Kevin Widemond

Kevin Widemond (December 24, 1985 – October 25, 2009) was an American basketball player. After starring at Texas A&M University–Commerce he went on to play professionally in Portugal where he collapsed and later died after suffering a heart attack during a game.

Kevin Widemond
Personal information
Born(1985-11-24)November 24, 1985
Newark, New Jersey
DiedOctober 25, 2009(2009-10-25) (aged 23)
Leiria, Portugal
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolWest Side
(Newark, New Jersey)
College
NBA draft2008 / Undrafted
Playing career2008–2009
PositionPoint guard
Career history
2009Ovarense

Early life

Widemond was born in Newark, New Jersey to Kevin Thomas and Roslyn Widemond. He played in high school basketball for West Side High School.[1]

College career

Widemond was a two-year starter for San Jacinto College and then played at Texas A&M University–Commerce in Commerce, Texas where he majored in Business Administration. During the 2006-07 season with the university's Lion team, he led his team with 84 three pointers and was second on the team in scoring with 14.1 ppg playing in all 28 games, and earning a start in 24 games. He scored in double digits in 20 of his 28 games, including a career-high 27 against Eastern New Mexico on December 9, 2006).[1] As a senior, in 2007-08, Widemond led the Lions to the championship game of the Lone Star Conference Tournament and earned All-Tournament team honors.[2]

Professional career and death

After graduation, Widemond signed for the Portuguese basketball club Ovarense of the Portuguese Basketball Premier League in the 2009-2010 season. A month into the season he died of a heart attack during a game. The Portuguese Basketball Federation said he collapsed in the locker room during halftime of a game between his team Ovarense and Academica in Leiria, in northern Portugal for third-place playoff game of the António Pratas Trophy.[3] He died in the hospital when efforts of resuscitation failed.[4][5] Widemond was the fourth basketball player to die in Portugal, the others being Angel Almeyda (Spain), Rui Guimarães (Angola) and Paulo Pinto (Portugal).[6] His death started a movement to push for instillations of defibrillators in schools, sports venues and other public places in Portugal.[7]

References
  1. "Lion Athletics: Kevin Widemond page". lionathletics.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  2. "UCO prevails in LSC men's championship game, 72-70, over A&M-C". Lone Star Conference. 8 March 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  3. "Basquetebolista morre no intervalo do jogo". cmjornal.pt (in Portuguese). 26 October 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  4. "U.S. basketball player dies during Portuguese match". Reuters. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  5. "Kevin Widemond, basketball player from Newark, dies during game in Portugal". The Associated Press. nj.com. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  6. Susana Silva (25 October 2009). "Jogador da Ovarense morre durante o jogo". jn.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. "Ovarense lança petição pública para promover desfibriladores". expresso.pt (in Portuguese). 3 November 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
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