Kevin Alvin Willis (born September 6, 1962) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player mostly known for playing with the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...

in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA). He was a 7-foot

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers and are typi ...

/ center. Excluding players not yet eligible, he holds the record for most games played among those not in the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

. Willis is one of fifteen players in NBA history with over 16,000 career points and 11,000 career rebounds. He was named to the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1992, when he finished the season with a career-high average of 15.5 rebounds a game. Willis holds career averages of 12.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 0.9 apg while averaging 27 minutes per game in 21 NBA seasons. During his 23 years in the league, he won one championship with the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

. He shares the second position for most seasons played in the NBA with

Robert Parish Robert Lee Parish (born August 30, 1953) is an American former professional basketball player. A 7'1" Center (basketball), center, nicknamed "the Chief", Parish played for four teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1976 to 199 ...

, Kevin Garnett, and

Dirk Nowitzki Dirk Werner Nowitzki (; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the great ...

. During the 2004–05 season, Willis was the oldest player in the league at age 42, and he would continue to be until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2006–07 season at the age of 44.Willis becomes oldest player in Mavs’ history
April 2, 2007

Early life

Born in Los Angeles, Willis graduated from Pershing High School in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

and joined the basketball team in his junior year.

College career

Willis played competitively at Jackson College for his freshman season and transferred to

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

, where he would play three seasons as a fashion and textiles major.

Professional career

Atlanta Hawks (1984–1994)

He was selected in the 1984 NBA draft by the

. On March 11, 1986, Willis scored a career-high 39 points and grabbed 21 rebounds during a 128–116 win over the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

. In total, he played with the Hawks for nine seasons (plus two games of a tenth season) until 1994. Willis teamed with Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb, and

Doc Rivers Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). An NBA player for 14 seasons, he was an NB ...

to frequently guide the Hawks to playoff appearances as well as providing a fierce rebounding presence in the post. Near the end of his stint with the Hawks, he and Wilkins were both made team captains.

Miami Heat (1994–1996)

Willis was traded to the Miami Heat in 1994 for Grant Long and Steve Smith. Willis' first season was tumultuous, and the trade was so poorly received in Miami that it indirectly led to the organization seeking to, and eventually succeeding in, hiring

Pat Riley Patrick James Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American professional basketball executive, former coach, and former player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995, and he also se ...

to be their new head coach and General Manager.

Golden State Warriors (1996)

On the 1996 NBA trade deadline, the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

acquired Willis, along with Bimbo Coles, in exchange for Chris Gatling and Tim Hardaway.

Houston Rockets (1996–1998)

Willis signed with the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

in 1996.

Toronto Raptors (1998–2001)

On June 9, 1998, Willis was traded to the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...

for

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...

and two 1998 first-round picks.

Denver Nuggets (2001)

On January 12, 2001, the

acquired Willis, Aleksandar Radojević, Garth Joseph, and a 2001 2nd-round pick in a deal that brought Tracy Murray, Keon Clark, and Mamadou N'Diaye to Toronto. He and Radojević were traded together nine months later to the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

for Scott Williams and a 2002 second-round pick.

Return to Houston Rockets (2001–2002)

Without playing a game for the Bucks, Willis was traded back to the Rockets for another 2002 second-round pick.

San Antonio Spurs (2002–2004)

Willis signed with the

. It was in 2003 with the Spurs that he finally won an NBA Championship ring.

Return to Atlanta Hawks (2004–2005)

Willis returned to the Hawks for one more season in 2004–05, and by doing so, positioned himself to be the oldest player in the league.

Dallas Mavericks (2007)

On March 30, 2007, ''

The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...

