Edward L. Kalafat (October 13, 1932 – October 7, 2019) was an American basketball player. A center, he played college basketball at the University of Minnesota and professionally, three seasons for the Minneapolis Lakers.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 13, 1932 Anaconda, Montana, U.S. |
| Died | October 7, 2019 (aged 86) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Anaconda (Anaconda, Montana) |
| College | Minnesota (1951–1954) |
| NBA draft | 1954: 1st round, 9th overall pick |
| Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers | |
| Playing career | 1954–1957 |
| Position | Center / power forward |
| Number | 23 |
| Career history | |
| 1954–1957 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Biography
editKalafat was born on October 13, 1932, in Anaconda, Montana. He played football and basketball at Anaconda High School, winning a state championship in 1948.[1]
After high school, he went on to play for the University of Minnesota. He was the team's starting center from 1951 to 1954 and served as captain in the 1953–1954 season. He won the team MVP award his senior season.[2][3][4][5]
After graduation, he was selected by the Lakers in the first round of the 1954 NBA draft with the ninth overall pick. He played three season with the Lakers averaging 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Kalafat retired after the Lakers traded him to the Detroit Pistons in 1957.[1]
After retiring from basketball Kalafat went into banking, working for many years at First Bank System. He also joined the U.S. Army Reserve retiring at the rank of captain.[6][5]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
editSource[4]
Regular season
edit| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–55 | Minneapolis | 72 | 15.3 | .315 | .661 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 4.8 |
| 1955–56 | Minneapolis | 72 | 22.8 | .359 | .738 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 8.0 |
| 1956–57 | Minneapolis | 65 | 24.9 | .351 | .661 | 6.5 | 1.6 | 8.5 |
| Career | 209 | 20.9 | .345 | .688 | 5.7 | 1.5 | 7.1 | |
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–55 | Minneapolis | 7 | 10.9 | .091 | .300 | 2.6 | .0 | 1.0 |
| 1955–56 | Minneapolis | 3 | 18.3 | .429 | .789 | 7.0 | .7 | 11.0 |
| 1956–57 | Minneapolis | 5 | 20.8 | .583 | .677 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 12.6 |
| Career | 15 | 15.7 | .405 | .650 | 4.2 | .7 | 6.9 | |
References
edit- ^ a b "Ed Kalafat, former Anaconda star, Minnesota alum and first-round Lakers pick, dies". The Missoulian. October 10, 2019.
- ^ "Obituary". Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ "Ed Kalafat Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards". Archived from the original on December 2, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
- ^ a b "Ed Kalafat". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "Ed Kalafat, former Gophers star and first-round pick of the Lakers, dead at 86". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. October 10, 2019.
- ^ Mitchell, Houston (February 12, 2011). "Ed Kalafat, Forward #23". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
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