Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the information on Kent Benson:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Michael Kent Benson
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born December 27, 1954
  • Hometown: New Castle, Indiana, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters)
  • Weight: 235 pounds (107 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 11 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 18 (US)
  • Number: Wore #54 during his NBA career
  • Position: Center
  • High School: New Castle Chrysler High School (New Castle, Indiana)
  • College: Indiana University (1973–1977)
  • NBA Draft: 1977 NBA Draft, 1st overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks
  • Teams Played For:
    • Milwaukee Bucks (1977–1980)
    • Detroit Pistons (1980–1986)
    • Utah Jazz (1986–1987)
    • Cleveland Cavaliers (1987–1988)
    • Played briefly in Italy after his NBA career
  • Championship Rings: None in the NBA (won the 1976 NCAA Championship with Indiana University, going undefeated)
  • Kids: Has four daughters, including Andrea Benson, who played college volleyball
  • Siblings: Information not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Kent Benson’s player archetype was that of a traditional low-post center, a sturdy interior big whose game was built on rebounding, screening, paint finishing, and solid positional defense rather than perimeter skill or offensive flair. Defensively, he fit as a backline interior presence who used size, strength, and discipline to hold ground in the lane, contest around the basket, and clean the glass more than chase blocks all over the floor. Offensively, Benson worked mainly as a complementary inside scorer, getting points from post touches, putbacks, short-range finishes, and physical work near the rim instead of face-up creation. Physically, he brought classic center dimensions at 6-foot-11 with a strong frame, and his overall play style reflected that old-school profile: dependable, interior-oriented, and fundamentally grounded, with his best value coming from doing the hard work in traffic on both ends.

Sources:

NBA.com — Kent Benson | Center | Detroit Pistons
Basketball-Reference — Kent Benson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
Indiana University Athletics — Kent Benson – Men’s Basketball
Indiana University Athletics — Kent Benson (1989) – Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame