Ken Bantum (basketball)

Ken Bantum
Personal information
BornRoosevelt, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolHoly Trinity (Hicksville, New York)
CollegeCornell (1981–1985)
NBA draft1985: 7th round, 142nd overall pick
Selected by the New York Knicks
PositionCenter
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Kenneth O. Bantum is an American former professional basketball player. He is a native of Roosevelt, New York, and graduated from Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville, New York.[1] Bantum played college basketball for the Cornell Big Red from 1981 to 1985. He was the first Cornell player to be named the Ivy League Player of the Year when he won the award in 1985.[1] Bantum set the Big Red all-time career scoring record with 1,411 points;[1] he held the record until it was surpassed by John Bajusz in 1987.[2] Bantum was named to the All-Ivy League first-team in 1985 and second-team in 1984.[1]

Bantum was selected in the seventh round of the 1985 NBA draft by the New York Knicks and was the first Cornell player drafted into the NBA since 1968.[3][4] He was also selected in the 1985 United States Basketball League draft by the Connecticut Skyhawks in the sixth round.[5] Bantum joined the Indiana Pacers for rookie camp in 1986 but was cut from the team.[6] Bantum played for Södertälje BBK in the Swedish Basketball League.[1]

Bantum was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.[7] He was named in the Legends of Ivy League basketball by the Ivy League in 2023.[4][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Kenneth Bantum". Cornell University Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "Cornell's Bajusz Has Busy Docket". The New York Times. January 25, 1987. p. 17. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  3. ^ "Nets Are Getting International Look". The New York Times. June 19, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Ken Bantum, Cornell". Ivy League. January 26, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "United States Basketball League Draft". UPI. April 10, 1985. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  6. ^ "Sunday's Sports Transactions". UPI. July 21, 1986. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "Kenneth O. Bantum (1990)". Cornell University Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "Ivy League Announces 2023 Class of Legends of Ivy League Basketball". Brown University Athletics. January 26, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
Flag of United StatesBiography icon

This biographical article relating to a United States basketball figure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.