Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is a detailed profile of basketballer Kenny Gattison:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Kenneth Clay Gattison
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: May 23, 1964
  • Hometown: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm)
  • Weight: 245 pounds (111 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 9 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 15 (US)
  • Jersey Number: Wore #44 and #35 during his career
  • Position: Power Forward
  • High School: New Hanover High School, Wilmington, North Carolina
  • College: Old Dominion University (1982–1986)
  • NBA Draft:
    • Year: 1986
    • Round: 3
    • Pick: 55th overall
    • Selected by the Phoenix Suns
  • Teams Played For:
    1. Phoenix Suns (1986–1987)
    2. USBL (brief stint)
    3. Charlotte Hornets (1988–1995)
    4. Vancouver Grizzlies (1995–1996)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Children:
    • Kenny Gattison is known to have children, though detailed information about them is not widely available.
  • Siblings:
    • Information about Kenny Gattison’s siblings is not publicly disclosed.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Kenny Gattison was a blue-collar frontcourt player who fit best as an interior finisher and physical rotation big, blending the traits of a power forward and small-ball center rather than operating as a polished featured scorer. At 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, he had a sturdy build, strong base, and enough mobility to work effectively in close spaces, which suited the contact-heavy parts of the game. Defensively, his role was to provide toughness inside, battle on the glass, hold position in the paint, and give lineups dependable effort against bigger bodies, even if he was not a high-end rim protector. Offensively, he did most of his work near the basket as a finisher on cuts, dump-offs, put-backs, and short interior looks, leaning on efficiency and activity more than shot creation. In full, Gattison played the game in a practical, physical way: an energy big who helped teams with rebounding, interior scoring, and steady frontcourt labor rather than flair. (Basketball Reference)

Fun Facts

  • Kenny Gattison was known as a hardworking role player who brought toughness and intensity to the court.
  • At Old Dominion, he became the school’s all-time leading scorer and later transitioned to a solid NBA career, primarily with the Charlotte Hornets, where he was valued for his rebounding and inside presence.
  • After retiring, he transitioned to coaching and held various assistant coaching roles in the NBA.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Kenny Gattison Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
NBA.com — Kenny Gattison | Forward | Charlotte Hornets
Sports-Reference CBB — Kenny Gattison College Stats
ESPN — Kenny Gattison Biography