Kelly Tripucka
Encyclopedia
Peter Kelly Tripucka is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association
from 1981 to 1991. During his ten seasons in the league, he played for the Detroit Pistons
, Utah Jazz
, and Charlotte Hornets
. The son of NFL Pro-Bowl (and CFL
) quarterback Frank Tripucka
, Kelly is currently the color analyst for the New York Knicks
.
, and was a three-year starter from 1974-1977 for the Bloomfield High School boy's basketball team. In three varsity seasons, he scored 2,278 points, including 1,045 during his senior campaign. His jersey number 42 was retired by Bloomfield High School. Tripucka was also a four-year starter at the University of Notre Dame
. He led the Irish in scoring each year, and also helped lead them to the NCAA Tournament
in each of his four years.
in the 1981 NBA Draft
. He proved to be a prolific scorer, averaging 21.6 points per game, and making the All-Star team in his rookie year. The following season, Tripucka had his best season as a professional. He averaged a career best 26.5 points and 4.1 assists per game, but only played in 58 games and failed to make the All-Star team. In his third season with the Pistons, Tripucka continued to play well, averaging 21.3 points per game, and qualifying for the All-Star team. He helped lead the Pistons to their first playoff appearance since the 1976–77 season, but they were eliminated in five games in the first round. The following season, Tripucka only played in 55 games and averaged 19.1 points per game; he did start all 9 playoff games however, helping the Pistons advance to the second round. The 1985–86 season, Tripucka's fifth season, was another successful one. He missed only one game during the regular season, averaged 20 points per game, and helped lead the Pistons to a third straight post-season appearance. In the playoffs, however, the Pistons were eliminated in the first round.
for Adrian Dantley
in 1986. Tripucka and Jazz coach Frank Layden
didn't get along with each other; at the time, Layden was beginning to build the team around the talents of John Stockton
and Karl Malone
, and Tripucka was upset his lack of involvement in the offense. He had two lackluster seasons with the franchise, averaging only 9.1 points per game during his two seasons with the team. The Jazz qualified for the playoffs during both of those seasons, but he didn't make much of an impact.
selected Tripucka in 1988 during their expansion draft. In his first season with the Hornets, he returned to his All-Star form, leading the Hornets with 22.6 points per game. In a game between the Hornets and the Jazz in 1989, shortly after Layden resigned as the Jazz's coach, Karl Malone
expressed his devotion to Layden by writing "FRANK" on the heels of his sneakers. In a mock gesture, Tripucka responded by writing "DICK" on the back of his shoes (for then-Hornets coach Dick Harter
). The move was seen as a jab at Layden and Malone, who Tripucka felt ran him out of Utah. In Tripucka's second season with the Hornets, he averaged 15.6 points per game, but the team struggled, finishing one game behind their inaugural season's record. The 1990–91 season, Tripucka's third with the Hornets and tenth overall, saw him average career lows with only 7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Following the season, Tripucka retired from the NBA.
for Detroit Pistons television for eight seasons, from 1993 to 2001. After 2001 he left FSN Detroit and WKBD
before leaving to take a full-time radio job with the New Jersey Nets
following the 2000-2001 season. From 2003-2005, he served as the color commentator for New Jersey Nets telecasts on the YES Network
. Tripucka joined the New York Knicks MSG Broadcast team on November 7, 2008, placing him alongside Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Gus Johnson and Mike Breen. He is currently a scout for the New York Knicks
.
, and the Star-Ledger named Tripucka the "New Jersey Boy's Basketball Player of the Century". In 2008, he was named to the "50 Greatest Pistons" team. Tripucka shares the record for most points scored in his first road playoff game, with 40. He is one of five Pistons to have scored 40 or more in a playoff game, along with Dave Bing
, Isiah Thomas
, Chauncey Billups
and Richard (Rip) Hamilton
.
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...
from 1981 to 1991. During his ten seasons in the league, he played 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...
, Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
The Charlotte Hornets was a professional American basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They played in the Atlantic, Midwest, and Central divisions of the National Basketball Association. The Hornets began play during the 1988–89 NBA season as an expansion franchise, along with the...
. The son of NFL Pro-Bowl (and CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
) quarterback Frank Tripucka
Frank Tripucka
Francis Joseph Tripucka is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback, at Notre Dame, in the National Football League, in the Canadian Football League, and in the early American Football League.-Notre Dame Fighting Irish:Tripucka was backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy...
, Kelly is currently the color analyst for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
High school and College
Tripucka grew up in Bloomfield, New JerseyBloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
, and was a three-year starter from 1974-1977 for the Bloomfield High School boy's basketball team. In three varsity seasons, he scored 2,278 points, including 1,045 during his senior campaign. His jersey number 42 was retired by Bloomfield High School. Tripucka was also a four-year starter at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. He led the Irish in scoring each year, and also helped lead them to the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in each of his four years.
