{cite news |author1=Rory Glynn |title=Sykes totes big load |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97997834/sykes-totes-big-load/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=18 October 1994 |page=D1}} Sykes appeared in one game for the Boston Celtics during the 1995-96 NBA season. He tallied two rebounds and one turnover in two minutes of action.[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sykesla01.html Larry Sykes]. basketball-reference.com Sykes also played for the Rockford Lightning[http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/basket/cba/finals/cba96.txt CBA Official Report, 1995-96].{{cite news |author1=Steve Tappa |title=Sykes waiting for his chance |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97998059/sykes-waiting-for-his-chance/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=The Dispatch |date=6 January 1996 |page=D5}} and Fort Wayne Fury[http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/basket/cba/finals/cba99.txt CBA Official Report, 1998-99] of the Continental Basketball Association.

Sykes later became an assistant coach at Lakota East High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the girls varsity basketball team.{{cite news |title=Local coach takes leave of absence |url=http://www.journal-news.com/news/sports/high-school/local-coach-takes-leave-of-absence-1/nNYYC/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=Hamilton JournalNews |date=3 December 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126211736/http://www.journal-news.com/hamilton-sports/high-school-sports/local-coach-takes-leave-of-absence-1293627.html |archive-date=26 January 2013}}

In 2013 he was elected Toledo City Council, however he was defeated in 2021 after pleading guilty to bribery charges.{{cite web | url=https://ballotpedia.org/Larry_Sykes | title=Larry Sykes }}{{cite web | url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/three-former-toledo-city-council-members-plead-guilty-conspiracy-and-bribery-charges | title=Northern District of Ohio | Three Former Toledo City Council Members Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Bribery Charges | United States Department of Justice | date=December 16, 2022 }}