Editing Kermit Washington (section)

{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kermit Washington
| image = Kermit Washington.jpg
| caption = Washington as a sophomore at American University
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lbs = 230
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|09|17|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Washington, D.C.]], U.S.
| high_school = [[Calvin Coolidge High School|Coolidge]] (Washington, D.C.)
| college = [[American Eagles men's basketball|American]] (1970–1973)
| draft_year = 1973
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 5
| draft_team = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| career_start = 1973
| career_end = 1982, 1987
| career_number = 24, 26, 42, 3
| career_position = [[Power forward (basketball)|Power forward]]
| years1 = {{nbay|1973|start}}–{{nbay|1977|start}}
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| years2 = {{nbay|1977|full=y}}
| team2 = [[Boston Celtics]]
| years3 = {{nbay|1978|full=y}}
| team3 = [[Los Angeles Clippers#1978–1984: San Diego Clippers|San Diego Clippers]]
| years4 = {{nbay|1979|start}}–{{nbay|1981|end}}
| team4 = [[Portland Trail Blazers]]
| years5 = {{nbay|1987|start}}
| team5 = [[Golden State Warriors]]
| highlights =
* [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nbay|1979|end}})
* 2× [[NBA All-Defensive Second Team]] ({{nbay|1979|end}}, {{nbay|1980|end}})
* Consensus second-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1973 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1973]])
* 2× [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders|NCAA rebounding leader]] (1972, 1973)
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 4,666 (9.2 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 4,232 (8.3 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 695 (1.4 apg)
}}

'''Kermit Alan Washington''' (born September 17, 1951) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player. Washington is best remembered for punching opposing player [[Rudy Tomjanovich]] during an on-court fight in 1977.<ref>Robbins, Liz. [https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60A12FD3E5F0C738FDDA80894DD404482&pagewanted=2 Inside the N.B.A.; Three Decades Later, Washington Still Feels Effects of His Punch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105170938/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60A12FD3E5F0C738FDDA80894DD404482&pagewanted=2 |date=November 5, 2012 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'', January 30, 2005, accessed November 17, 2010.<br>*Zirin, Dave. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/dave_zirin/09/08/punch/ Kermit Washington reaches out to Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103152435/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/dave_zirin/09/08/punch/ |date=November 3, 2012 }}, sportsillustrated.com, September 8, 2009, accessed November 17, 2010.</ref> 
Washington was not a highly coveted player coming out of high school. He averaged four points per game during his senior season at [[Coolidge Senior High School (Washington, D.C.)|Coolidge Senior High School]]. He improved rapidly once at [[American University]], and became one of only seven players in [[NCAA]] history to average 20 [[point (basketball)|points]] and 20 rebounds throughout the course of his career.

A big defensive forward, Washington was known for his ability to gather [[Rebound (basketball)|rebounds]]. He averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in ten [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) seasons and played in the [[NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] once. Washington was drafted by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] with the fifth overall pick in the [[1973 NBA draft]]. He played sparingly his first three seasons, and sought the help of retired basketball coach [[Pete Newell]] before his fourth season. Under Newell's tutelage, Washington's game rapidly improved and he became a starter for several teams. He played for the Lakers, [[Boston Celtics]], [[Los Angeles Clippers#1978–1984: San Diego Clippers|San Diego Clippers]], [[Portland Trail Blazers]] and [[Golden State Warriors]].