Detroit Pistons
Tripucka was selected 12th overall by the Detroit PistonsDetroit 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...
in the 1981 NBA Draft
1981 NBA Draft
The 1981 NBA Draft was the 35th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the 1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
. He proved to be a prolific scorer, averaging 21.6 points per game, and making the All-Star team in his rookie year. The following season, Tripucka had his best season as a professional. He averaged a career best 26.5 points and 4.1 assists per game, but only played in 58 games and failed to make the All-Star team. In his third season with the Pistons, Tripucka continued to play well, averaging 21.3 points per game, and qualifying for the All-Star team. He helped lead the Pistons to their first playoff appearance since the 1976–77 season, but they were eliminated in five games in the first round. The following season, Tripucka only played in 55 games and averaged 19.1 points per game; he did start all 9 playoff games however, helping the Pistons advance to the second round. The 1985–86 season, Tripucka's fifth season, was another successful one. He missed only one game during the regular season, averaged 20 points per game, and helped lead the Pistons to a third straight post-season appearance. In the playoffs, however, the Pistons were eliminated in the first round.
Utah Jazz
After five successful seasons in Detroit, the Pistons traded Tripucka to the Utah JazzUtah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Delano Dantley is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, including seven as a member of the Utah Jazz. A forward/guard and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008...
in 1986. Tripucka and Jazz coach Frank Layden
Frank Layden
Frank Layden is a retired American basketball coach and executive of the NBA's Utah Jazz.-Coaching career:In additional to his coaching at the professional level, Layden is also a former head coach and player of his alma mater Niagara University's basketball team...
didn't get along with each other; at the time, Layden was beginning to build the team around the talents of John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, and Tripucka was upset his lack of involvement in the offense. He had two lackluster seasons with the franchise, averaging only 9.1 points per game during his two seasons with the team. The Jazz qualified for the playoffs during both of those seasons, but he didn't make much of an impact.
Charlotte Hornets
After two frustrating seasons with the Jazz, the Charlotte HornetsCharlotte Hornets (NBA)
The Charlotte Hornets was a professional American basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They played in the Atlantic, Midwest, and Central divisions of the National Basketball Association. The Hornets began play during the 1988–89 NBA season as an expansion franchise, along with the...
selected Tripucka in 1988 during their expansion draft. In his first season with the Hornets, he returned to his All-Star form, leading the Hornets with 22.6 points per game. In a game between the Hornets and the Jazz in 1989, shortly after Layden resigned as the Jazz's coach, Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
expressed his devotion to Layden by writing "FRANK" on the heels of his sneakers. In a mock gesture, Tripucka responded by writing "DICK" on the back of his shoes (for then-Hornets coach Dick Harter
Dick Harter
Dick Harter is an American basketball coach, who has served as both a head and assistant coach in both the NBA and NCAA.-Coaching career:...
). The move was seen as a jab at Layden and Malone, who Tripucka felt ran him out of Utah. In Tripucka's second season with the Hornets, he averaged 15.6 points per game, but the team struggled, finishing one game behind their inaugural season's record. The 1990–91 season, Tripucka's third with the Hornets and tenth overall, saw him average career lows with only 7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Following the season, Tripucka retired from the NBA.
Post-NBA
Tripucka was a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for Detroit Pistons television for eight seasons, from 1993 to 2001. After 2001 he left FSN Detroit and WKBD
WKBD
WKBD-TV, virtual channel 50 , is an owned and operated station of the CW Television Network, based in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned and operated by the CBS Corporation, and is one-half of a duopoly with sister station WWJ-TV . Its studios and transmitters are located at 11 mile and...
before leaving to take a full-time radio job with the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
following the 2000-2001 season. From 2003-2005, he served as the color commentator for New Jersey Nets telecasts on the YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
. Tripucka joined the New York Knicks MSG Broadcast team on November 7, 2008, placing him alongside Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Gus Johnson and Mike Breen. He is currently a scout for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
Honors
In 2000, Tripucka was named to the National Polish-American Hall of FameNational Polish-American Hall of Fame
The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded February 30, 1973 to honor and recognize outstanding American athletes, both amateur and professional, of Polish descent....
, and the Star-Ledger named Tripucka the "New Jersey Boy's Basketball Player of the Century". In 2008, he was named to the "50 Greatest Pistons" team. Tripucka shares the record for most points scored in his first road playoff game, with 40. He is one of five Pistons to have scored 40 or more in a playoff game, along with Dave Bing
Dave Bing
David "Dave" Bing is the mayor of Detroit, Michigan, a businessman, and a retired American professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association , primarily for the Detroit Pistons...
, Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
, Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
and Richard (Rip) Hamilton
Richard Hamilton (basketball)
Richard "Rip" Hamilton is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons. Hamilton is 6'7" tall, weighs 193 lbs , and plays shooting guard. He currently is the Pistons' team captain....
.