Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Greg Kite
View on Wikipedia
Gregory Fuller Kite (born August 5, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Kite was a member of two NBA Championship teams with the Boston Celtics in 1984 and 1986. Kite played eleven NBA seasons.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Kite was the youngest of four siblings with a brother and two sisters. He first played team basketball when he was 10 years old at the Southwest YMCA in Houston, while also playing other sports. He attended Pershing Junior High, where he played basketball in grades seven through nine.[1]
Kite attended Madison High School in Houston, Texas, under Coach Paul Benton. Kite was 6′10” by the time he was 15, and had given up other sports.[2]
Basketball Weekly ranked Madison as high as 5th in the nation in 1979 and 1st in Texas. With a record of 39–0, Madison lost in the state semifinals to Lufkin High School from Lufkin, Texas. Kite averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds as a senior.[1][3]
Kite was selected to play in the 1979 McDonald's All-American Game, alongside players such as Sam Bowie, Antoine Carr, Quintin Dailey, Sidney Green, Clark Kellogg, Sidney Lowe, John Paxson, Ralph Sampson, Byron Scott, Steve Stipanovich, Isiah Thomas, Dereck Whittenburg, Dominique Wilkins and James Worthy.[4][5]
College career
[edit]Kite was recruited by Duke, Kentucky and UCLA among others. Family connections led to him attending Brigham Young University, where he played for coach Frank Arnold.[6][1]
Kite was a sophomore on the 1980–1981 BYU team that finished 25–7 under Coach Frank Arnold. Playing alongside future Celtic teammates Danny Ainge and Fred Roberts, Kite averaged 8.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists as the Cougars defeated Princeton, UCLA and Notre Dame in the 1981 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament, before losing to Ralph Sampson and Virginia in the East Regional Final. Kite had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the win over UCLA.[7][8]
Kite averaged 6.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in 112 games over his four-year college career.[9]
Professional career
[edit]Kite was selected 21st overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1983 NBA draft. Said Kite about the draft: "That summer the Celtics traded Rick Robey to the Phoenix Suns for Dennis Johnson and a first-round pick. What that did was open up a spot for a backup center. Red Auerbach really wanted to pick Roy Hinson from Rutgers. Hinson was a heck of a player who ended up having some knee problems later on, and Roy had really long arms like Kevin McHale. He could reach four or five inches higher than I could, even though he was only 6′-9”. So Red really wanted him and hoped he would last until the Celtics could pick, but Roy was selected by Cleveland. I was the alternative."[1]
As a Celtic, he won two championship rings in 1984 and 1986, serving as a reserve center behind Hall of Famers Robert Parish, Larry Bird, and Kevin McHale.[10]
On June 7, 1987 in game three of the 1987 NBA Finals, with Robert Parish in foul trouble and Bill Walton ailing, Kite was called upon by Coach KC Jones to match up against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 22 minutes. He responded with defense that tired Jabbar, and blocked a shot by Magic Johnson. Kite had zero points, nine rebounds, two assists, one block, and five fouls in his 22 minutes and his play helped the Celtics to a 109–103 victory.[11][12]
"Kite didn't score a point?" Laker Coach Pat Riley asked after the game. "It looked like he had 100."[12]
After the game, Larry Bird said, "I've seen Greg play real well at times. He's got limited offensive ability, but he is a banger and he is probably our hardest worker. He kept Kareem off balance and got a lot of rebounds. His work ethic finally paid off. He stayed with his game and did a real good job."[12]
Kite played five seasons with Boston, until he was waived on February 1, 1988.[13]
“My time in Boston was incredible, unique. I played with Larry, Kevin, Dennis Johnson. I loved New England, made a lot of friends there. It was a great time, great era." Kite recalled. "We went into the 87–88 season and Bird, McHale were getting pretty banged up. They brought in Artis Gilmore and put me on injured reserve, even though I wasn’t injured. You can always have a bad back.”[14]
Kite then played for the Los Angeles Clippers and five other NBA teams, including 12 games with the Charlotte Hornets in that team's inaugural season of 1988–89.
