# Kent Washington

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This article is about the basketball player. For the city, see [Kent, Washington](/source/Kent,_Washington). For the neighborhood, see [Kent (Washington, D.C.)](/source/Kent_(Washington,_D.C.)).

**Kent "Nut" Washington** (born January 10, 1956)[1][2] is an American former professional [basketball](/source/Basketball) player. He was the first American as well as the first black professional basketball player to play behind the [Iron Curtain](/source/Iron_Curtain). He played professional basketball in the [Polish People's Republic](/source/Polish_People's_Republic) from 1979–83. He was the [PLK Most Valuable Player](/source/PLK_Most_Valuable_Player) in 1980. He won the [Polish Cup](/source/Polish_Basketball_Cup) in 1983. In total, he played professional basketball in Europe for 14 years. He is the author of the 2021 memoir *Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland*.

## Early and personal life

Washington was born in [New Rochelle, New York](/source/New_Rochelle,_New_York), to Ralph (New Rochelle’s first black police detective) and Cloteal Washington.[1][3][4] He has an older brother, Kurt.[5][3] He attended New Rochelle Public Schools.[3] He was [New Rochelle High School](/source/New_Rochelle_High_School)’s starting [point guard](/source/Point_guard), was All-Conference and All-County, and was MVP of the Westchester Holiday Tournament.[1] He graduated in 1973.[1][6]

He received a four-year scholarship to [NCAA Division II](/source/NCAA_Division_II) [Southampton College](/source/Stony_Brook_Southampton) (now [Stony Brook Southampton](/source/Stony_Brook_Southampton)).[7] There, he majored in sociology and scored 1,082 points for the Colonials.[8][9][1] He was team captain in 1976 and 1977.[6] In his junior year in college Washington averaged 15 points and 8 assists per game, shooting 54% from the floor.[10] He completed his career as the school's career assists leader.[11] He was drafted by the [Los Angeles Lakers](/source/Los_Angeles_Lakers) in the 10th round in 1977.[1] He was 5 feet 8 inches tall.[4]

Playing in Sweden, Washington met his future wife, Susanne.[1][12] Their daughter, Kehli, was born in Sweden, became a star softball player for New Rochelle High School, [Rider University](/source/Rider_University), and the [Swedish national softball team](/source/Sweden_women's_national_softball_team), and played softball professionally in the Netherlands.[1]

## Basketball career

### Poland

In 1979, at the age of 23, Washington became the first American as well as the first black professional basketball player to play behind the [Iron Curtain](/source/Iron_Curtain).[13][1][10] He played professional basketball in the [Polish People's Republic](/source/Polish_People's_Republic) from 1978–83.[3] In Poland, he played for [Start Lublin](/source/Start_Lublin) from 1979–81, with the team winning bronze medals in 1979 and 1980, and for [Zagłębie Sosnowiec](/source/Zag%C5%82%C4%99bie_Sosnowiec) from 1981–83.[14][15] In total, he played professional basketball in Europe for 14 years.[1]

In 1986, between seasons in Poland, Washington played for the [New Jersey Jammers](/source/New_Jersey_Jammers) in the [United States Basketball League](/source/United_States_Basketball_League), which were coached by [Nate Archibald](/source/Nate_Archibald).[16]

In Poland, Washington averaged 20 points per game, and playing in the [Polish Basketball League](/source/Polish_Basketball_League) (PLK) was the [PLK Most Valuable Player](/source/PLK_Most_Valuable_Player) in 1980.[1][10] He won the [Polish Cup](/source/Polish_Basketball_Cup) in 1983 with Zagłębie Sosnowiec.[17][18]

His popularity was so great in [PRL-era Poland](/source/Polish_People's_Republic) during his five seasons there between 1978 and 1983 that it was dubbed "Kentomania".[19][20][13][10][21] Washington, a black man, was a novelty for Polish fans; he said: "They touched my hair and my skin out of curiosity."[22] One time a two-year-old bit Washington on his finger, thinking he was chocolate.[22] Reportedly soldiers assigned to crack down on public gatherings as part of a national [martial law](/source/Martial_law) decree would abandon their tanks to seek his autograph.[1] Washington also appeared in the 1981 Polish comedy cult film *[Miś](/source/Teddy_Bear_(1981_film))*.[23]

