Larry Kenon

Position:
F/C
Ht./Wt.:
6-9 / 205
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Birmingham, Ala.
Prev School:
Amarillo (Texas) J.C.

Kenon was part of the magical run to the NCAA title game during his only season. He averaged 20.7 points and 16.7 rebounds during the season. No Tiger has averaged more rebounds in a single season. Remarkably, he posted 25 double-doubles in 30 career games.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Kenon came to Memphis from Amarillo (Texas) Junior College where, as a JC All-American, he averaged 27.6 points and 25.1 rebounds per game. He also set single-game school records at Amarillo with 53 points and 37 rebounds.

Joining Tiger greats Larry Finch and Ronnie Robinson, Kenon helped the Tigers to their first Final Four and National Championship game in school history. Memphis finished 25-6 and won the Missouri Valley Conference to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

In the opening-round win over South Carolina, Kenon scored 34 points and had 20 rebounds. He tallied 14 points in a second-round win over Kansas State as the Tigers advanced to the Final Four.

In the national semifinal, he scored 28 points and grabbed 22 rebounds to help the Tigers defeat Providence. And in the national championship game, Kenon totaled 20 points against UCLA despite being in early foul trouble.

He left Memphis after his junior year, his only season, and was drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons, but signed instead with the New York Nets of the ABA. He averaged 15.9 points and 11.5 rebounds as a rookie and, along with Julius Erving, helped the Nets win the ABA Championship in 1974.

He was an ABA All-Star for three years. Kenon played professional basketball for 11 years with the Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.