Harold Blevins

Harold Blevins
Personal information
Born (1943-10-19) October 19, 1943
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight188 lb (85 kg)
Career information
CollegeArkansas–Pine Bluff (1961–1965)
NBA draft1965: 2nd round, 14th overall pick
Drafted byNew York Knicks
Playing career1965–1966
PositionShooting guard
Coaching career1969–2002
Career history
Playing
1965–1966Trenton Colonials
Coaching
1969–1970Arkansas–Pine Bluff (assistant)
1970–1995Harford CC
1995–2002Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Career highlights
Stats at Basketball Reference 
Career coaching record
College36–147 (.197)

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 All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) selection.[1][3]

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][a] 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.[4] He was drafted into the United States Army in 1966 and served a two-year stint in Vietnam.[1]

Blevins was an assistant coach for the Golden Lions during the 1969–70 season.[5] He was then appointed as the head basketball coach for the men's and women's teams at Harford Community College.[1][6] He spent 25 years at Harford and led the mean's team to a 340–210 record despite having no athletic scholarships.[5] On June 5, 1995, Blevins was appointed as head coach of the Golden Lions men's basketball team.[5] Blevins had a 36–147 record over seven seasons and was fired on July 16, 2002.[7]

Blevins was inducted into the Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions Hall of Fame in 2004 and the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2005.[8][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. ^ a b c d e f g "UAPB to Retire Jerseys of Basketball Greats Blevins and Mason". University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Athletics. February 4, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "SWAC Inducts Seven into Hall of Fame". Southwestern Athletic Conference. December 7, 2005. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  3. ^ "Southwestern Athletic Conference". College Hoopedia. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  4. ^ "Trenton Colonials". NASL Jerseys. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Blevins named new UAPB basketball coach". The Sun. June 6, 1995. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Arkansas-Pine Bluff Fires Coaches". Associated Press. July 16, 2002. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  8. ^ "Harold Blevins". University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Athletics. Retrieved May 17, 2020.