### Sweden

Washington later played professionally for 10 years in Sweden.[24] He played for three teams in its top league—IFK [Linköping](/source/Link%C3%B6ping), [Plannja Basket Luleå](/source/BC_Lule%C3%A5), and BC [Växjö](/source/V%C3%A4xj%C3%B6), led the league in scoring in 1985–86, and averaged 23 points per game in his Swedish career.[1] At 38 years of age he retired.[1]

### Coaching

Washington coached women's basketball in Sweden for two years. In 1997, he and his wife and daughter returned to New Rochelle.[1]

Washington then coached the women's basketball teams at [Iona University](/source/Iona_University) (beginning in 1997) and [Mercy College](/source/Mercy_University) in Westchester (2000–04), and worked as a teacher's assistant at Washington Irving School in [Tarrytown](/source/Tarrytown), New York.[25][11][26][1][27]

## Honors

Washington was inducted into the New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.[28] He was inducted into the [Westchester](/source/Westchester_County,_New_York) Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.[29]

## Memoir

Washington is the author of the 2021 memoir *Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland*.[30][3]

## References

1. Haggerty, Nancy (June 12, 2020). ["Breaking barriers: Washington first American to play pro basketball behind Iron Curtain"](https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2020/06/12/kent-washington-poland-basketball-player-new-rochelle/3169537001/). *The Journal News*

1. ["Historia Polskiej Ligi Koszykówki Mężczyzn"](http://www.plkhistory.ugu.pl/index.php?profil=3897&tab=1). *plkhistory.ugu.pl*. Retrieved 2023-05-02.

1. ["Kent Washington"](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/kent-washington). *Wilson Center*

1. ["Kent Washington Player Profile"](https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Kent-Washington/Summary/203041). *RealGM Basketball*

1. Daylin Salas (March 9, 2022). ["Former New Rochelle High School Basketball Star Writes Book"](https://nrhs.nred.org/o/nrhs/article/681082). *New Rochelle High School*

1. Cox, Robert (October 16, 2022). ["New Rochelle High School Retires Jerseys of 3 All-Time Great Basketball Players"](https://talkofthesound.com/2022/10/16/new-rochelle-high-school-retires-jerseys-of-3-all-time-great-basketball-players/). *Talk of the Sound*

1. ["New Rochelle HS Retires Jerseys Of 3 Of Its All-Time Greatest Players"](https://patch.com/new-york/newrochelle/new-rochelle-hs-retires-jerseys-3-its-all-time-greatest-players). *New Rochelle, NY Patch*. October 17, 2022.

1. ["9 December 1976"](https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=sp19761209-01.1.12&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------). *Southampton Press*

1. ["College Wins Four"](https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=teh19770224-01.1.8&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------). *The East Hampton Star*. 24 February 1977. p. 8.

1. ["Cut By the NBA, He Found Fame In Communist Poland"](https://www.sportshistoryweekly.com/stories/polish-basketball-league-kent-washington-lublin-ks-start-southampton-college,1128). *Sports History Weekly*. January 8, 2023.

1. ["Huguenot Sports Legends Washington and Rice Join Hall of Fame"](https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1698156/Newsletter-Nov192021.pdf)

1. ["Młody Ochódzki, czyli czarodziej z Harlemu"](https://sport.rp.pl/koszykowka/art4080901-mlody-ochodzki-czyli-czarodziej-z-harlemu). *Rzeczpospolita*

1. Jakub Wojczyński (2 May 2023), ["Amerykanie są jednocześnie zbawieniem i przekleństwem. Podbili świat. Nie ma innego wyjścia?"](https://przegladsportowy.onet.pl/koszykowka/amerykanie-sa-jednoczesnie-zbawieniem-i-przeklenstwem-podbili-swiat/4qmyprq) (in Polish), *[Przegląd Sportowy](/source/Przegl%C4%85d_Sportowy)*

1. Nowacki, Krzysztof (September 1, 2023). ["Kiedyś czarował na boisku i grał w "Misiu". Po 40 latach Kent Washington wrócił do Lublina"](https://kurierlubelski.pl/kiedys-czarowal-na-boisku-i-gral-w-misiu-po-40-latach-kent-washington-wrocil-do-lublina/ar/c2-17853029). *Kurier Lubelski*

1. ["Kent Washington"](https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20091110200736/http://www.polskikosz.pl/zawodnik/977/washington_kent.html?_x_tr_sl=pl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc). *polskikosz.pl*. November 10, 2009.

