Ben Kelso
Encyclopedia
Ben Kelso is an American former NBA
player for the Detroit Pistons
. He has coached basketball
for schools in the Detroit
area and was accused of an alleged scandal in this capacity. In July, 2005, the Kansas State
Wildcats hired Kelso as assistant coach for their men's basketball program.
Kelso, a graduate of Central Michigan University
, was drafted by Coach Ray Scott and the Pistons, where he played from 1973-1975. In 1976, Kelso was hired by Scott as one of his assistant coaches at Eastern Michigan University
. Over three seasons, he helped guide EMU to a 29-52 record. EMU fired Scott and his staff in March 1979.
After retiring as a professional ball player, Kelso began coaching students at various schools. At Detroit's Cooley High School
, where he coached for 14 years, Kelso lead the team to three (3) consecutive state championships in 1987, 1988, and 1989, which led to his appearance in the March 5, 1990 edition of Sports Illustrated http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=7http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/BoysBasketball/YearlyChampions.aspx
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1137083/index.htm
In 1998, Kelso transferred over to Southfield High School
as coach and athletic director where he was credited with rejuvenating the girls' basketball program and winning two state championships.
On December 17, 2002, Kelso was fired by the Southfield Board of Education after being accused of allegedly misappropriating funds
from school ticket and concession sales. Police and the District Attorneys Office concluded that there was insufficient evidence to arrest Kelso. 18 months later, the State Tenure Commission concluded that Kelso was wrongfully terminated and advised him to resume his job.
Kelso ultimately took a new job as gym instructor with Southfield's Arthur Ashe
Academy after Southfield High School officials refused to speak with him and later refused to reissue his original job title. Currently, Kelso is the head coach at Mumford High School and also periodically conducts his own basketball training program for youth, collegiate and professionals players in Michigan
.
Kelso and his wife, Joyce, have two children: Jennifer and Jalen. He has two other children: Benjamin, Jr. and Bradley, from a previous marriage.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player for the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. He has coached basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
for schools in the Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
area and was accused of an alleged scandal in this capacity. In July, 2005, the Kansas State
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
Wildcats hired Kelso as assistant coach for their men's basketball program.
Kelso, a graduate of Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
, was drafted by Coach Ray Scott and the Pistons, where he played from 1973-1975. In 1976, Kelso was hired by Scott as one of his assistant coaches at Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
. Over three seasons, he helped guide EMU to a 29-52 record. EMU fired Scott and his staff in March 1979.
After retiring as a professional ball player, Kelso began coaching students at various schools. At Detroit's Cooley High School
Cooley High School
Thomas M. Cooley High School is located at the intersection of Hubbell Avenue and Chalfonte Street, on the northwest side of Detroit, Michigan. The three-story, Mediterranean Revival-style facility opened its doors on September 4, 1928....
, where he coached for 14 years, Kelso lead the team to three (3) consecutive state championships in 1987, 1988, and 1989, which led to his appearance in the March 5, 1990 edition of Sports Illustrated http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=7http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/BoysBasketball/YearlyChampions.aspx
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1137083/index.htm
In 1998, Kelso transferred over to Southfield High School
Southfield High School
Southfield Senior High School is a senior high school located in Southfield, Michigan. Founded in 1953, Southfield High is the oldest of three high schools in the district operated by Southfield Public Schools...
as coach and athletic director where he was credited with rejuvenating the girls' basketball program and winning two state championships.
On December 17, 2002, Kelso was fired by the Southfield Board of Education after being accused of allegedly misappropriating funds
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
from school ticket and concession sales. Police and the District Attorneys Office concluded that there was insufficient evidence to arrest Kelso. 18 months later, the State Tenure Commission concluded that Kelso was wrongfully terminated and advised him to resume his job.
Kelso ultimately took a new job as gym instructor with Southfield's Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
Academy after Southfield High School officials refused to speak with him and later refused to reissue his original job title. Currently, Kelso is the head coach at Mumford High School and also periodically conducts his own basketball training program for youth, collegiate and professionals players in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Kelso and his wife, Joyce, have two children: Jennifer and Jalen. He has two other children: Benjamin, Jr. and Bradley, from a previous marriage.
External links
- Ben Kelso NBA profile provided by basketballreference.com