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Keith Mitchell Closs Jr. (born April 3, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He played at the center position.

Keith Closs

Personal information
Born	(1976-04-03) April 3, 1976 (age 46) 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	1996 / 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
CBA blocks leader (2005) 2× NCAA blocks leader (1995, 1996)
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, and he finally 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]

See also

• List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 13 or more blocks in a game
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders

References

External links

• NBA.com profile
• Stats at BasketballReference
• College stats at Sportsstats
• NBDL statistics

На других языках

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- [en] Keith Closs

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[es] Keith Closs

Keith Mitchell Closs jr. , (nacido el 03 de abril de 1976 (46 años) en Hartford, Connecticut) es un exjugador de baloncesto estadounidense. Con 2,21 m (7 ′ 3 ″) de estatura, su puesto natural en la cancha era el de pívot. Graves problemas de alcoholismo le arruinaron la carrera. En la NBA sólo pudo jugar con los Clippers.[1]

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