Ken Barlow (basketball)

Ken Barlow
Personal information
Born (1964-09-20) September 20, 1964 (age 60)
Indianapolis, Indiana
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High schoolCathedral (Indianapolis, Indiana)
CollegeNotre Dame (1982–1986)
NBA draft1986: 1st round, 23rd overall pick
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Playing career1986–2002
PositionPower forward / center
Number8
Career history
1986–1987Olimpia Milano
1987–1990Maccabi Tel Aviv
1990–1993PAOK
1993–1994Viola Reggio Calabria
1994Benetton Treviso
1995–1996Pistoia
1997–1999Montecatini
1999–2000Dinamo Sassari
2000–2002Basket Livorno
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Kenneth Barlow (born September 20, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. Barlow graduated from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Early years

Barlow attended Cathedral High School. As a senior, he led the school to the state semifinal game and received All-American honors. He accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of Notre Dame.

As a sophomore in the 1983–84 season, he contributed along with point guard David Rivers, to a runner-up finish at the 1984 National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

He served as team captain his final two seasons while helping the Irish to two NCAA tournament berths in 1985 and 1986. As a senior, he received the school's Student Athlete of the Year award.

In 2019, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Barlow was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers, in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1986 NBA draft. On June 16, he was traded along with shooting guard Mike McGee to the Atlanta Hawks, in exchange for the rights to small forward Billy Thompson and shooting guard Ron Kellogg.[1]

On August 24, before the start of the Hawks training camp, he was driving a van in which former college teammate David Rivers was also traveling, returning to an apartment they shared after working a summer job with a caterer business, when the vehicle overturned and went into a ditch, after trying to avoid an oncoming car. Barlow had minor cuts, but Rivers suffered a life-threatening 15-inch abdominal cut, that he was able to recover from to play in 32 college games that season.[2][3] On September 13, it was announced in the media, that he would play in Italy with the Tracer Milano instead of the NBA, where he averaged 16.9 points and 8.4 rebounds in 30 games.

In 1987, he played in Israel with the Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. On December 14, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for center Chris Washburn.[4]

In 1988, he worked out with the Golden State Warriors in a mini-camp and in the Northwest Summer League. He returned to play in Europe, after head coach and general manager Don Nelson, encouraged him to keep improving his basketball skills.

He spent 16 years playing professionally in Europe, winning an Italian championship (1987), a FIBA European Champions Cup (1987), three Israeli championships (1988, 1989 and 1990) and a Greek championship (1992).

Some of the clubs that he played with in Europe include: Olimpia Milano, Maccabi Tel Aviv, PAOK, Pfizer Reggio Calabria, Benetton Treviso, Olimpia Pistoia, and Mabo Livorno.

Personal life

Ken has two sons, who both played college basketball: Kelsey Barlow, who played at Purdue and UIC, and Keenan, who played for Indiana State and Tiffin. He also has a cousin, Ashley Barlow, who tri-captained the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team, in 2009 and 2010. She played for Notre Dame from 2007 to 2010.

Ken is now a minister, at a local church in Indianapolis.

Awards and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ "Lakers Deal McGee to Hawks for Rights to 2 Draft Choices". Los Angeles Times. June 17, 1986. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  2. ^ "Irish's Rivers, Hawks' Barlow hurt in auto crash". The Atlanta Constitution. August 25, 1988. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "1988 NBA DRAFT : Lakers Make David Rivers the Last of the First". Los Angeles Times. June 28, 1988. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  4. ^ "Warriors Trade Washburn to Hawks". Los Angeles Times. December 15, 1987. Retrieved January 5, 2020.