washington born september american professional basketball player washington best remembered punching opposing player court fight punch nearly killed resulted severe medical problems ultimately ended playing career washington highly player coming high school barely got college athletic scholarship averaged mere points game senior season high school improved rapidly seven players ncaa history average points rebounds course career big defensive forward washington known ability gather rebounds averaged points rebounds game national_basketball_association nba seasons played star game washington drafted fifth overall pick nba draft played seasons sought help retired basketball coach fourth season washington game rapidly improved starter teams played san diego early life washington mother barbara graduated teacher college later excellent student father alexander ray technician washington rough childhood years old parents fight maternal uncle involved violently attacked uncle iron parents soon divorced father awarded custody children mother suffered disorder took older brother father ill advised poorly prepared struggling find money feed children eventually called father came took stay father long brother passed relatives sides family effect homes family members led feeling wanted washington extremely shy youth time recalls feeling sense self worth great grandmother father pair according washington loved boys extremely strict times physically abusive father remarried children moved new wife washington felt sense optimism time saying thought dream come true lives seen nice families real ones going real family felt unwanted time small child washington said felt close older brother chris washington poor student hated school childhood retake classes summer school raise grades entered high school played football merely close friend walk home night terrified walking home senior high school washington stood weighed mere rare positive feedback biology teacher began study forth greater effort class quickly solid student biology poor subjects thomas home room teacher saw grades classes encouraged try hard courses washington rapidly improved marks making honor roll senior year basketball performance high school came bench average points game informed graduated high school thrown house chris able leave home football scholarship later play national_football_league washington trained hours day end senior season showed playground game featuring high school players washington pennsylvania talked way game recently left job assistant coach head coach saw play washington perform particularly young impressed ignored poor treatment received people organized game college years summer senior year high school freshman year college washington grew inches began intense weight training ran flights steps seven story dormitory building wearing weighted vest improve endurance washington college later said life separated parts pre college life life college frequently described college years time life began dating future wife pat freshman met noticed accidentally scoring consecutive points opposing team freshman basketball game pursued remained silent spent time lot emergence washington personality credited pat encouraged outgoing overcome low self esteem washington spent lot free time practicing gym played playground basketball summer teams averaged points rebounds freshman team american pat helped grades despite fact senior year high school far know entered college write report averaged points percent shooting rebounds year varsity basketball played somewhat soft brand basketball hurting chances drafted professional team sophomore junior years began lifting weights football player studying american encouraged aggressive court washington told nature telling afford cool court given talent level wanted join pro ranks washington named academic american junior year averaged points percent shooting ncaa leading rebounds junior season drafted junior season offered year contract year decided stay american coach young senior season felt owed school given chance coming difficult period high school offered invite try olympic basketball team season squad washington best players country going senior season newspaper reports washington_post mentioned coaches opposing teams planning stop washington led nation senior season second team american helped american game college career washington needed score points average points rebounds game career college extremely nervous game eat sleep game set attendance records washington felt light feet introduced crowd managed score points seventh player reach mark thrown party campus wide celebration game graduated degree washington time academic american taught courses social sciences senior year professional years washington drafted fifth overall nba draft week team began training camp pat married invited families drove city hall ceremony difficult time making transition college center nba power forward basketball players succeed high school college superior physical skills arrive professional ranks typically going players physically gifted washington played primarily zone defense system college man man defense common nba arrived team legend stages career result silhouette seen nba logo washington admits terrified west felt anxiety time mistake healthy played games averaged minutes game rookie season hurt year kept quiet fearing labeled soft injury bother rest career continued struggle second season discovered finding individual coaching professional game time difficult rigorous schedule coaches assuming players knew play entered league including head coach willing work basis entering fourth season washington knew thing keeping league guaranteed contract essentially written organization felt physical skills ascribed failure mental deficiencies washington particularly disturbed game got awkward collision barry remarked listen better learn play game criticism especially bothered washington felt barry correct desperate improve contacted recommendation agent retired pro college coach worked office position drafted washington team truth says felt responsibility considering drafted involved player transactions course long career especially attached washington surprised request unhappy new highly job organization agreed meet washington individual drills scheduled practices early morning test washington dedication thinking professional athlete bother hour day washington showed complaint intense training sessions seen kind person considered important figures history game basketball private practice intense teacher usual washington felt offer services free player willing train washington watch tapes paul forward convinced confidence offensive game reworked washington game ground established tremendous coach big men later conduct yearly big man camp hawaii attended hundreds nba players los_angeles acquired washington style play complemented especially physical player washington played averaging points rebounds struggled knee entire season wife pleaded sit games took kept playing washington finally tore late season game denver feel tearing inside looked hanging leg doctors covered entire leg cast told basketball career likely person bring washington despair felt heard playing career probably forced training sessions following summer washington strongly considered leg injury scared injuring training sessions ignored pleas told wanted play train work harder washington came play following season performed games averaging career highs points rebounds featured nba preview edition sports_illustrated dedicated year season praised intimidating