Kenny Natt
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Wayne Natt (born October 5, 1958) is a retired American
professional basketball
player and ex-interim head coach for the NBA
's Sacramento Kings
. He was a 6'3" 185 lb (83.9 kg) guard and played collegiately at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana-Monroe) and had a three-year NBA playing career. After serving as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers
from 2004 to 2007, Natt was named to the coaching staff of newly-appointed Kings head coach and former Kansas City Kings
teammate Reggie Theus in 2007. He was subsequently named interim head coach on the firing of Theus, but he himself was fired on April 24, 2009, after the Kings finished with an NBA season-low 17 wins.
Kenny Natt was selected with the 7th pick of the second round (30th overall) in the 1980 NBA Draft
by the Indiana Pacers
. He played for three different teams until the 1984–85 season.
Outside of his NBA career, he played for seven total teams in the CBA
and the WBL
.
Natt was an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz
under Jerry Sloan
for nine years until joining the Cleveland Cavaliers
' coaching staff in 2004. He has also coached in the CBA and the Canadian
NBL
with the Cape Breton Breakers
, and worked as an assistant coach at Youngstown State University
and as a player scout for the Jazz and for the WBL. In 2011, he became the head coach of the India national basketball team
.
In 2003, Kenny Natt was inducted into the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) Hall of Fame. He is the younger brother of former NBA All-Star Calvin Natt
.
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 and ex-interim head coach for the NBA
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 Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. He was a 6'3" 185 lb (83.9 kg) guard and played collegiately at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana-Monroe) and had a three-year NBA playing career. After serving as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
from 2004 to 2007, Natt was named to the coaching staff of newly-appointed Kings head coach and former Kansas City Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
teammate Reggie Theus in 2007. He was subsequently named interim head coach on the firing of Theus, but he himself was fired on April 24, 2009, after the Kings finished with an NBA season-low 17 wins.
Kenny Natt was selected with the 7th pick of the second round (30th overall) in the 1980 NBA Draft
1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. He played for three different teams until the 1984–85 season.
Outside of his NBA career, he played for seven total teams 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 :...
and the WBL
World Basketball League
World Basketball League was a minor professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. It was founded as the International Basketball Association in November 1987, before changing its name prior to the 1988 season. One of the major differences between it and other leagues was that it...
.
Natt was an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
under Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
for nine years until joining the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
' coaching staff in 2004. He has also coached in the CBA and the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
NBL
National Basketball League (Canada)
The National Basketball League that was based in Canada lasted only one and a half seasons in 1993 and 1994. It rose from the ashes of the World Basketball League which folded after the 1992 season, which had teams in various Canadian and American cities. The NBL's first game was played on May 1,...
with the Cape Breton Breakers
Cape Breton Breakers
The Cape Breton Breakers were a franchise in the National Basketball League that began play in 1993, the league's first season. The team played their home games at Centre 200, in Sydney, which was also home of the Cape Breton Oilers....
, and worked as an assistant coach at Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
and as a player scout for the Jazz and for the WBL. In 2011, he became the head coach of the India national basketball team
India national basketball team
The India men's national basketball team represents India in international men's basketball. It is controlled by Basketball Federation of India....
.
In 2003, Kenny Natt was inducted into the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) Hall of Fame. He is the younger brother of former NBA All-Star Calvin Natt
Calvin Natt
Calvin Leon Natt is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward, Natt played at Northeast Louisiana University under coach Lenny Fant. After college, he played 11 NBA seasons , spending time with the New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio...
.
External links
- Kenny Natt coaching profile at NBA.com