“When I went to the Celtics I wanted to play, but there were four Hall of Famers there. I stuck around after practice to work on my game and there were other veterans on the team who would do that, too." Kite said. “When I left the Celtics, yes, I was able to play more, but when you go from a championship team to a team like the Clippers, who were one of the worst teams back then, you can develop some bad habits. You didn’t see anyone sticking around after practice there.”[14]
With the Sacramento Kings on January 6, 1990, Kite made the only 3-pointer of his career against the Portland Trail Blazers. Kite shot 1 of 6 from three for his career.[15] "I led the league in three-point shooting one year. I was 1-for-1 shooting threes for the Sacramento Kings. So I quit while I was ahead." Kite said of his three.[1]
Kite played for the Orlando Magic between 1990 and 1994. In his first season with the team, he started all 82 games at center and led the Magic with 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots per game, both career highs. He served as backup to Shaquille O'Neal in his final two seasons in Orlando.[16] Kite finished the 1992–93 season playing with the Rapid City Thrillers of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He was brought back to Orlando on a veterans' minimum contract. Kite finished his NBA career with the Knicks and Pacers in 1995.[17]
Kite played 680 games in eleven NBA seasons, starting 225 of them. He averaged 2.5 points, 2.3 fouls and 3.8 rebounds in 14 minutes per game. Kite played for the Boston Celtics (1983–1988), Los Angeles Clippers (1988–1989), Charlotte Hornets (1989), Sacramento Kings (1989–1990), Orlando Magic (1990–1994), New York Knicks (1995) and the Indiana Pacers (1995).[17]
“With my skills and ability, I was a backup,” Kite said. “I played 12 years and played until I was 35. I wanted it to last longer. It would’ve been great to play my whole career in Boston.”[14]
Post-playing career
[edit]Currently residing in Central Florida, Kite is commissioner of the Florida Basketball Association, while also working as a financial adviser.[18][19]
In 1997, Kite served as an interim assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, Brigham Young University.[20]
Personal life
[edit]Kite and his wife Jennifer have 10 adopted children.[14]
NBA career statistics
[edit]| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won an NBA championship | * | Led the league |
Regular season
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–84† | Boston | 35 | 1 | 5.6 | .455 | – | .313 | 1.8 | .2 | .0 | .1 | 1.9 |
| 1984–85 | Boston | 55 | 4 | 7.7 | .375 | – | .688 | 1.6 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 1.6 |
| 1985–86† | Boston | 64 | 2 | 7.3 | .374 | .000 | .385 | 2.0 | .3 | .0 | .4 | 1.3 |
| 1986–87 | Boston | 74 | 1 | 10.1 | .427 | .000 | .382 | 2.3 | .4 | .2 | .6 | 1.7 |
| 1987–88 | Boston | 13 | 0 | 6.6 | .391 | – | .167 | 1.8 | .2 | .2 | .6 | 1.5 |
| 1987–88 | L. A. Clippers | 40 | 19 | 24.4 | .456 | .000 | .534 | 6.0 | 1.1 | .4 | 1.3 | 5.1 |
| 1988–89 | L. A. Clippers | 58 | 12 | 12.6 | .405 | – | .452 | 3.3 | .5 | .4 | .8 | 1.9 |
| 1988–89 | Charlotte | 12 | 12 | 17.8 | .533 | – | .600 | 4.4 | .6 | .3 | .7 | 3.2 |
| 1989–90 | Sacramento | 71 | 47 | 21.3 | .432 | 1.000 | .500 | 5.3 | 1.1 | .4 | .7 | 3.2 |
