Kevin Duckworth

Infobox NBAretired


width=
caption=
position=Center
height_ft=7 |height_in=0
weight_lbs=275
number=54, 00
birthdate=April 1, 1964
Harvey, Illinois
deathdate=death date and age|2008|8|25|1964|4|1
Gleneden Beach, Oregon
debutyear=1986
finalyear=1997
draftyear=1986
draftround=2
draftpick=33
college=Eastern Illinois University
teams=
* San Antonio Spurs (1986–1987)
* Portland Trail Blazers (1987–1993)
* Washington Bullets (1993–1995)
* Milwaukee Bucks (1995–1996)
* Los Angeles Clippers (1996–1997)
stat1label=Points
stat1value=8,085
stat2label=Rebounds
stat2value=3,945
stat3label=Blocks
stat3value=316
letter=d
bbr=duckwke01
highlights=
*1987-88 NBA Most Improved Player Award
*1989, 1991 NBA All-Star
*1990, 1992 NBA Finals

Kevin Jerome Duckworth (April 1 1964 – August 25 2008) was an American professional basketball player at center in the National Basketball Association. A native of Illinois, he played college basketball at Eastern Illinois University before being drafted in 1986 by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. Before completing a two seasons with the Spurs, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers where he spent most of six seasons and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player and a two-time All-Star. After playing with three more teams he retired in 1997 and returned to Oregon where he would later work for the Trail Blazers' organization.

Early life and career

Duckworth was born in Harvey, Illinois and grew up in Chicago, where he played basketball at Thornridge High School.cite web| url=http://www.eiupanthers.com/News/mbball/2008/8/26/08_duckworth_story.asp| title=EIU Legend Kevin Duckworth Passes Away| publisher=Eastern Illinois University| accessdate=2008-08-27] He attended Eastern Illinois University (EIU), where he set a university record of 867 rebounds, a record that still held at the time of his death.He also led EIU to the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Championship in 1985 and was the Conference Player of the Year in 1986.

Duckworth was the ninth pick in the 2nd round of the 1986 NBA Draft, chosen by the San Antonio Spurs. Later that season, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for rookie Walter Berry.

His rookie season was unspectacular, as Duckworth came off the bench to back up center Steve Johnson (who in turn got the starting center position when Sam Bowie suffered a broken leg). However, the next season Johnson went down with an injury (in addition; Bowie broke his leg again at the beginning of the season), and Duckworth was pushed into the starting role, from where he averaged 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Also, after having previously never averaged over 70.0 percent from the free throw line, he shot 77% that year, rebounded well, and played good defense - earning him the 1988 NBA Most Improved Player Award.

All-Star

The following season, Duckworth improved his averages to 18.1 points and 8.0 rebounds, and was named to the Western Conference All-Star team. After the 1988-89 campaign, Bowie was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Buck Williams and Johnson, who was at the end of his career, was left unprotected in the 1989 expansion draft, allowing Duckworth to become the starting center.

The 1990 and 1991 seasons were also successful for Duckworth and the Blazers. Although 1988-89 was statistically Duckworth's best season, the team enjoyed greater success the in the following years - advancing to the NBA Finals in 1990, and posting a 63-19 record in 1990-91. The presence of Williams as the starting power forward, with rebounding as main assignment, allowed Duckworth to concentrate on scoring and defense.fact|date=August 2008 In 1991 Duckworth was also selected as an NBA All-Star for a second time.

Decline, and retirement

Duckworth's production began to slip in 1991-92, as his physical conditioning deteriorated somewhat. He was constantly outplayed in the 1992 NBA Finals, and was even less productive in the following season, in which the Blazers failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs. At the end of 1992-93, Duckworth was traded to the Washington Bullets for forward Harvey Grant.

Duckworth played four more seasons in the NBA, two for the Bullets, one for the Milwaukee Bucks, missing most of the season due to injuries, and one for the Los Angeles Clippers (1996-97). He retired from professional basketball after that season.

Post-retirement

In 1996, Duckworth and Kermit Washington opened Le'Slam Sports Cafe in Vancouver, Washington. [cite web| url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P1-30247313.html |title=Le'Slam Sports Cafe| work=The Columbian| publisher=High Beam| accessdate=2008-08-27] [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theoregonian/2800417800/ Duckworth] , a 1997 photo of Duckworth at his sports bar, from "The Oregonian" via Flickr] He settled in Tigard, Oregon, with his girlfriend and her two children.

He was a Heritage Ambassador for the Trail Blazers and was active in the community. He spent several years at the end of his life working at and helping out with Royal Marine Sales, a small locally owned company where he bought and sold small yachts.cite web|url=http://www.royalmarinesales.com/royal_marine_sales_003.htm#Fishing%20with%20Kevin%20Duckworth|title=Fishing with Kevin Duckworth|last=Crombie|first=Noelle|date=December 11, 2007|publisher=The Oregonian|accessdate=2008-08-26]

Death

Duckworth died of heart failure on Monday, August 25, 2008 in Gleneden Beach, Oregon, near the coastal town of Lincoln City. He collapsed in his hotel room, and emergency services were unable to revive him. His death was confirmed by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. Duckworth was in town as part of a Trail Blazers group hosting a free kids basketball clinic. An autopsy identified the cause of death as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure. He was 44.cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/former_trail_blazer_kevin_duck.html|title=Former Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth dies|last=Crombie|first=Noelle|date=August 26, 2008|publisher=The Oregonian|accessdate=2008-08-26] The Trail Blazers and the Oregon Community Foundation established a memorial scholarship in Duckworth's name for college and professional training for students in Oregon and Southwest Washington. cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Trail_Blazers_and_the_Oregon_C-281305-1218.html|title="Trail Blazers and the Oregon Community Foundation Establish Kevin Duckworth Community Scholarship|publisher=trailblazers.com]

References

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kevin_duckworth/index.html NBA.com profile]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duckwke01.html Statistics] at basketball-reference.com

Persondata
NAME = Duckworth, Kevin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Duckworth, Kevin Jerome; The Duck
SHORT DESCRIPTION = National Basketball Association player
DATE OF BIRTH = April 1, 1964
PLACE OF BIRTH = Harvery, Illinois
DATE OF DEATH = August 25, 2008
PLACE OF DEATH = Kernville, Oregon