Bart Kofoed

Last updated

Bart Kofoed
Personal information
Born (1964-03-24) March 24, 1964 (age 60)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school Westside (Omaha, Nebraska)
College
NBA draft 1987: 5th round, 107th overall pick
Selected by the Utah Jazz
Playing career1987–1995
Position Point guard
Number11, 23, 12
Career history
As player:
1987–1989 Utah Jazz
1989 Rochester Flyers
1990 Golden State Warriors
1990–1991 La Crosse Catbirds
1991 Yakima Sun Kings
1991–1992 Seattle SuperSonics
1992–1993 Boston Celtics
1993–1995 Omaha Racers
As coach:
1994–1995 Omaha Racers (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
  • CBA champion (1993)
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Bart Kofoed (born March 24, 1964) is a retired American professional basketball player. At 6'4" (1.93 m) he played as a swingman.

Contents

Kofoed attended Hastings College before transferring to Kearney State College (now University of Nebraska at Kearney), and was selected with the 15th pick of the fifth round of the 1987 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz (107th overall). He played on four different NBA teams between 1987 and 1992. During the 1994–95 Continental Basketball Association season, Kofoed served as assistant coach to Omaha Racers head coach Mike Thibault, as he had previously helped them win the 1993 title.

Along with former NBA players Bobby Jones and David Thompson, Kofoed co-founded 2XSALT, a non-profit Christian organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

College career

In his junior season, Kofoed transferred to the Nebraska–Kearney Lopers, and averaged 21.2 points and had 186 assists. As a senior, he set school records with 902 points, a 26.5 average and 198 assists and led the Lopers to a 26–8 mark and a record-setting 10th straight appearance in the NAIA National Tournament. For his play that season, he was named a second team All-American and was conference and district player of the year. [1] [2]

Professional career

Utah Jazz

Kofoed was drafted 107th overall in the fifth round of the 1987 NBA draft. [3] In his rookie season, he lived with Karl Malone. [4] [5] He didn't play at first as he had a broken foot, but soon joined the roster. [6] He played in 36 of the Jazz's remaining 54 games. [7] In a Game 1 loss during their playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, he filled in for Kelly Tripucka, scoring seven points and holding All-Star Clyde Drexler to below his season average in points. [6] The Jazz moved on to the semis, where they held a 2–1 lead. [8] In Game 4, his inexperience showed, as he got into foul trouble, had several turnovers, and missed shots. [9] [10] Although the Jazz extended the series, [11] they lost Game 7, and the Lakers went on to win the championship. [12]

The Jazz re-signed Kofoed to a two-year contract. [7] During a New Year's Eve party to ring in 1989, Kofoed and teammate Bobby Hansen got into a fight, with Kofoed breaking Hansen's cheekbone. Hansen couldn't play for a month. Two days after the incident, the Jazz waived him. [13]

First CBA stint

After the incident with Hansen, Kofoed played for the Rochester Flyers in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). [14]

Golden State Warriors

Kofoed then signed with the Golden State Warriors. [15] A sprained ankle caused the team to waive him, but when Mitch Richmond broke his thumb, the Warriors signed him once again. [16]

Second CBA stint

Kofoed returned to the CBA first for the La Crosse Catbirds, then the Yakima SunKings. [17] [18]

Seattle Supersonics

Kofoed then signed with the Seattle Supersonics. [15] In a loss to the Charlotte Hornets, he scored a career-high 15 points along with nine assists and five rebounds. [19] He would go on to play a career-high 44 games for them. [15] He was waived near the end of the season, but stayed with the team to help prepare them for the playoffs. [20]

Boston Celtics

On October 8, 1992, Kofoed signed with the Boston Celtics. He was waived a month later, but brought back to the team a few days after he was cut. [15] He had six assists in a win over the Detroit Pistons. [21] In January 1993, he was waived before his contract became guaranteed. [22] In all, he only played seven games for the team, averaging 2.4 points and 1.4 assists per game as a reserve. [23]

Third CBA stint

He helped the Racers win the 1993 title. [24] The following season, they were the champions of their conference. [24] He signed with them for one more season. [25] He tried to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but couldn't make the team. [26]

Coaching career

During the 1994–95 Continental Basketball Association season, Kofoed served as assistant coach to Omaha Racers head coach Mike Thibault. [27] [24]

