Kerry Kittles

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kittles arrived at Villanova University after being one of the best talents from New Orleans, a commitment that surprised many Louisiana fans. He overcame the departure of head coach Rollie Massimino to stay with new coach Steve Lappas, who flew to New Orleans immediately after being hired. At Villanova, Kittles became one of the school's most decorated players, ending his career as the all-time leader in points (2,243) and steals (277). He led the Wildcats to the 1994 NIT Championship as a sophomore, won the Big East tournament MVP in 1995, and earned Consensus All-American honors in 1996. His #30 was retired by the program, cementing his legacy before he turned professional.

In Their Own Story

In his rookie season (1996–97), Kittles averaged 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3 assists while setting an NBA rookie record with 158 three-point field goals made. On April 13, 1997, he scored a career-high 40 points in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. However, his trajectory was interrupted by severe knee issues; he underwent four operations in five years and missed the entire 2000–01 season for rehabilitation. Despite these setbacks, Kittles returned to form, shooting over 40% from three-point range in three different seasons. His partnership with Jason Kidd propelled the Nets to the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals, where he was a key secondary scorer. In July 2004, the Nets traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers in a salary purge move.

Reader's Guide

Kittles played as a shooting guard known for his accurate, quick-trigger jump shot and tenacious defense. He averaged 16.4 points per game as a rookie and 17.2 as a second-year player before knee injuries slowed him down. As of 2020, he held third place on the Nets' all-time lists for three-pointers (687) and steals (803). Following his retirement in 2005, he returned to coaching, serving as an assistant at Princeton University from 2016 to 2018. Off the court, Kittles earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Villanova in 2009, served on the university's board of trustees, and became a eucharistic minister in 1996, a role he maintained as of 2020.

Did You Know?

• Kittles set the NBA rookie record for three-point field goals made with 158 in his first season.
• He missed the entire 2000–01 NBA season due to rehabilitation from off-season surgery on his right knee.
• Kittles is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and earned an MBA from Villanova University in 2009.
• He led St. Augustine High School to the 1992 Class 5A state championship and was named Louisiana Mr. Basketball that year.