Kent Benson

One collector is trying to find a single signature from every man who ever played for the Jazz — all 370 of them, from the 1974 New Orleans team to today. For many of them, this page is the only one on the internet. Here is Kent Benson: what he did on the floor, a few things most people never knew, and every card that carries his name. If you own something he signed — or you know who might — there is a note at the foot of this page.

Indiana royalty: Mr. Basketball in 1973, then the anchor of Bob Knight's 1976 Hoosiers, the most recent Division I team to finish a perfect season, and the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. Milwaukee made him the No. 1 overall pick in 1977, and two minutes into his first game an elbow to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar drew a punch that broke Kareem's hand and left Benson concussed. He came to Utah with Kelly Tripucka in the 1986 trade that sent Adrian Dantley to Detroit.

Twice in his 11-year career he was traded for a future Hall of Famer. After a final year in Italy he worked 14 years in life insurance and called car auctions for Kruse International. Four daughters followed, including Indiana All-American volleyball player Ashley.

HOW HE CAME & WENTDetroit sent him and Kelly Tripucka to Utah in August 1986 for Adrian Dantley, whose relationship with Frank Layden had collapsed. Benson backed up Mark Eaton for one season, then went to Cleveland with Dell Curry for Darryl Dawkins and Mel Turpin.

Full name

Michael Kent Benson

Utah Jazz tenure

1986–87

Position

Center

Born

1954, New Castle, Indiana

Height

6′10″ (208 cm)

Weight

231 lb (105 kg)

College

Indiana

Drafted

1977, 1st round (No. 1), Milwaukee