Died Kim Hughes, former Olimpia, Roma and Reggio Calabria: Valerio Bianchini’s moving remembrance

Kim Hughes has passed away. He was 73 years old. Before coming to Italy, his career was already phenomenal: 45th pick in the 1974 NBA Draft, six seasons in the world’s most prestigious league and a title won alongside the legendary Doctor J, Julius Erving.

In 1974 he landed for the first time in Italy, in Milan, and then – closed the parenthesis in his homeland – Rome, where he won a scudetto, before indissolubly tying his name to Reggio Calabria. With the neroarancio jersey he stayed five years, totaling Hall of Fame figures: 4. 325 points, 17.7 average, with 62 percent shooting from two and 82 percent at the free. Leaving Calabria he played in Brescia and a couple of games back in Milan.

At the end of his playing career, he undertook his coaching career, going all the way to the NBA, where he sat on the bench of the Los Angeles Clippers guiding champions such as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Then he returned once again to Reggio, to make a contribution to basketball in his second home.

“He was an̈ excellent player, a classic pivot and extraordinary defender ready to weld in the area all the holes left by the outside players. To him we owe much of the 1983 Banco di Roma scudetto. He was injured 2 days into the playoffs but stayed with us until the final victory against Dino Meneghin’s Milan. A true gentleman, I did not confirm him, out of stupid vanity of coach, however he continued to assure me of his sincere friendship,” the memory entrusted to social by Valerio Bianchini.