Kent "Ken" Washington (born January 10, 1956; nicknamed "Nut")[1][2] is an American former professional basketball player.
[3] He was New Rochelle High School’s starting point guard, was All-Conference and All-County, and was MVP of the Westchester Holiday Tournament.
[1] In 1979, at the age of 23, Washington became the first American as well as the first black professional basketball player to play behind the Iron Curtain.
[3] In Poland, he played for Start Lublin from 1979–81, with the team winning bronze medals in 1979 and 1980, and for Zagłębie Sosnowiec from 1981–83.
[1] In 1986, between seasons in Poland, Washington played for the New Jersey Jammers in the United States Basketball League, which were coached by Nate Archibald.
[19][20][13][10][21] Washington, a black man, was a novelty for Polish fans; he said: "They touched my hair and my skin out of curiosity.
[22] Reportedly soldiers assigned to crack down on public gatherings as part of a national martial law decree would abandon their tanks to seek his autograph.
[24] He played for three teams in its top league—IFK Linköping, Plannja Basket Luleå, and BC Växjö, led the league in scoring in 1985–86, and averaged 23 points per game in his Swedish career.