Post-retirement

After retirement, Kofoed put up his own restaurants, one of which he had to close down. [28] He then worked at Cisco Food Services. He then established 2XSALT, a non-profit Christian organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina that supports underprivileged youth through sports. NBA legends David Thompson and Bobby Jones then came aboard to help run the program. [29] He and his wife also own a non-profit restaurant, The Grinning Mule. [30]

Personal life

Kofoed is married and they have four children. [31]

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References

  1. ↑ "Bart Kofoed (2000) - Hall of Fame". University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ Rose, Tom (March 26, 1987). "Waynesburg's Walls named to NAIA All-America Team". Observer–Reporter . pp. B-7. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Kearney State hoop star determined to make Jazz". The Deseret News . June 23, 1987. pp. 4D. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  4. ↑ Kragthorpe, Kurt (February 8, 1988). "Wide-eyed Malone leads West team". The Deseret News . pp. D1. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  5. ↑ Wiley, Ralph. "DOES HE EVER DELIVER!". Sports Illustrated Vault. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Jazz's kid from Nebraska heeds call, helps hold All-Star Drexler down". The Deseret News . April 29, 1988. pp. D1–D2. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Kragthorpe, Kurt (August 2, 1988). "Jazz sign Kofoed to 2-year pact". The Deseret News . pp. D3. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  8. ↑ Kragthorpe, Kurt (May 14, 1988). "Believe it or not, Jazz beat LA again". The Deseret News . pp. 2D. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  9. ↑ Baker, Chris (May 16, 1988). "This Team Still Jazzed : With the Series Tied, 2-2, Utah's Malone Says: 'We're Not Going to Stop Here'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  10. ↑ Kragthorpe, Kurt (May 17, 1988). "Jazz aren't ready to give up as series heads back to L.A." The Deseret News . pp. B4. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Lakers can't put Jazz away". Gettysburg Times . May 20, 1988. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  12. ↑ "The Utah Jazz broke through nationally and Stockton-to-Malone entered the lexicon during the 1988 playoffs". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  13. ↑ Jones, Matt (August 1, 2011). "10 Most Bizarre Moments in Utah Jazz History". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  14. ↑ "BART KOFOED'S PLAYING IN THE CBA AND WAITING FOR AN NBA TEAM TO CALL". Deseret News. January 29, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "What the Hell Happened to...Bart Kofoed?". www.celticslife.com. January 16, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  16. ↑ "WARRIORS RE-SIGN KOFOED TO FILL IN FOR RICHMOND". Deseret News. November 18, 1990. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  17. ↑ Rock, Brad (December 16, 1990). "Jeff Malone's the new doctor in town". The Deseret News . pp. D7. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Sun Kings top SF; NBA signs Higgins". Ellensburg Daily Record. February 7, 1991. p. 10. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Golden State stays on top in Pacific, Sonics fall farther back". The Spokesman-Review . January 15, 1992. pp. D2. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  20. ↑ Kahn, Mike (April 20, 1992). "Sonics stuck in Golden State". Spokane Chronicle . pp. C1–C2. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  21. ↑ "NBA Today". Sun Journal . December 18, 1992. p. 24. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Kofoed says it all came down to money". The Telegraph. January 6, 1993. p. 11. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  23. ↑ "On this day: Suns' Booker scores 70 in Cs loss; Bart Kofoed, Earl Williams born". Celtics Wire. March 24, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  24. 1 2 3 "Kofoed hired". McCook Daily Gazette . October 14, 1994. p. 10. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Transactions". The Dispatch . December 12, 1994. pp. 2B. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Last Word in Sports". Observer-Reporter. October 12, 1995. pp. C5. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. New York. October 20, 1994. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  28. ↑ Martin, Ed (November 2, 1998). "Fine bayside view matches cuisine". Sarasota Herald-Tribune . Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Legends come to Lincolnton". Lincoln Times News. June 10, 2005. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  30. ↑ Way, Emma (October 7, 2020). "New nonprofit restaurant in Plaza Midwood sells all cocktails for $11 — even if you order top-shelf liquor". Axios Charlotte. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  31. ↑ Luhm, Steve (June 23, 2009). "Kofoed punched his ticket out of Utah". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
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