Ricky Blanton

{{Short description|American basketball player-coach (born 1966)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox basketball biography | name = Ricky Blanton | image = | width = | caption = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 7 | weight_lb = 215 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|4|21}} | birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S. | high_school = Miami Killian (Miami, Florida) | college = LSU (1984–1989) | draft_year = 1989 | draft_round = 2 | draft_pick = 46 | draft_team = Phoenix Suns | career_start = 1991 | career_end = 1995 | career_number = 17 | career_position = Small forward | years1 = 1991–1992 | team1 = Scaini Venezia | years2 = 1992–1993 | team2 = Wichita Falls Texans | years3 = {{nbay|1992|end}} | team3 = Chicago Bulls | years4 = 1993 | team4 = Sioux Falls Skyforce | years5 = 1993–1994 | team5 = Rapid City Thrillers | years6 = 1993–1994 | team6 = Châlons-en-Champagne | years7 = 1994–1995 | team7 = Quilmes de Mar del Plata | cyears1 = 1996–1997 | cteam1 = LSU (assistant) | cyears2 = 1997–1998 | cteam2 = Utah State (assistant) | cyears3 = 2002–2004 | cteam3 = Nicholls State | highlights = * First-team All-SEC (1989) * Second-team All-SEC (1988) }}

'''Ricky Wayne Blanton''' (born April 21, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns in the second round (46th pick overall) of the 1989 NBA draft. A 6'7" and 215 lb small forward from Louisiana State University (LSU),<ref>{{cite news |author1=Wendell Barnhouse |title=Blanton's mission improbable: Play center in a guard's body |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108185837/blantons-mission-improbable-play/ |access-date=23 August 2022 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |date=29 March 1986 |page=118 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Gerry Robichaux |title=Blanton gets no respect inside |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108186532/blanton-gets-no-respect-inside/ |access-date=23 August 2022 |work=The Times |date=27 March 1986 |page=13 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> Blanton signed a 10-day contract and played in only two career NBA games for Chicago Bulls during the 1992–93 season in 18 point wins against the Sacramento Kings on Feb 15, 1993 and Utah Jazz on Feb 17, 1993 at the Chicago Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/blantri01.html|title=Ricky Blanton|publisher=basketball-reference.com|accessdate=2018-07-16}}</ref>

Blanton played in the 1986 Final Four as a member of the LSU Tigers.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Kent Heitholt |title=The outlook sure fooled Ricky Blanton |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108186126/the-outlook-sure-fooled-ricky-blanton/ |access-date=23 August 2022 |work=The Times |date=29 January 1989 |page=31 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

==Coaching career== After coaching stints at LSU and Utah State, Blanton served as head men's basketball coach at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana from 2002 to 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Blanton Hired as Coach at Nicholls State|url=http://www.nabc.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/052402aab.html|accessdate=August 18, 2017|work=National Association of Basketball Coaches|date=May 23, 2002}}</ref> He resigned shortly before the 2004–05 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nicholls St. Under Investigation|url=http://www.kplctv.com/story/2862415/nicholls-st-under-investigation|accessdate=August 18, 2017|work=kplctv.com|date=January 26, 2005}}</ref>

==Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conference = | postseason = | poll = no }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Nicholls State Colonels | conference = Southland Conference | startyear = 2002 | endyear = 2004 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2002–03 | name = Nicholls State | overall = 3–25 | conference = 1–19 | confstanding = 11th | championship = | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2003–04 | name = Nicholls State | overall = 6–21 | conference = 1–15 | confstanding = 11th | championship = | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Nicholls State | overall = 9–46 ({{winning percentage|9|46}}) | confrecord = 2–34 ({{winning percentage|2|34}}) }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = 9–46 ({{winning percentage|9|46}}) | poll = no | polltype = no }}

==Broadcasting career== Blanton served as the color analyst for the LSU Tigers basketball team from the 2009–2010 season through the 2016–2017 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lsunow.com/sports/alumni-former-lsu-forward-ricky-blanton-in-third-year-as/article_bca1bd94-fd6e-5cec-a469-d9f29dbfd201.html|title=Alumni: Former LSU forward Ricky Blanton in third year as radio analyst|date=20 January 2012 |publisher=The Daily Reveille|accessdate=2018-07-16}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{basketballstats|bbr=b/blantri01|name=Ricky Blanton}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanton, Ricky}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriate basketball people in Argentina Category:American expatriate basketball people in France Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy Category:American men's basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball coaches from Florida Category:Basketball players from Miami Category:Chicago Bulls players Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Category:Grand Rapids Hoops players Category:LSU Tigers men's basketball announcers Category:LSU Tigers men's basketball coaches Category:LSU Tigers men's basketball players Category:Miami Killian Senior High School alumni Category:Nicholls Colonels men's basketball coaches Category:Phoenix Suns draft picks Category:Rapid City Thrillers players Category:Sioux Falls Skyforce (CBA) players Category:Small forwards Category:Sports coaches from Miami Category:Utah State Aggies men's basketball coaches Category:Wichita Falls Texans players Category:20th-century American sportsmen