'' reported that Willis needed only to pass a physical to be able to sign with the Western Conference-leading

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

. Willis, who did not play in 2005–06, was reported to take the team's vacant 15th roster spot. The deal became official when he signed a 10-day contract with the Mavericks on April 2, 2007. He appeared in five late regular-season games and was on the Mavericks playoff roster as the 12th man but did not play in the Mavericks' shocking early first-round exit. By playing five games during 2006–07, Willis became the oldest person to play more than two games in an NBA season ( Providence Steamrollers coach Nat Hickey activated himself for two games in

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

, at 45 years and 363 days old.) Hall of Famer

, who – at age 43 – played 43 games with the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

in 1996–97, previously held many of Willis' longevity and age-based records.

Retirement

Willis ended his playing career after the 2006–07 season, returning to his clothing business, Willis & Walker. The

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

-based company, which specializes in custom wear for big and tall men, was founded in 1988 by Willis and his former Michigan State teammate Ralph Walker. Professional wrestler Lex Luger revealed that Willis made him various suits in his time as a clothier, as well as a white, collared Nehru shirt that he would later prominently wear in his WCW return on Nitro in 1995. Luger knew Willis from years prior, with the former having worked in the Georgia-based promotion originally from 1987 to 1992.

Television appearances

In 2007, Willis made three appearances on the Spike TV

reality show Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...

, '' Pros vs Joes''.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , 19 , , 21.8 , , .467 , , .221 , , .657 , , 6.4 , , .4 , , .4 , , .6 , , 9.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , 59 , , 28.0 , , .517 , , .000 , , .654 , , 8.6 , , .5 , , .8 , , .5 , , 12.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 81 , , 32.4 , , .536 , , .250 , , .709 , , 10.5 , , .8 , , .8 , , .8 , , 16.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 75 , , 55 , , 27.9 , , .518 , , .000 , , .649 , , 7.3 , , .4 , , .9 , , .5 , , 11.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 51 , , 28.1 , , .519 , , .286 , , .683 , , 8.0 , , .7 , , .8 , , .6 , , 12.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 80 , , 29.7 , , .504 , , .400 , , .668 , , 8.8 , , 1.2 , , .8 , , .5 , , 13.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 80 , , 36.6 , , .483 , , .162 , , .804 , , 15.5 , , 2.1 , , .9 , , .7 , , 18.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 80 , , 36.0 , , .506 , , .241 , , .653 , , 12.9 , , 2.1 , , .9 , , .5 , , 17.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 80 , , 35.8 , , .499 , , .375 , , .713 , , 12.0 , , 1.9 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , 19.1 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2, , style="text-align:left;",

, 2 , , 2 , , 44.5 , , .390 , , .000 , , .667 , , 18.0 , , 1.5 , , .5 , , 1.5 , , 21.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, 65 , , 61 , , 35.4 , , .469 , , .214 , , .691 , , 10.7 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , .5 , , 17.1 , - , style="text-align:left;"rowspan=2, , style="text-align:left;",

, 47 , , 42 , , 28.9 , , .473 , , .000 , , .712 , , 8.9 , , .7 , , .4 , , .5 , , 10.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", Golden State , 28 , , 18 , , 27.8 , , .433 , , .250 , , .701 , , 7.8 , , .7 , , .5 , , .6 , , 11.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, 75 , , 32 , , 26.2 , , .481 , , .143 , , .693 , , 7.5 , , .9 , , .6 , , .4 , , 11.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 74 , , 31.2 , , .510 , , .143 , , .793 , , 8.4 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , .5 , , 16.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, 42 , , 38 , , 29.0 , , .418 , , .000 , , .839 , , 8.3 , , 1.6 , , .7 , , .7 , , 12.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 79 , , 1 , , 21.3 , , .415 , , .333 , , .799 , , 6.1 , , .6 , , .5 , , .6 , , 7.6 , - , style="text-align:left;"rowspan=2, , style="text-align:left;",

, 35 , , 9 , , 22.0 , , .461 , , .000 , , .753 , , 6.4 , , .6 , , .5 , , .6 , , 8.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, 43 , , 13 , , 24.6 , , .428 , , .250 , , .788 , , 7.2 , , .7 , , .9 , , .7 , , 9.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 52 , , 5 , , 16.7 , , .440 , , .000 , , .747 , , 5.8 , , .3 , , .5 , , .4 , , 6.1 , - , style="text-align:left;" bgcolor="AFE6BA", † , style="text-align:left;",

