Kevinn Pinkney
Encyclopedia
Kevinn Pinkney 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.

Pro career

Despite a highly successful career as a power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...

 at the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...

 where he also played with 2007 draft prospect Nick Fazekas
Nick Fazekas
Nick Fazekas is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League.-Early career:...

 and led the overachieving Wolf Pack to the Sweet 16 of the 2005 NCAA Tournament, the 6'10" Pinkney did not hear his name called on draft night of 2005. His size and abilities did not fit scouts' prototypical image of either a power forward or a center. Thus, Pinkney had to pursue his professional basketball career in Europe, where he played for Clermont in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and PGE Turow in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

. .

After a lackluster performance overseas, Pinkney returned to the United States and secured a roster spot on the summer league entry for the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...

. He averaged 5.5 points, 3 rebounds and 2.8 assists during limited summer league minutes but did not make the team. The Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...

 signed Pinkney as an extra body for training camp but also cut him. Pinkney then signed with the NBA D-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...

's Bakersfield Jam
Bakersfield Jam
The Bakersfield Jam is an expansion franchise of the National Basketball Association Development League that began play in 2006-07. It plays its home games at the newly-built Jam Events Center in Bakersfield, California, United States, which had been built as their practice facility...

 where he flourished offensively, averaging 20 points per game on 51% shooting. He registered several double-doubles and was named to the 2006-07 Western Conference D-League All-Star team.

On April 4, 2007, the injury-plagued Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

, owners of the worst record in the Eastern Conference, received a roster exemption from the NBA to add a 16th player. Pinkney made his debut later that night in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....

. Sporting #51, the burly center scored 15 points in his NBA debut. Pinkney was re-signed for another 10-day contract, and played 6 games for the Celtics in total, averaging 5.2 PPG.

For the 2007-2008 season, he signed with the Italian Serie A
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...

 team Angelico Biella
Pallacanestro Biella
-Notable players :-Sponsorship names:In the past, due to sponsorship deals, it has also been known as:*Fila Biella *Lauretana Biella . For the 2009–10 season,*Lauretana Biella Eurocup-External links:* *...

.

In September 2010 he signed a one-year contract with KK Union Olimpija
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...

 in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...

, but he left the club by mutual consent on February 28, 2011. In March 2011 he signed with Enisey Krasnoyarsk
Enisey Krasnoyarsk
Enisey Krasnoyarsk is a Russian professional basketball club from the city of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia. The team will play in the 2010-11 Russian Super League and FIBA EuroChallenge.-External links:* * *...

 in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 until the end of the season. In October 2011 he signed a one-year deal with Aliağa Petkim in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

.

External links

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