Kenny Hutchinson

Last updated
Kenny Hutchinson
Personal information
Born (1963-12-13) December 13, 1963 (age 61)
Laie, Hawaii, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school Benjamin Franklin
(Manhattan, New York)
Martin Luther King
(Manhattan, New York)
College Arkansas (1984–1987)
Position Point guard / shooting guard
Career highlights

Kenny Hutchinson (born December 13, 1963) is an American former basketball player. [1] He emerged as a top college prospect while playing basketball in New York City at Benjamin Franklin High School and Martin Luther King Jr. High School. [2] While playing at Franklin, Hutchinson was part of a star line-up alongside Richie Adams, Gary Springer and Walter Berry. [3] He won a state championship in 1982 before the school closed down that same year. [4] Hutchinson transferred to King for his final year, where he was named a second-team Parade All-American in 1983. During his high school years, he was an avid streetball basketball player at Rucker Park participating in the Entertainer's Basketball Classic. [5]

Hutchinson was recruited by the defending NCAA champions NC State, but he elected to enrol at the University of Arkansas to play for the Razorbacks. [6] Hutchinson did not originally qualify for a scholarship but eventually made the team in 1984. [7] Though naturally a point guard, Hutchinson played as a shooting guard at Arkansas. [8] Cocaine abuse cut down his time as a player as he tested positive for the drug twice during his time at the school. [4] He was suspended alongside teammate William Mills for the last four games of the 1985–86 season because of drug abuse. [9] Hutchinson and Mills checked themselves into an alcohol and drug treatment center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for a one-month stay. [9] They were allowed to rejoin the Razorbacks by head coach Nolan Richardson but without their scholarships and with the promise to stay clean. [9] Hutchinson returned as a walk-on during his redshirt junior season in 1986–87. [1] He played sparingly and chose to leave the team in 1987. [10] Hutchinson averaged 2.6 points during his three seasons with the Razorbacks. [10]

On April 3, 1989, Hutchinson was arrested and charged with delivery of cocaine. [10] A police informant working undercover bought cocaine from Hutchinson at an apartment near the University of Arkansas campus. [10] A felony warrant was issued in March and Hutchinson eventually turned himself in to detectives. [10] He was convicted and spent 18 months in prison. [11]

Mills was murdered in 1991 which Hutchinson credited as a turning point in his life. [11] In a 1994 interview, he claimed that he had been off drugs since Mills' death. [11] Hutchinson attended the City College of New York in 1994 to complete the remaining credits of his degree with the aspiration of becoming a teacher. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Player Information: Kenny Hutchinson". Hog Stats. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  2. ↑ "Elite 24: NYC legends". 17 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "RICHIE TO RAGS FROM NBA PROSPECT TO A MURDER SUSPECT".
  4. 1 2 "FORMER SCHOOL STAR REBOUNDS ON LIFE". The New York Times. 24 December 1987.
  5. ↑ Mallozzi, Vincent M. (17 June 2003). Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament . Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN   9780385506755 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ Webb, Spud; Slaughter, Reid (1 January 1988). Flying High. Harper & Row. ISBN   9780060158200 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Kenny Hutchinson, regarded as one of the nation's top..."
  8. ↑ Valenti, John (5 July 2016). Swee'pea: The Story of Lloyd Daniels and Other Playground Basketball Legends. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9781501116681 – via Google Books.
  9. 1 2 3 Towle, Mike (January 30, 1987). "Arkansas star tries to recover". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 57. Retrieved February 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ex-Hog Kenny Hutchinson is arrested". Baxter Bulletin. April 8, 1989. p. 11. Retrieved February 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Cyphers, Luke (April 21, 1994). "It's thumbs up for Hutchinson". Daily News. p. 1278. Retrieved February 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
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