| Height | 6 ft |
|---|---|
| Height in | 6 |
| Weight lbs | 245 |
| Birth date | October 13, 1932 |
| Birth place | Anaconda, Montana, U.S. |
| Death date | October 7, 2019 (aged 86) |
| Death place | Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| High school | Anaconda (Anaconda, Montana) |
| College | Minnesota (1951–1954) |
| Draft year | 1954 |
| Draft round | 1 |
| Draft pick | 9 |
| Draft team | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Career start | 1954 |
| Career end | 1957 |
| Career number | 23 |
| Years 1 | – |
| Team 1 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Highlights |
|
Edward Lawrence Kalafat (October 13, 1932 – October 7, 2019) was an American basketball player. A center, he played college basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and professionally for three seasons with the Minneapolis Lakers.
Biography
Kalafat was born on October 13, 1932, in Anaconda, Montana. He played football and basketball at Anaconda High School, winning a state championship in 1948.[1]
After high school, he went on to play for the University of Minnesota. He was the team's starting center from 1951 to 1954 and served as captain in the 1953–1954 season. He won the team MVP award his senior season.[2][3][4][5]
After graduation, he was selected by the Lakers in the first round of the 1954 NBA draft with the ninth overall pick. He played three season with the Lakers averaging 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Kalafat retired after the Lakers traded him to the Detroit Pistons in 1957.[1]
After retiring from basketball Kalafat went into banking, working for many years at First Bank System. He also joined the U.S. Army Reserve retiring at the rank of captain.[6][5]
Career statistics
NBA
Source[4]
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–55 | Minneapolis | 72 | 15.3 | .315 | .661 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 4.8 |
| 1955–56 | Minneapolis | 72 | 22.8 | .359 | .738 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 8.0 |
| 1956–57 | Minneapolis | 65 | 24.9 | .351 | .661 | 6.5 | 1.6 | 8.5 |
| Career | 209 | 20.9 | .345 | .688 | 5.7 | 1.5 | 7.1 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–55 | Minneapolis | 7 | 10.9 | .091 | .300 | 2.6 | .0 | 1.0 |
| 1955–56 | Minneapolis | 3 | 18.3 | .429 | .789 | 7.0 | .7 | 11.0 |
| 1956–57 | Minneapolis | 5 | 20.8 | .583 | .677 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 12.6 |
| Career | 15 | 15.7 | .405 | .650 | 4.2 | .7 | 6.9 | |
References
- ^ "Ed Kalafat, former Anaconda star, Minnesota alum and first-round Lakers pick, dies". The Missoulian. 2019-10-10.
- ^ "Obituary". Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ "Ed Kalafat Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards". Archived from the original on 2007-12-02. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
- ^ "Ed Kalafat". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "Ed Kalafat, former Gophers star and first-round pick of the Lakers, dead at 86". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. 2019-10-10.
- ^ Mitchell, Houston (February 12, 2011). "Ed Kalafat, Forward #23". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.