| 1990–91 | Orlando | 82* | 82* | 27.1 | .491 | – | .512 | 7.2 | .7 | .3 | 1.0 | 4.8 |
| 1991–92 | Orlando | 72 | 44 | 20.5 | .437 | .000 | .588 | 5.6 | .6 | .4 | .8 | 3.2 |
| 1992–93 | Orlando | 64 | 1 | 10.0 | .452 | .000 | .542 | 3.0 | .2 | .2 | .2 | 1.4 |
| 1993–94 | Orlando | 29 | 0 | 10.7 | .371 | – | .364 | 2.4 | .1 | .1 | .4 | 1.2 |
| 1994–95 | New York | 2 | 0 | 8.0 | .000 | – | – | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| 1994–95 | Indiana | 9 | 0 | 6.8 | .214 | – | .200 | 2.0 | .1 | .0 | .0 | .9 |
| Career | 680 | 225 | 14.8 | .438 | .167 | .486 | 3.8 | .5 | .2 | .6 | 2.5 | |
Playoffs
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984† | Boston | 11 | 3.5 | .125 | – | .833 | .8 | .3 | .0 | .1 | .6 | |
| 1985 | Boston | 9 | 0 | 7.0 | .417 | – | .500 | 1.8 | .3 | .1 | .0 | 1.2 |
| 1986† | Boston | 13 | 0 | 6.0 | .700 | – | .571 | 1.5 | .2 | .2 | .3 | 1.4 |
| 1987 | Boston | 20 | 1 | 8.6 | .350 | – | .429 | 2.3 | .4 | .1 | .4 | .9 |
| 1995 | Indiana | 8 | 0 | 3.3 | .333 | – | 1.000 | .9 | .0 | .1 | .0 | .5 |
| Career | 61 | 1 | 6.2 | .396 | – | .625 | 1.6 | .3 | .1 | .2 | .9 | |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e McClellan, Michael (September 26, 2018). "The Greg Kite Interview".
- ^ Sattell, Glenn (June 14, 2001). "Tynes calls good times, 'great kids' a blessing". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ "Benton Courier Newspaper Archives, Nov 29, 1979, p. 11". newspaperarchive.com.
- ^ "Murphy: What happened to the players after the 1979 McDonald's All American Game?". ESPN.com. March 26, 2009.
- ^ "McDonald's High School Basketball All American Teams". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Utah-BYU basketball rivalry is alive and well". Deseret News. December 11, 2014. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014.
- ^ "1980–81 BYU Cougars Roster and Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ "Greg Kite 1980–81 Game Log". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ "Greg Kite College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ "1984–85 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ "The Unlikeliest Hero: How Greg Kite Flew over LA in Game 3 of the 1987 Finals for his Finest Hour".
- ^ a b c BAKER, CHRIS (June 8, 1987). "Kite Rises to Take 9 Important Rebounds : Backup Center Gives Boston Some Badly Needed Muscle and Defense" – via LA Times.
- ^ Baker, Chris (February 4, 1988). "Greg Kite Claimed by Clippers From the Celtics on Waivers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Thomas, Mike. "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO: Boston Celtics center Greg Kite". The Herald News, Fall River, MA.
- ^ "Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings Box Score, January 6, 1990". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1992–93 Orlando Magic Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b "Greg Kite Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ "What the Hell Happened to...Greg Kite?". Celtics Life. July 25, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ "5 Quick Questions With...Greg Kite – Florida Basketball Association Commissioner". Tampa Bay Rebels. September 12, 2012. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
- ^ "COUGARS HIRE GREG KITE AS ASSISTANT HOOP COACH". DeseretNews.com. January 10, 1997. Archived from the original on October 4, 2018.
