A combo guard, he played four seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA), winning a league championship with the Pittsburgh Pipers in 1968.

By his own admission Kelly was "not real good in basketball" in his junior year at Lanier High but performed better in track and field for which he received a scholarship offer from Lincoln University (Missouri).

After improving at basketball during his senior year he received offers from other colleges but chose to remain with Lincoln as they were the first to contact him.

[1] After leading all scorers with 75 points in three games during the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) holiday tournament in December 1964, Kelly was chosen in the All-Tournament team.

[3] Kelly finished his collegiate career in 1967, having scored 1,853 points for the Blue Tigers, second only to Harold Robertson in the school's history as of 2016.

[7] He signed with the Carolina Cougars later that month, playing a few games for them before being released in early November to make space for Dave Newmark.

The team, sponsored by the Pillsbury Company who paid player expenses, played in Minneapolis and won the NABA in 1974, finishing runners-up in 1973 and 1975.