Kenny Anderson Inducted in 2008
Kenny Anderson
Kenny Anderson - Class of 2008
A virtuoso dribbler and mesmerizing passer, Kenny Anderson had already built a reputation as a NYC basketball prodigy by the tender age of ten. Nicknamed “Mr. Chibbs” by his mom, the lefty point guard matriculated at Archbishop Molloy High School in 1985.
The program’s legendary coach, Jack Curran (inducted 2005), brought his new charge around slowly, sitting Anderson for the opening periods throughout his freshman campaign. Nevertheless, the wispy orchestrator left a huge imprint on that season. In the semi-final game of the state’s Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Catholic tournament, the freshman made an old-fashioned three-point play with a few seconds remaining in overtime to advance to the title game. Molloy not only won the title, but repeated as champions the ensuing year.
Over the course of his stellar high school career, Anderson was a four-time Parade All-American—a feat not accomplished since the one and only Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - inducted 1990)) back in 1965—and the first hoopster to make All-City every year of his career. Additionally, Mr.Chibbs was a McDonald’s All-American and New York State’s Mr. Basketball his senior year.
By the end of his run with the Stanners, Anderson had broken the aforementioned big man’s all-time NY-state scoring record. Despite graduating the same year as such hoop notables as Alan Houston and Shaquille O'Neal, the Queens native was widely considered the top prospect in the land.
In the wake of a veritable recruiting war over his services, Anderson signed a letter of intent to play for Coach Bobby Cremins (inducted 2007), a Brooklyn native, at Georgia Tech. during his freshman year, the point guard joined forces with future pros Brian Oliver and Dennis Scott to form what was dubbed “Lethal Weapon 3.” That same year the Rambling Wreck advanced to the NCAA Final Four, where they were defeated by the eventual champion UNLV Running Rebels. The next year, Anderson led Georgia Tech in scoring (25.9), assists (5.6), and steals (3.0).
Following that season, the All-American declared his eligibility for the NBA.
Anderson was selected by the hometown New Jersey Nets with the second overall pick in the 1991 draft. As the league’s youngest player, the Queens native mostly came off the bench over the course of his rookie season. The next year, though, the guard’s minutes and production soared under new head coach Chuck Daly. Thanks to the emergent “big three” of Anderson, Derrick Coleman, and Dražen Petrović, New Jersey got off to 30-24 start. During the next game, though, a flagrant foul by the Knicks’ John Starks fractured Anderson’s shooting wrist. The Queens native would miss the rest of the 1992-93 campaign, but the Nets were widely deemed to be an up-and-coming squad.
Tragedy struck that summer when Petrović was killed in a car accident, nipping the Nets’ aspirations in the bud. The following year Anderson notched career highs of 18.8 points and 9.6 assists per game, en route to his lone All-Star appearance. The 1993-94 year turned out to be the high point of Kenny Anderson’s pro-career. Nevertheless, he would log another 12 seasons in the Association, to include solid campaigns for Portland in 1997 and Boston three years later. Turning to the sidelines, Anderson tried his hand as the head basketball coach of Fisk University, an historical black liberal arts school, in Nashville, TN. Health concerns ended that experiment.
Kenny Anderson was inducted into the NYC Basketball Hall of Fame with the Class of 2008 and in June 2025 was appointed Community Ambassador for the Hall.
A virtuoso dribbler and mesmerizing passer, Kenny Anderson had already built a reputation as a NYC basketball prodigy by the tender age of ten. Nicknamed “Mr. Chibbs” by his mom, the lefty point guard matriculated at Archbishop Molloy High School in 1985.
The program’s legendary coach, Jack Curran (inducted 2005), brought his new charge around slowly, sitting Anderson for the opening periods throughout his freshman campaign. Nevertheless, the wispy orchestrator left a huge imprint on that season. In the semi-final game of the state’s Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Catholic tournament, the freshman made an old-fashioned three-point play with a few seconds remaining in overtime to advance to the title game. Molloy not only won the title, but repeated as champions the ensuing year.
Over the course of his stellar high school career, Anderson was a four-time Parade All-American—a feat not accomplished since the one and only Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - inducted 1990)) back in 1965—and the first hoopster to make All-City every year of his career. Additionally, Mr.Chibbs was a McDonald’s All-American and New York State’s Mr. Basketball his senior year.
By the end of his run with the Stanners, Anderson had broken the aforementioned big man’s all-time NY-state scoring record. Despite graduating the same year as such hoop notables as Alan Houston and Shaquille O'Neal, the Queens native was widely considered the top prospect in the land.
In the wake of a veritable recruiting war over his services, Anderson signed a letter of intent to play for Coach Bobby Cremins (inducted 2007), a Brooklyn native, at Georgia Tech. during his freshman year, the point guard joined forces with future pros Brian Oliver and Dennis Scott to form what was dubbed “Lethal Weapon 3.” That same year the Rambling Wreck advanced to the NCAA Final Four, where they were defeated by the eventual champion UNLV Running Rebels. The next year, Anderson led Georgia Tech in scoring (25.9), assists (5.6), and steals (3.0).
Following that season, the All-American declared his eligibility for the NBA.
Anderson was selected by the hometown New Jersey Nets with the second overall pick in the 1991 draft. As the league’s youngest player, the Queens native mostly came off the bench over the course of his rookie season. The next year, though, the guard’s minutes and production soared under new head coach Chuck Daly. Thanks to the emergent “big three” of Anderson, Derrick Coleman, and Dražen Petrović, New Jersey got off to 30-24 start. During the next game, though, a flagrant foul by the Knicks’ John Starks fractured Anderson’s shooting wrist. The Queens native would miss the rest of the 1992-93 campaign, but the Nets were widely deemed to be an up-and-coming squad.
Tragedy struck that summer when Petrović was killed in a car accident, nipping the Nets’ aspirations in the bud. The following year Anderson notched career highs of 18.8 points and 9.6 assists per game, en route to his lone All-Star appearance. The 1993-94 year turned out to be the high point of Kenny Anderson’s pro-career. Nevertheless, he would log another 12 seasons in the Association, to include solid campaigns for Portland in 1997 and Boston three years later. Turning to the sidelines, Anderson tried his hand as the head basketball coach of Fisk University, an historical black liberal arts school, in Nashville, TN. Health concerns ended that experiment.
Kenny Anderson was inducted into the NYC Basketball Hall of Fame with the Class of 2008 and in June 2025 was appointed Community Ambassador for the Hall.
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