Bob Witts
July 23, 2020
Kelvin Small
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 1/05/57
- Place of Birth: Chicago Heights, Illinois (USA)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 95
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Oregon (1975-1979)
- NBL DEBUT: 12/02/83
- AGE AT DEBUT: 25
- LAST NBL GAME: 19/02/84
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Perth 1983 | Geelong 1984
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Kelvin Small was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Kelvin Small made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 25 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.
In 1983, Gordon Ellis took over as Wildcats’ head coach and replaced import Billy Keys with Kelvin Small. Tim Evans (21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists) led the team in scoring for the second straight year but saw his season cut short due to injury and was replaced by Bob Witts. Captain Mike Ellis averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game and won the club’s MVP award while Small averaged 14.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in the Wildcats’ second year in the NBL. The Westate Wildcats went on to finish thirteenth (6–16) during the regular season.
GEELONG CATS
1984
In 1984, Small averaged 4 points and 4.3 rebounds, and helped guide the Cats to a first place finish in the regular season with a 21-2 record.
Kelvin Small played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Perth Wildcats and the Geelong Cats. He averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 22 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 27 | Geelong | 21-2 (1) | 4 | 0.0 | 16 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 21 | 29% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 4 | 5 | 80% | 34% | 29% | 6 |
| 1983 | 26 | Perth | 6-16 (13) | 18 | 0.0 | 265 | 144 | 38 | 32 | 112 | 10 | 21 | 58 | 60 | 112 | 237 | 47% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 41 | 65 | 63% | 49% | 47% | 28 | Totals | 22 | 0 | 281 | 161 | 42 | 35 | 126 | 11 | 22 | 60 | 74 | 118 | 258 | 45.7% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 45 | 70 | 64.3% | 49% | 46% | 28 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 27 | Geelong | 21-2 (1) | 4 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 5.3 | 29% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.0 | 1.3 | 80% | 34% | 29% | 6 |
| 1983 | 26 | Perth | 6-16 (13) | 18 | 0.0 | 14.7 | 8.0 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 6.2 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 13.2 | 47% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 2.3 | 3.6 | 63% | 49.5% | 47% | 28 | Total | 22 | 0.0 | 12.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 5.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 11.7 | 45.7% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 64.3% | 49% | 46% | 28 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 28 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Kelvin Small was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers with pick #195 in the 1979 NBA Draft.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
-
COLLEGE
Small played college basketball at Oregon, As a freshman he was part of the 1975-76 Ducks team that went 18-12 overall and 7-7 in the Pac-8 under coach Dick Harter, with Oregon reaching the NCAA Tournament regional third-place game.
In that 1975-76 season, Sports Reference credits him with 14 games played as a freshman forward, averaging 11.0 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game while shooting 17-of-44 from the field for 38.6 percent and 2-of-7 at the foul line for 28.6 percent, totaling 36 points, 36 rebounds and three assists.
He played behind a veteran group led by Ron Lee, Greg Ballard, Stu Jackson, Mark Barwig and Ernie Kent, which limited his role early in his college career.
As a sophomore in 1976-77, Small moved into a bigger role on an Oregon team that finished 19-10 overall and 9-5 in the Pac-8 under Dick Harter, good for second place in the conference before advancing to the NIT quarterfinals.
During that 1976-77 campaign he appeared in all 29 games and averaged 23.9 minutes, 4.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game, while shooting 44-of-91 from the field for 48.4 percent and 49-of-78 from the foul line for 62.8 percent.
His sophomore season totals were 137 points, 137 rebounds and 25 assists, and he ranked among Oregon’s regular frontcourt contributors alongside Greg Ballard, Ernie Kent, John Murray, Mike Drummond and Rob Closs.
Oregon’s 1976-77 season also included a 400th win at McArthur Court, and the team’s postseason run pushed the Ducks into the NIT quarterfinal round.
As a junior in 1977-78, Small became one of Oregon’s central players on a 16-11 team that finished 6-8 in the Pac-8 and placed fifth, again with Dick Harter as head coach.
Sports Reference lists him for all 27 games with 20 starts that season, and he averaged 24.9 minutes, 8.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 69.0 percent from the free-throw line.
He was Oregon’s leading rebounder in 1977-78 and one of the team’s top five players alongside Dan Hartshorne, Phil Barner, Felton Sealey and Mike Drummond.
That junior season also produced one of the notable shot-blocking marks in Oregon history, with Small recording five blocks against Seattle Pacific on December 19, 1977.
Oregon’s 1977-78 team stats show the Ducks allowed only 63.1 points per game, reflecting the defensive identity of Harter’s program even as the team slipped below the previous year’s finish.
As a senior in 1978-79, Small stayed with Oregon through the coaching transition from Dick Harter to Jim Haney and played on a Ducks team that finished 12-15 overall and 7-11 in the newly named Pac-10, placing sixth.
In his final college season he averaged 10.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game over 27 appearances, giving him his best scoring average at Oregon and making him one of the Ducks’ top senior contributors with Dan Hartshorne, John Murray, Rob Closs and Felton Sealey.
The 1978-79 schedule included wins over San Diego State, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona, Arizona, California and Oregon State, but Oregon did not reach postseason play.
Across his four seasons at Oregon, Small played 97 Division I games and averaged 7.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 69.5 percent from the free-throw line.
His season-by-season Sports Reference rows read: 1975-76 Oregon, 14 games, 11.0 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 38.6 field-goal percentage, 28.6 free-throw percentage.
His 1976-77 row reads: 29 games, 23.9 minutes, 4.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 48.4 field-goal percentage, 62.8 free-throw percentage.
His 1977-78 row reads: 27 games and 20 starts, 24.9 minutes, 8.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 45.0 field-goal percentage and 69.0 free-throw percentage.
His 1978-79 row reads: 27 games, 10.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 48.2 field-goal percentage and 80.2 free-throw percentage.
Small finished his Oregon career as a four-year player from the Harter era into the Haney transition, and after his senior season he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 10th round of the 1979 NBA draft.
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