Kevin Martin
Schools: Western Carolina (SoCon member 1976-present)
Sport: Men's Basketball
Years Active: 2001-04
Major: Sports management
Relevant Statistics
- Averaged 23.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game over this three-year career
- Led the SoCon in scoring twice, averaging 22.8 points per game in 2002-03 (10th nationally) and 24.9 in 2003-04 (second nationally)
- Was 11th in the nation in scoring as a freshman, scoring 22.1 ppg
- Set a program record with 42 consecutive made free throws in 2001-02
- Fourth in school history with 1,838 career points in just three seasons (was third at end of career)
- Continues to rank among WCU's career leaders in 3-pointers made (10th, 174), 3-pointers attempted (8th, 503), free throws made (3rd, 534), free throws attempted (3rd, 635), free-throw percentage (2nd, .841), steals (12th, 134), and overall scoring average (t-3rd, 23.3 ppg).
Team Record(s)/Finishes
2001-02: 12-16 / 6-10 SoCon (4th North Division)
2002-03: 9-19 / 6-10 SoCon (4th North Division)
2003-04: 13-15 / 6-10 SoCon (5th North Division)
Conference Honors/Awards
- SoCon 100th Anniversary team
- All-SoCon 2001-02 (coaches/media team); 2002-03 (coaches/media first team); 2003-04 (coaches/media first team)
- All-Freshman 2001-02
- Five-time SoCon Player of the Week
National Honors/Awards
- Freshman All-America in 2001-02
- Only non-ACC member to be named to the 10-player All-District teams by both the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 2003-04
Professional Career
- Drafted in the first round (26th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft, becoming Western Carolina's first first-round draft pick in any of the major professional sports
- Averaged 17.4 points per game over a 12-year NBA career playing for the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs
- Averaged at least 20.0 points per game in a season six times
- Scored a career-high 50 points against Golden State on April 1, 2009
- Named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 28, 2011, after scoring 30-plus points in three straight games, the most in a season for a Rockets player since Tracy McGrady in 2006-07
- Made three appearances in the NBA playoffs, with Sacramento in 2005-06, Oklahoma City in 2012-13 and San Antonio in 2015-16
Other Notable Information
- Inducted into the Western Carolina Hall of Fame in 2019
- Remains active in his hometown community of Zanesville, Ohio; upon his retirement in 2016, the Kevin Martin Youth Foundation made a $100,000 donation to the youth programs in Zanesville; has also helped local families and children during the holidays by sponsoring shopping sprees for families needing assistance