nature fighting skills magazine posed washington boxing stance picture layout entitled gon hurt teammates infamous punch december nba game houston rockets broke players events precipitated fight frequently debated variously interpreted months earlier opening night season played milwaukee center stomach appeared intense pain punched breaking jaw hand washington got brawl players games later december game beginning game second half guard missed shot houston washington contended rebound eventually got passed teammate john lucas battle rebound physical usual involved wrestled result washington stayed order watch sure happened washington grabbed shorts order prevent getting offense quickly threw elbow hit washington upper arm spun facing washington happened disputed washington rocket forward insisted punched said washington swung attempted free washington grasp referee saw action saw merely followed washington washington punch washington reject account ran grabbed arms try pull away left washington punch hit head brought knee washington saw running altercation knowing intended break fight washington hit punch blow took surprise fractured face inch away skull left unconscious pool blood middle arena likened sound punch dropped concrete reputation league players involved right collapsed absence sound arena filled shocked fans silence heard reporters heard sound punch way second floor press box rushed playing floor disbelief able walk way locker room saw washington says aggressive asked washington punched washington broken security personnel condition fight despite having bone structure face detached skull suffering cerebral concussion broken jaw nose leaking blood spinal fluid skull capsule skull fractured way taste spinal fluid leaking mouth later recalled time incident believed fallen doctor worked said seen people far injuries likened surgery taping badly shattered aftermath matters washington available replay incident showed punch preceded attack appear saturday night live watched average million people punch countless times gag having cast member defend punch subject new_york_times editorial investigated washington fined suspended days missing games longest suspension court incident nba history rockets furious missed rest season felt washington likewise court fights common 1970s including bench clearing season opener punched suspension levied washington punch resulted league strict penalties court fights nba commissioner nba chief counsel later said incident nba officials realize couldn allow men big strong throwing punches player attempts punch misses automatically ejected game suspended team game league added referee game crew season referee trailed play called foul washington grabbed shorts potentially stopping play preventing melee succeeded washington received support office aside single day fight sent hate mail filled racial advised police order room service played feared poisoned head wanted washington appeal suspension idea originally considered ultimately rejected players league washington said good reputation court wife year old daughter washington wife months pregnant couple son time punch wife recalls children treated like incident refused service washington wife friends asked kind person washington commit act person contacted later year washington went home big screen television insisted accept december weeks incident washington traded boston general manager lived washington area longtime fan washington pat stayed couple young children washington staying hotel waited thought occur season depressed fell shape pulled began running flights stairs story hotel years later coach time told wanted washington roster general manager said fence owner decided started alongside hall_of_fame center enjoyed playing washington remarking great fun hear said fighting battle couldn win going change way people perceived moment wanted feel home feel wanted washington won boston fans immediately acceptance aided glowing article boston_globe wrote player researching life spending time season washington took money sign later career washington involved unusual player transactions nba history owner wanted closer home business interests california continue nba team solve problem owner exchanged franchises moved braves san_diego renamed washington sent san_diego deal november san_diego played houston scored points collected rebounds washington game coach suggested rockets coach players shake hands center court prior rejected idea year san_diego washington traded decided acquire portland center missed entire season broken bones foot agree compensation commissioner office final decision sending washington portland exchange center second time traded center signed boston season washington team offered money remained quiet washington felt properly acknowledged role fight portland strongly desired washington general manager close friend worked hard let washington know intended time traded important media coverage locations hard pat children great relief city portland welcomed washington open arms portland fan bases league washington went treated like beloved celebrity season rockets civil suit occurred houston argued los_angeles failed control washington trial numerous players coaches game testified washington sat defense table listening portrayed dangerous rogue testified trial contradicted washington testimony angrily branding playing san_diego wives close friends relationship worsened time washington believed nba keeping team prevent portland coach said chose san_diego center team asked league submit list players considered fair compensation washington shared time power forward spot lucas trade time starter played seasons portland earned spot nba star game players sat injury star weekend held maryland nearby held halftime ceremony retired washington number named team captain following season post punch career numerous players coaches officials noted aggressive court fear getting fight washington started experiencing pain knees season pain season retired january missing games years league tried comeback warriors lasted games roster playing cut retirement retiring washington run restaurants founder operator number charitable organizations ran restaurant portland metropolitan area teammate called slam restaurant closed served coaching role stanford_university worked big man camp years founded 6th man foundation known august washington accompanied team doctors nurses humanitarian mission working refugee camp helping victims bloody civil war death human waste extended miles sad sad sight washington later recalled sight forget career washington complained treatment received relation punching washington sought portray victim fight appears exaggerated came way result washington told new_york_times refused work coach time hired assistant coach stanford davis wanted bring iowa went coach washington stayed stanford later quit assistant coaching position subsequently worked strength conditioning coach washington claimed cut contact punched appears certain events tried athletic director american school offered hire assistant athletic director washington office experience confronted washington stated didn couldn use experience assistant suggested lasting damage caused fight washington washington self image supposed refusal accept responsibility actions fight pat later said went deeper met college hard affection ask directly cared like think nice hard open loved came believe loved past don believe washington currently lives washington area employed regional representative washington indicted allegedly roughly meant children africa
Kermit Washington