Hall of Fame
Mitchell Kupchak was one of the top high school basketball players to ever come out of Suffolk County on Long Island. Kupchak, currently the General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, played for Brentwood High School from 1969-1972 when the team reached the Suffolk County championship three straight years and captured the title twice. Mitch accumulated 1,380 career points over three seasons including a record-breaking senior campaign that saw him notch 671 points—still a Brentwood record. He also set a Section XI scoring record during the 1971-72 season when he averaged 30.2 points per game which resulted in recognition as an All-American player. Following his junior and senior seasons, he was named Suffolk Player of the Year and would continue on to fabulous college and professional careers after his graduation from Brentwood in 1972.
Mitch entered the University of North Carolina immediately after high school to continue playing and was a huge contributor to the program for four years. After compiling 1,6111 career points and 1,006 career rebounds, Kupchak became one of only 20 players in UNC’s history to have his jersey (#21) honored and raised to the rafters of Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill. His illustrious collegiate career, which also earned him All-American status, was highlighted by an 18.5 ppg average his junior year and ranking 8th in the country in field goal percentage.
In the spring of 1976 following graduation at UNC and playing for the USA Olympic Gold Medal team that summer, Mitch was drafted professionally by the Washington Bullets in the first round, 13th overall. He spent his first five years with the Bullets earning NBA All-Rookie Team honors before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981. He played a vital role in the Lakers NBA Championship in 1985 before and after knee injuries slowed his professional career. Before retiring due to those injuries, Kupchak averaged 10.2 ppg and 5.4 rpg in 510 regular season games. He accumulated a .523 field goal percentage which still ranks 33rd among all-time NBA leaders.
Following his pro career, Kupchak was hired by the Lakers to work in the front office. He has also been inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame, UNC Hall of Fame, and the Brentwood High School Hall.