Kent Benson
Encyclopedia
Michael Kent Benson is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball
player.
, located in New Castle, Indiana
, home of the New Castle Trojans. He was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" in 1973.
, located in Bloomington, Indiana
, where he played college basketball
for coach Bobby Knight
. As a freshman, Benson averaged 9.3 points per game, while shooting 50.4 percent. He helped lead Indiana to the CCAT
Championship, and onto a 23-5 record and a Big Ten
title.
appearance, where they lost their only game on the season to Kentucky
. Helping lead the team to a 31-1 record on the season, he averaged 15 points and 8.9 rebounds a game.
and Scott May
, he led Indiana University
to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in the 1975-76 season. That season, they were undefeated throughout the entire regular and post season. That team was the last Division I Men's Basketball team to accomplish that feat. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds a game on the season with his college season high of 57.8 percent from the field. He scored his career high of 38 points against Michigan State
.
in 1977, he was the number one draft pick of the 1977 NBA Draft
by the Milwaukee Bucks
.
Two minutes into his very first game as a professional, however, Los Angeles Lakers
center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
punched Benson in retaliation for an overly aggressive elbow, causing his jaw to be broken. Abdul-Jabbar broke his hand in the incident and was out for two months; otherwise, he could have potentially been suspended by the NBA.
In his 1990 autobiography Drive: The Story of My Life, Larry Bird
describes how Kent Benson taught him to be nice to freshmen. In 1974, Bird entered Indiana University on a basketball scholarship when Benson was a sophomore at Indiana. Kent Benson was one of the players at Indiana who consistently ribbed on Bird; so much so that in conjunction with other reasons, Bird left Indiana University before the basketball season ever began and never returned. In the book, Bird said he would try extra hard to defeat an NBA team if Kent Benson was playing.
Benson spent 11 seasons in the NBA
with Milwaukee, Detroit, Utah and Cleveland. He averaged 9.1 points per game in 680 regular season games. He wore jersey #54 for his entire career.
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...
player.
1969-1973
Kent Benson attended New Castle Chrysler High SchoolNew Castle Chrysler High School
New Castle High School is a public high school in New Castle, Indiana whose name is commonly abbreviated to NCCHS. It is part of the New Castle Community School Corporation and has an enrollment of approximately 1,200 students. NCCHS is the largest high school in Henry County.The present high...
, located in New Castle, Indiana
New Castle, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
, home of the New Castle Trojans. He was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" in 1973.
1973-1974
Kent attended Indiana UniversityIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, located in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, where he played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for coach Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight
-Indiana:When Indiana University was seeking a new coach in 1971, they turned to Knight. Knight was given the nickname "The General" by former University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons coach-turned-broadcaster Dick Vitale....
. As a freshman, Benson averaged 9.3 points per game, while shooting 50.4 percent. He helped lead Indiana to the CCAT
1974 Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament
The 1974 Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 8 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or 1974 National Invitation Tournament. Indiana defeated...
Championship, and onto a 23-5 record and a Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title.
1974-1975
In his sophomore season, Kent Benson helped lead the Hoosiers to an undefeated conference record (18-0) and onto an Elite Eight1975 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1975 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1975, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in San Diego, California...
appearance, where they lost their only game on the season to Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
. Helping lead the team to a 31-1 record on the season, he averaged 15 points and 8.9 rebounds a game.
1975-1976
With seniors Quinn BucknerQuinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
and Scott May
Scott May
Scott Glenn May is a retired American professional basketball player.May was a power forward on the 1976 Indiana basketball team that went undefeated and won the NCAA championship under coach Bobby Knight. May was named NCAA men's basketball national player of the year in 1976...
, he led Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in the 1975-76 season. That season, they were undefeated throughout the entire regular and post season. That team was the last Division I Men's Basketball team to accomplish that feat. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds a game on the season with his college season high of 57.8 percent from the field. He scored his career high of 38 points against Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
.
1976-1977
After a perfect record during his junior year, "Benny" became the lone star for Indiana after May and Buckner both left after their senior years for the next level. He averaged 19.8 points and 10.4 rebounds a game his senior season. He led them to a 16-11 record but received no post season appearance. He was named the Big Ten's player of the year while being named an All-American for the second straight season.College notes
Kent Benson ended his college career with 1,740 points and 1,031 rebounds, and finished with a 71.5 free throw and 53.6 field goal percentage. He is currently the number two rebounder in school history.1977-1988
After graduating from Indiana UniversityIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1977, he was the number one draft pick of the 1977 NBA Draft
1977 NBA Draft
The 1977 NBA Draft was the 31st annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1977 before the 1977–78 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
by the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
.
Two minutes into his very first game as a professional, however, Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
punched Benson in retaliation for an overly aggressive elbow, causing his jaw to be broken. Abdul-Jabbar broke his hand in the incident and was out for two months; otherwise, he could have potentially been suspended by the NBA.
In his 1990 autobiography Drive: The Story of My Life, Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
describes how Kent Benson taught him to be nice to freshmen. In 1974, Bird entered Indiana University on a basketball scholarship when Benson was a sophomore at Indiana. Kent Benson was one of the players at Indiana who consistently ribbed on Bird; so much so that in conjunction with other reasons, Bird left Indiana University before the basketball season ever began and never returned. In the book, Bird said he would try extra hard to defeat an NBA team if Kent Benson was playing.
Benson spent 11 seasons in the NBA
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...
with Milwaukee, Detroit, Utah and Cleveland. He averaged 9.1 points per game in 680 regular season games. He wore jersey #54 for his entire career.