Kenny Gattison

NBA player[10]

What is Kenny Gattison known for?

Kenny Gattison, born May 23, 1964, in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a former professional basketball player and National Basketball Association (NBA) assistant coach. He attended New Hanover High School in Wilmington, where he played basketball and even competed against Michael Jordan, famously defeating Jordan's team in the high school state championship.

Gattison later attended Old Dominion University between 1982 and 1986, excelling in basketball. Over his college career, he managed to secure the title as the Sun Belt Conference's all-time rebound leader with 963 recoveries, ranking fourth all-time at Old Dominion University. Furthermore, his 1,623 career points place him as the 11th highest scorer in the history of Old Dominion. Gattison averaged 16.1 points per game in 1985 and 17.4 points per game in 1986.

His performance in the 1986 NCAA tournament is another noteworthy accomplishment, where he helped lead the Old Dominion Monarchs to victory over West Virginia, marking ODU's first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament win.

After his successful college basketball career, Gattison entered the NBA in 1986, as the 55th overall pick in the 3rd round by the Phoenix Suns. Over the course of his professional career, he played for the Phoenix Suns (1986-1989), Quad City Thunder (1989), Charlotte Hornets (1989-1995), and the Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-1996). After his playing career, he transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant coach for several NBA teams, including New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, and again with the Phoenix Suns.

In terms of career achievements, Gattison was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1986 and was a two-time recipient of the First-team All-Sun Belt awards in 1985 and 1986. He also had his No. 44 jersey retired by Old Dominion Monarchs, reflecting his significant contributions to the team. In his NBA career, Gattison amassed 3,923 points, 2,327 rebounds, and 444 assists.

Check out more about Kenny Gattison's career statistics on the NBA and Basketball-Reference websites.