Keith Closs
Encyclopedia
Keith Mitchell Closs, Jr. (born April 3, 1976 in Hartford, Connecticut
) is an American
professional basketball
player, at the center
position.
at Central Connecticut State University
(leading the nation in blocks his only two years in college), and still holds the NCAA Division I career record for blocks with 5.87 blocked shots per game. He had 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 NBA tenure.
After starting playing professionally in the CBA
's Yakima Sun Kings, 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. He holds the Clippers' record for most blocked shots per 48 minutes (4.7).
He later played for the Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs of the USBL
in 2003, and returned to the CBA. In January 2007, as Closs led the latter league in blocks per game at 2.9, he left and signed with the Buffalo Silverbacks of the ABA
.
Closs was selected with the 11th pick in the 5th round of the 2007 NBA Development League
draft by the Tulsa 66ers
.
In December 2008, he signed with the Chinese league
's Yunnan Bulls
, and averaged 16.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 5.9 blocked shots per game.
.
Basketball website SLAMonline reported in October 2008 that a reader based in China by the name of Jon had e-mail
ed them, claiming that in a nightclub in Nanjing
he encountered a 7-foot man wearing a current, customized #33 Dallas Mavericks
jersey with the name "Closs" on the back. Jon asked him if he was Closs, and the man affirmed he was.
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
s, he finally sought help in 2007. During a 2008 interview Closs said he has turned his life around and has given up alcohol for good.
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, at the center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
position.
Basketball career
Closs, at 7-feet, 3-inches (2.20 m) and 212 lbs. (95 kg), played collegiatelyCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University is a state university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States.The school was moved to its present campus in 1922...
(leading the nation in blocks his only two years in college), and still holds the NCAA Division I career record for blocks with 5.87 blocked shots per game. He had three seasons as a backup center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
for the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
from 1997 to 2000, averaging 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game during his NBA tenure.
After starting playing professionally in the CBA
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
's Yakima Sun Kings, 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. He holds the Clippers' record for most blocked shots per 48 minutes (4.7).
He later played for the Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs of the USBL
United States Basketball League
The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...
in 2003, and returned to the CBA. In January 2007, as Closs led the latter league in blocks per game at 2.9, he left and signed with the Buffalo Silverbacks of the ABA
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
.
Closs was selected with the 11th pick in the 5th round of the 2007 NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
draft by the Tulsa 66ers
Tulsa 66ers
The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
.
In December 2008, he signed with the Chinese league
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
's Yunnan Bulls
Yunnan Bulls
Yunnan Honghe Bulls or Yunnan Honghe or Yunnan Bulls were a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Mengzi, Yunnan ....
, and averaged 16.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 5.9 blocked shots per game.
Personal
Closs is the oldest of six children. His favorite book is Giant Steps by Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
.
Basketball website SLAMonline reported in October 2008 that a reader based in China by the name of Jon had e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
ed them, claiming that in a nightclub in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
he encountered a 7-foot man wearing a current, customized #33 Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
jersey with the name "Closs" on the back. Jon asked him if he was Closs, and the man affirmed he was.
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
DUI
DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier...
s, he finally sought help in 2007. During a 2008 interview Closs said he has turned his life around and has given up alcohol for good.
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