Harold Blevins

Harold Blevins (born October 19, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He was a four-year starter for the Arkansas AM&N Golden Lions, where he is considered one of the program's greatest scorers.[1][2] Blevins was a three-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American and four-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) selection.[1][2]

Harold Blevins
Personal information
Born (1943-10-19) October 19, 1943
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight188 lb (85 kg)
Career information
CollegeArkansas–Pine Bluff (1961–1965)
NBA draft1965 / Round: 2 / Pick: 14th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career1965–1966
PositionShooting guard
Coaching career1975–2002
Career history
As player:
1965–1966Trenton Colonials
As coach:
1995–2002Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Career highlights and awards
Career coaching record
College36–147 (.197)

Blevins was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1965 NBA draft as the 14th overall pick and became the first Golden Lions player to be selected in an National Basketball Association (NBA) draft.[1][lower-alpha 1] Despite not playing football in college, he signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) that same year.[1][2] Blevins ultimately played in neither the NBA nor the NFL but played for the Trenton Colonials of the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL) during the 1965–66 season.[3] He was drafted into the United States Army in 1966 and served a two-year stint in Vietnam.[1]

Upon returning from Vietnam, Blevins became the head basketball coach for two junior colleges, including the men's and women's teams at Harford Community College.[1][4] In 1995, he became the head coach of the Golden Lions men's basketball team.[1] Blevins had a 36–147 record over seven seasons and was fired on July 16, 2002.[5]

Blevins was inducted into the Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions Hall of Fame in 2004 and the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2005.[6][2] His No. 50 jersey was retired by the Golden Lions in 2016.[1]

Notes
  1. Frank Burgess, a selection in the 1961 NBA draft, played for the Golden Lions but was drafted after playing for Gonzaga.

References
  1. "UAPB to Retire Jerseys of Basketball Greats Blevins and Mason". University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Athletics. February 4, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  2. "SWAC Inducts Seven into Hall of Fame". Southwestern Athletic Conference. December 7, 2005. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  3. "Trenton Colonials". NASL Jerseys. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  4. Stewart, John W. (January 31, 1993). "Harford CC basketball turns corner in just four years, women's program is transformed". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  5. "Arkansas-Pine Bluff Fires Coaches". Associated Press. July 16, 2002. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  6. "Harold Blevins". University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Athletics. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
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