1. ["1986 Jersey Jammers minor league basketball Roster"](https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/roster/t-USBJEJ/y-1986). *StatsCrew*

1. Maris Noviks (July 12, 2022). ["Welcome MKS Start Lublin!"](https://www.enbleague.eu/post/welcome-mks-start-lublin). *European North Basketball League*

1. Marek Kępa (29 June 2021), ["I Felt Polish: A Chat with American Basketball Pro Kent Washington"](https://culture.pl/en/article/i-felt-polish-a-chat-with-american-basketball-pro-kent-washington), culture.pl

1. Kurasiewicz, Krzysztof (November 3, 2018). ["Kurczak z frytkami, mały piesek i koszykówka"](https://probasket.pl/kurczak-z-frytkami-maly-piesek-i-koszykowka/). *PROBASKET*

1. ["Start Lublin – Polonia Warszawa. Debiut Kenta Washingtona."](https://kronikasportu.lublin.eu/wpisy/start-lublin-polonia-warszawa-debiut-kenta-washingtona/)

1. Kent Washington (2021). *Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland*. [independent](/source/Independent_publishing). pp. 1–247. ISBN 9798786557979.

1. Anderson, Sheldon (March 27, 2023). ["Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland by Kent Washington (review)"](https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/6/article/900741). *Journal of Cold War Studies*. **25** (2): 255–257. – via Project MUSE.

1. Żelazko, Basia (15 May 2020). ["Kent Washington: pamiętacie koszykarza z "Misia"?"](https://film.wp.pl/kent-washington-pamietacie-koszykarza-z-misia-6510712957319297a) (in Polish). *WP Film*. Retrieved 2023-05-02.

1. Haggerty, Nancy (November 18, 2021). ["Ray Rice headlines five-member class inducted into Westchester Sports Hall of Fame"](https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2021/11/18/westchester-sports-hall-fame-inductees-2021-ray-rice-kent-washington-spedafino-demello-sollazzo/8652034002/). *The Journal News*. Retrieved 2024-03-22.

1. ["Transactions,"](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/06/sports/transactions-521159.html) *The New York Times*.

1. ["All-time Coaching Records,"](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/mercy.sidearmsports.com/documents/2023/5/30/WBB_Record_Book_FULL_UPDATED_5-30-23.pdf) *Mercy College Women's Basketball*.

1. ["New Rochelle High School retires numbers of 3 basketball legends"](https://brooklyn.news12.com/new-rochelle-high-school-retires-numbers-of-3-basketball-legends). *News 12*. October 17, 2022.

1. ["2002"](http://www.nrshof.com/2002.html). *New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame*

1. Jeff Edwards (27 July 2021). ["2 New Rochelle Athletes Inducted To Westchester Hall Of Fame; NFL legend Ray Rice and former Iona basketball coach Kent Washington earned their places in Westchester sports history."](https://patch.com/new-york/newrochelle/2-new-rochelle-athletes-inducted-westchester-hall-fame). *New Rochelle, NY Patch*

1. ["'Kentomania': American basketball player recounts his life in communist Poland; A book newly published in Poland recounts the story of Kent Washington, an American basketball player who lived in communist Poland from 1979 to 1983."](https://polskieradio.pl/395/7790/artykul/3235553,kentomania-american-basketball-player-recounts-his-life-in-communist-poland). *Polskie Radio*. April 9, 2023.

## Bibliography

- Autobiography: Kent Washington (2021). *Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland*. [independent](/source/Independent_publishing). pp. 1–247. ISBN 9798786557979.

## External links

- [PLK](/source/Polish_Basketball_League) History profile - ["Kent Washington"](http://www.plkhistory.ugu.pl/index.php?profil=3897&tab=1)
- ["New Rochelle High School, Southampton College and international basketball legend Kent Washington discusses his memorable career"](https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/westchestertalkradio/episodes/2021-10-21T09_35_06-07_00), The Sports Report Ep 24 Podcast, Westchester Talk Radio, October 21, 2021.
- ["Interview with Kent Washington—Former Professional Basketball Player,"](https://instytutpolski.pl/newyork/2023/07/26/interview-with-kent-washington-former-professional-basketball-player/) Polish Cultural Institute New York, July 26, 2023.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kent Washington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Washington) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Washington?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.