Did Mitchell "Mitch" Kupchak ever played basketball? When?

Answer 1

Mitch Kupchak played college from 1973 to 1977 at North Carolina for Coach Dean E. Smith. Kupchak was named ACC player of the year as a junior in 1976.

Mitch Cupcake played in the NBA for the Washington Bullets (NBA Commissioner David Stern thought that he could decrease crime in D.C. by changing the name of the franchise of the "Bullets" to the "Wizards") for 5 seasons from 1977 to 1981 with three of these five years being injury plagued including Kupchak playing as few as only 40 games for the Washington Bullets in the 1979-1980 season.

In July, 1981 Mitch Kupchak signed an offer sheet as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kupchak's team, the Washington Bullets, made a sign and trade deal with the Lakers as the Bullets resigned Mitch Kupchak to a multi-million dollar, 7 year contract (when comparing Kupchak's Dr. Buss' long term contract to his fellow Lakers teammates for money close to what future Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar was making and for money twice of what future Hall of Famer James Worthy was making, for about three times what Maurice Lucas, Kurt Rambis, and Byron Scott was making, for about four times what Michael Cooper was making, and for about 10 times what A.C. Green was making as Kupchak became the third highest Lakers player only behind Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar) with the Washington Bullets then trading Kupchak to the Lakers for two players and two draft choices.

Several days after the Lakers signed Mitch Kupchak to an offer letter in 1981, Kareem Abdul Jabbar threatened to leave the Los Angeles Lakers for some reason unknown to me; however, Dr. Buss immediately met with Jabbar and agreed to renegotiate Kareem's long term contract with the Lakers.

Several days later after the Jabbar and Buss meeting the Washington Bullets traded Mitch Kupchak in 1981 for two Lakers players and two Lakers future draft choices.

Because of many unfortunate injuries and many surgeries with the Lakers, Kupchak's 7 year contract with the Lakers resulted in Kupchak playing for the Lakers for only 4 years including missing the entire season 1982-1983 Los Angeles Lakers season while Kupchak only played 28 games in his first year with the Lakers in 1981-1982 because of injuries, 34 games in his next playing season with the Lakers in 1983-1984, and finally retiring after playing his last two seasons with the Lakers never playing more than 58 games in Kupchak's last two years of his four years playing for the Lakers. The 1982-83 season which Kupchak missed at the Lakers, the Lakers made the 1983 NBA Finals.

I guess the Lakers kept Kupchak on in the front office as the Lakers had signed Kupchak to a multi million dollar, 7 year Lakers contract, but Kupchak only played 4 years for the Lakers leaving the Lakers committed to paying Kupchak for two more years remaining on Kupchak's long term contract. Unlike the NFL where a multi year contract can be ended without additional payment by the team management, NBA multi year contracts are guaranteed for the entire period of the contract.

I would assume that the Lakers were trying to get the most out of Kupchak's multimillion dollar, 7 year contract with the Lakers.

So, 20 years later, Kupchak is still in the Lakers front office having signed Lakers superstars such as Isiah Rider, headache Dennis Rodman, Vladimir Radmanovic, Shammond Williams, Kwame Brown, and over the hill Karl Malone and Gary Payton either as free agents or through trades.

Meanwhile Kupchak has traded away Shaquille O'Neal which has resulted in the Lakers fortunes plummeting significantly since that deal.

Answer 2

Surprisingly, he did. He played 4 seasons with the Lakers, from 1982- 1986. Kupchak played on the gold-medal-winning team of the 1976 Olympics. He was also named to the All-NBA Rookie team. I know, it's real hard to believe. He made one good move of bringing in Malone and Payton for the 2004 season, but was upsetted by the Pistons. And his horrible moves were: trading away Shaq, trading away Caron Butler, and not making any offseason moves this season to impress his franchise player.

Answer 3

Yes, and anyone remember the fight with Akeem Olajuwan in the 1986 western conference finals? Mitch kicked his ****! Mith also attempted suicide while with the Lakers, and as a result had a bad knee. That was all put behind him, as he retired and joined the Lakers staff under Jerry "the Logo" West.

Answer 4

In the 70's and 80's with N. Carolina and the Lakers

Answer 5

Yeah, down on Tobacco Road with Dean Smith and won NBA titles with Washington and Los Angeles.

Answer 6

Hell yes! He was a big part of the great Laker teams of the 80's.

Answer 7

yea he played pf for the lakers...isn't that hilarious??? he looks so weak...