External links
[edit]Greg Kite
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Education
Childhood and High School
Gregory Fuller Kite was born on August 5, 1961, in Houston, Texas, as the youngest of four children to parents who had relocated to the city in 1952 shortly after their marriage. He grew up with one older brother and two sisters in a supportive family environment that encouraged athletic pursuits, including basketball, which his brother also played at a competitive level.[7] Kite first organized his passion for basketball at age 10, joining a team at the Southwest YMCA in Houston, where he began developing fundamental skills that would define his career. From there, he advanced through junior high basketball at Pershing Junior High before enrolling at James Madison High School in Houston, where he played under coach Paul Benton.[7][1] As a senior in 1979, Kite averaged 17.7 points per game, earning first-team All-State honors in Texas while leading Madison to a strong season. His standout performance as a 6-foot-11 center positioned him among the nation's elite prospects, culminating in selection as a second-team Parade All-American and participation in the prestigious 1979 McDonald's All-American Game alongside future NBA stars like Isiah Thomas and Dominique Wilkins.[8][6][3] In 2025, Kite was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2025.[6] This recognition paved the way for his recruitment to Brigham Young University.[6]College Career
Greg Kite enrolled at Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1979 and played for the Cougars men's basketball team through the 1982–83 season.[9] As a 6-foot-11 center from Houston, Texas, he joined a program building momentum in the Western Athletic Conference under head coach Frank Arnold.[10] His high school achievements as a Parade All-American at James Madison High School had positioned him as a prized recruit for BYU.[9] Over his four-year college career, Kite appeared in 112 games, averaging 6.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 50.4 percent from the free-throw line.[9] He contributed significantly on the glass and in the paint, helping anchor the team's frontcourt alongside teammates like Danny Ainge and Fred Roberts.[10] Kite's defensive presence was notable, as he tallied 208 career blocks, a BYU program record that still stands as of 2025.[6] Kite's most prominent season came in 1980–81, when he averaged 8.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists over 32 games.[9] That year, BYU finished with a 25–7 overall record (12–4 in conference play), earning a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament's East Region.[10] The Cougars advanced to the East Regional Final (Elite Eight) after victories over Princeton (65–56) and Notre Dame (79–61), before falling to top-seeded Virginia (74–60) in Philadelphia.[11] As a key big man in Arnold's system, which emphasized balanced scoring and rebounding, Kite provided essential interior support during BYU's deepest tournament run at the time.[10]Professional Basketball Career
Boston Celtics Era
Greg Kite was selected by the Boston Celtics as the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 1983 NBA Draft, marking his entry into professional basketball after a standout college career at Brigham Young University.[1] As a rookie during the 1983–84 season, Kite served primarily as a backup center to Robert Parish, appearing in 35 regular-season games and averaging 1.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in limited minutes, while contributing to the team's defensive rotations.[1] Kite's tenure with the Celtics included pivotal roles in their championship successes, winning NBA titles in both 1984 and 1986. In the 1984 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he played in 11 playoff games, logging an average of 3.5 minutes per game to provide frontcourt depth and rebounding support during the seven-game series victory.[12] Similarly, in the 1986 NBA Finals, also against the Lakers, Kite appeared in 13 games, averaging 6.0 minutes per contest and helping maintain defensive intensity in the Celtics' six-game triumph.[12] From 1983 to 1988, Kite remained with Boston for five seasons, establishing himself as a reliable reserve known for his defensive tenacity and rebounding prowess alongside stars like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. His presence bolstered the Celtics' frontcourt depth during their contending years in the mid-1980s, allowing the team to sustain pressure on opponents through physical play and interior protection, even as his scoring remained modest.[1]Later NBA Seasons
