The Kamikaze Kids were the
Oregon Ducks men's basketball teams of 1971 to 1978.
The teams were coached by
Dick Harter
Richard Alvin Harter (October 14, 1930 – March 12, 2012) was an American basketball coach who served as both a head and assistant coach in both the NBA and NCAA.
Early life
Born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Harter attended the University ...
until his departure in 1978. Harter hated the Ducks moniker and insisted that any media and public relations material refer to his teams only by the Kamikaze Kids.
The Kamikaze Kids were known for their swarming defense that lead to two upsets of #1 UCLA. This era of Ducks basketball is often credited with starting the
Mac Court reputation that carried on until the arena's closure in 2011.
Legendary Ducks players
Ernie Kent
Ernest Kent (born January 22, 1955)[GoDucks.com E ...](_blank)
,
Stu Jackson,
Ron Lee
Ronald Henry Lee (born November 2, 1952) is an American former basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Oregon, and epitomized the "Kamikaze Kids" un ...
, and
Greg Ballard
Gregory Alan Ballard (born November 20, 1954) is an American politician, author, and businessman who served as the 48th mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Marine Corps.
On November 6, 20 ...
all played during the Kamikaze Kids era. Kent, who graduated in 1977, would go on to coach the Ducks from 1997 to 2010.
During the Kamikaze Kids era the Ducks had two 20 win seasons and would play in three consecutive
NITs including the 1974–75 season where the Ducks made it to the NIT semifinals ultimately finishing in third place.
Seasons
References
{{Oregon Ducks men's basketball navbox
Oregon Ducks men's basketball
Nicknamed groups of basketball players