Keith Closs
Keith Mitchell Closs Jr. (born April 3, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He played at the center position.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 3, 1976 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Listed height | 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) |
| Listed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Sierra Vista (Baldwin Park, California) |
| College | Central Connecticut (1994–1996) |
| NBA draft | 1997 / Undrafted |
| Playing career | 1997–2008 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 33 |
| Career history | |
| 1997–2000 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2003–2007 | Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs |
| 2007 | Buffalo Silverbacks |
| 2007 | Tulsa 66ers |
| 2008 | Yunnan Bulls |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
College career
At 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m) and 212 pounds (96 kg), Closs played collegiately at Central Connecticut State University, leading the nation in blocks his only two years in college, and still holding the NCAA Division I career record for blocks with 5.87 blocked shots per game.[1]
Professional career
Los Angeles Clippers (1997–2000)
Closs played three seasons as a backup center for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers from 1997 to 2000, averaging 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game during his spell.
After starting playing professionally in the Atlantic Basketball Association with the Norwich Neptunes, Closs moved to the Clippers in 1997. Having logged career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals during 1999–2000, his NBA career abruptly ended, with a club record for most blocked shots per 48 minutes (4.7).
Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs (2003–2007)
Closs later played for the Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs of the USBL in 2003, subsequently moving to the CBA.
Buffalo Silverbacks (2007)
In January 2007, as he led the latter league in blocks per game at 2.9, he left and signed with the Buffalo Silverbacks of the ABA.
Tulsa 66ers (2007)
Closs was selected with the 11th pick in the 5th round of the 2007 NBA Development League draft by the Tulsa 66ers.[2]
Yunnan Bulls (2008)
In December 2008, Closs signed with the Chinese league's Yunnan Bulls, and averaged 16.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 5.9 blocked shots per game.[3]
Personal life
Closs is the oldest of six children. His favorite book is Giant Steps by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.[1]
Closs admitted to being an alcoholic, even before joining the Clippers. The pressure of the NBA only led to more drinking and after three DUI offenses, he sought help in 2007. During a 2008 interview, he said he had turned his life around, having given up the addiction for good.[4]
His father, Keith Mitchell Closs Sr. died on December 1, 2017, from a possible heart attack, according to Closs's Twitter account.
Closs also has a son, Keith M. Closs III, born January 21, 2000.
In August 2022, Closs became an assistant coach in the Turkish basketball league[5]
Closs has the fifth lowest BMI of all players in NBA history.[6]
Career statistics
| 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 |
NBA
Source[7]
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | L.A. Clippers | 58 | 1 | 12.8 | .449 | – | .597 | 2.9 | .3 | .2 | 1.4 | 4.0 |
| 1998–99 | L.A. Clippers | 15 | 0 | 5.8 | .522 | .000 | .800 | 1.7 | .0 | .2 | .6 | 2.1 |
| 1999–2000 | L.A. Clippers | 57 | 6 | 14.4 | .487 | .000 | .590 | 3.1 | .4 | .2 | 1.3 | 4.2 |
| Career | 130 | 7 | 12.7 | .471 | .000 | .606 | 2.9 | .3 | .2 | 1.3 | 3.9 |
See also
References
- "NBA Development League profile" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- 2007 D-League draft Archived 2008-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
- Yunnan Honghe Running Bulls roster; Asia Basket
- The long road back; Tulsa World, 12 February 2008
- Chris Daleo on Keith Closs; Tulsa World, 12 February 2008
- Chet Holmgren out for season: What a foot injury means for the Oklahoma City Thunder and their star rookie; ESPN.COM, August 2022
- "Keith Closs". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 16 January 2023.