Following his time with the Boston Celtics, where he contributed to two NBA championships, Greg Kite's career shifted toward greater mobility across multiple teams, transitioning from a reliable backup to occasional starter and eventually a depth player. In February 1988, the Clippers claimed Kite off waivers from the Celtics, allowing him to finish the 1987–88 season with Los Angeles in 40 games, including 19 starts, providing frontcourt depth during a rebuilding phase. He remained with the Clippers for the entire 1988–89 season before being waived in March 1989, marking the beginning of a journeyman phase that saw him suit up for six additional franchises over the next seven years.[1][13][14] Kite signed as a free agent with the expansion Charlotte Hornets on March 29, 1989, appearing in 12 games—all starts—for the remainder of their inaugural 1988–89 season, offering veteran presence to a young roster adjusting to the league. Later that offseason, he joined the Sacramento Kings, where he played a more prominent role during the 1989–90 season, starting 47 of 71 games as a steady center alongside emerging talents, though the team struggled with a 25–57 record. This stint highlighted his adaptability but also foreshadowed diminishing starting opportunities as younger big men entered the league.[15][1][16] In 1990, Kite signed with the Orlando Magic as a free agent, spending four seasons there as a veteran center who anchored the team's early development. He started all 82 games in the 1990–91 season, providing rebounding and leadership for the expansion franchise's first playoff-qualifying year, then shifted to a part-time starting role with 44 starts in 72 games during 1991–92. By 1992–93 and 1993–94, his minutes declined sharply amid the arrival of rookie stars like Shaquille O'Neal, limiting him to one start across 93 games as a bench contributor focused on mentoring and situational defense; he suffered an Achilles injury in January 1994, which sidelined him for the remainder of the 1993-94 season, and was waived by Orlando in November 1994. This period exemplified his evolution into a utility player, prioritizing team stability over individual production.[1][2][17][18] Kite's NBA tenure concluded with brief stops in 1994–95, first with the New York Knicks, where he signed on January 3 for added bulk at center but appeared in only two games under coach Pat Riley. He then joined the Indiana Pacers on March 24, playing nine games in a reserve capacity to bolster their playoff push, though the team fell in the Eastern Conference semifinals. After this, Kite played his final professional season in the Continental Basketball Association with the Fort Wayne Fury during 1995–96, retiring at age 35 following the conclusion of his last NBA campaign in 1994–95, having suited up for seven teams in total and adapted from starter to end-of-bench role amid increasing competition from athletic big men.[19][16][1][20]NBA Career Statistics
Greg Kite appeared in 680 regular-season games across 12 NBA seasons from 1983 to 1995, starting 225 of them. He averaged 14.8 minutes per game, 2.5 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, 0.5 assists per game, and 0.6 blocks per game, while shooting .438 from the field.[1] The following table summarizes his regular-season statistics on a per-game basis, including shooting percentages for field goals (FG%) and free throws (FT%).| Season | Team | G | GS | MP | FG% | FT% | TRB | AST | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-84 | BOS | 35 | 1 | 5.6 | .455 | .313 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
| 1984-85 | BOS | 55 | 4 | 7.7 | .375 | .688 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| 1985-86 | BOS | 64 | 2 | 7.3 | .374 | .385 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.3 |
| 1986-87 | BOS | 74 | 1 | 10.1 | .427 | .382 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.7 |
| 1987-88 | 2TM | 53 | 19 | 20.1 | .449 | .506 | 5.0 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 4.2 |
| 1988-89 | 2TM | 70 | 24 | 13.5 | .430 | .488 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 |
| 1989-90 | SAC | 71 | 47 | 21.3 | .432 | .500 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 3.2 |
| 1990-91 | ORL | 82 | 82 | 27.1 | .491 | .512 | 7.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 4.8 |
| 1991-92 | ORL | 72 | 44 | 20.5 | .437 | .588 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 3.2 |
| 1992-93 | ORL | 64 | 1 | 10.0 | .452 | .542 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 |
| 1993-94 | ORL | 29 | 0 | 10.7 | .371 | .364 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| 1994-95 | 2TM | 11 | 0 | 7.0 | .176 | .200 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Career | 680 | 225 | 14.8 | .438 | .499 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 2.5 |
| Season | Team | G | GS | MP | FG% | FT% | TRB | AST | BLK | PTS | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-84 | BOS | 11 | 0 | 3.5 | .125 | .833 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | NBA Finals appearance |
| 1984-85 | BOS | 9 | 0 | 7.0 | .417 | .500 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.2 | |
| 1985-86 | BOS | 13 | 0 | 6.0 | .700 | .571 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | NBA Finals appearance |
| 1986-87 | BOS | 20 | 1 | 8.6 | .350 | .429 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | |
| 1994-95 | IND | 8 | 0 | 3.3 | .333 | 1.000 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | |
| Career | 61 | 1 | 6.2 | .411 | .667 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 |