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

, 71 , , 6 , , 11.8 , , .479 , , .000 , , .614 , , 3.2 , , .3 , , .3 , , .3 , , 4.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 48 , , 0 , , 7.8 , , .467 , , .000 , , .615 , , 2.0 , , .2 , , .4 , , .2 , , 3.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 29 , , 5 , , 11.9 , , .389 , , .000 , , .739 , , 2.6 , , .3 , , .3 , , .2 , , 3.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, 5 , , 0 , , 8.6 , , .385 , , – , , 1.000 , , 1.6 , , .2 , , .4 , , .2 , , 2.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 1,424 , , 891 , , 26.9 , , .487 , , .211 , , .713 , , 8.4 , , .9 , , .7 , , .5 , , 12.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 1 , , 0 , , 14.0 , , .400 , , – , , – , , 4.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 8.0

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1986 , style="text-align:left;",

, 9 , , – , , 31.1 , , .561 , , – , , .652 , , 7.2 , , .6 , , .8 , , .9 , , 13.9 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 9 , , – , , 39.6 , , .522 , , – , , .677 , , 9.2 , , .7 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1988 , style="text-align:left;",

, 12 , , – , , 38.5 , , .580 , , .000 , , .680 , , 9.0 , , .9 , , .8 , , .8 , , 16.2 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 5 , , 5 , , 31.8 , , .403 , , .667 , , .700 , , 9.0 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , .2 , , 15.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 3 , , 3 , , 34.3 , , .467 , , .000 , , .571 , , 8.7 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , .0 , , 16.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 11 , , 11 , , 32.9 , , .457 , , .000 , , .762 , , 10.8 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , .5 , , 12.2 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 16 , , 0 , , 18.4 , , .400 , , .000 , , .684 , , 4.7 , , .7 , , .6 , , .3 , , 6.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 5 , , 5 , , 33.6 , , .400 , , .000 , , .750 , , 10.6 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 1.6 , , 11.2 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 3 , , 0 , , 25.3 , , .364 , , – , , .750 , , 8.7 , , .3 , , .7 , , .0 , , 13.0 , - , style="text-align:left;" bgcolor="AFE6BA",

† , style="text-align:left;",

, 18 , , 0 , , 5.1 , , .525 , , 1.000 , , 1.000 , , 1.7 , , .1 , , .1 , , .1 , , 2.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 7 , , 0 , , 3.6 , , .375 , , .000 , , .000 , , .9 , , .0 , , .1 , , .0 , , .9 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 98 , , – , , 24.3 , , .484 , , .214 , , .692 , , 6.5 , , .6 , , .6 , , .4 , , 9.9

References

External links

Kevin Willis biography
at NBA.com (archived from 2004) *
Hey! Whatever Happened To Kevin Willis?
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Kevin 1962 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century African-American sportsmen African-American fashion designers American fashion designers American expatriate basketball people in Canada American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks draft picks Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players from Detroit Basketball players from Los Angeles Centers (basketball) Dallas Mavericks players Denver Nuggets players Golden State Warriors players Houston Rockets players Junior college men's basketball players in the United States Miami Heat players Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players NBA All-Stars Pershing High School alumni Power forwards San Antonio Spurs players Toronto Raptors players

Early life

College career

Professional career

Atlanta Hawks (1984–1994)

Miami Heat (1994–1996)

Golden State Warriors (1996)

Houston Rockets (1996–1998)

Toronto Raptors (1998–2001)

Denver Nuggets (2001)

Return to Houston Rockets (2001–2002)

San Antonio Spurs (2002–2004)

Return to Atlanta Hawks (2004–2005)

Dallas Mavericks (2007)

Retirement

Television appearances

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

References

External links