Who is Felton Spencer?
Felton LaFrance Spencer was a famous American professional basketball player. He was a center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1990 to 2002.
Felton Spencer Career
High school career
Felton was an all-state basketball player at Eastern High School in Middletown, Kentucky (now part of Louisville), as both a junior and a senior. He guided the team to the KHSAA state tournament in Lexington. In the first year, Eastern was upset by lightly regarded Metcalfe County in the first round 60-50. After a year, as a senior, Eastern was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Hazard High School.
College career
He attended the University of Louisville, where he played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. Spencer became the all-time field goal percentage leader at 62.8%. He then took over the center position as a senior in 1989-90 following Pervis Ellison’s leaving to join the NBA. That season he paced the Cardinals in scoring (14.9 ppg), rebounding (8.5 rpg), blocked shots (69), and field goal percentage (68.1%).
Death
On March 12, 2023, Spencer died at the University of Louisville Hospital at the age of 55.
How old is Felton Spencer?
Felton LaFrance Spencer died on March 12, 2023, at the age of 55, having been born on January 5, 1968, in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. He shared his birthday with fellow celebrities including Walker Scobell, Bradley Cooper, Dre’Mont Jones, Everly Joy Lambert, Kennedy Claire Walsh, Diane Keaton, Suki Waterhouse, January Jones, Heather Dubrow, and many others.
Felton Spencer Family
Who are Felton Spencer’s parents?
Felton LaFrance Spencer was born in Louisville, Kentucky to his parents, Charles Spencer, and his wife. Not much is known about his family and parents, but it is known that he comes from a family of basketball players.
Does Felton Spencer have siblings?
Spencer was born among four children in the family of his parents. He has three siblings, two sisters and one brother named Roger Spencer.
Felton Spencer Education
Spencer attended Eastern High School in Middletown, Kentucky, where he was an all-state basketball player. He then joined the University of Louisville, where he went on to play college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals.
Felton Spencer Spouse
Spencer had not shared any information about his marital status with the media and had also not been linked to any relationships, at the time of his death.
Felton Spencer Kids
Spencer was not married or in any relationships at the time of his death and did not have any children of his own.
Felton Spencer Height
Spencer had a well-built, athletic, and muscular body adding up to a height of 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) and a weight of 290 lbs (132 kg).
NBA career
The Minnesota Timberwolves picked him in the first round, with the 6th overall selection, in the 1990 NBA draft. He split time at center with 7-foot-3-inch (2.21 m) veteran Randy Breuer as a rookie. Despite this, he was able to post respectable numbers, averaging 7.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and shooting 51.2% from the floor. Spencer completed the season with 272 offensive rebounds, the 7th-most in the NBA that year. He also blocked 121 shots, establishing a single-season record for the young franchise that would stand until Kevin Garnett’s rookie season in 1995-96. For his efforts, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team that year.
1992-1996
However, after Luc Longley arrived the next season, Spencer’s playing time went down over the next two years. Following the 1992-93 season, Minnesota traded him to the Utah Jazz for power forward/center Mike Brown. In Utah, Felton became the successor to Mark Eaton, and he provided the Jazz with solid scoring rebounding, and defense at the pivot position. In 1993-94, as a complement to John Stockton and Karl Malone, Spencer averaged 8.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 50.5% from the floor.
He and the Jazz seemed to be on their way to greatness in 1994-95, but 34 games into the season, spencer ruptured his left Achilles tendon and was lost for the year. Utah continued to win 60 regular-season games but failed to reach the NBA Finals by losing in the first round. Spencer missed the first 11 games of the 1995-96 season while recovering from his Achilles injury. However, he went on to play in the remaining 71, starting 70 and averaging 5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game. Spencer shot a career-high 52.0% from the field, tying Adam Keefe for the second-best mark on the team.
1996-2002
He was then obtained by the Orlando Magic for guard Brooks Thompson, forward Kenny Gattison, and a first-round draft pick on August 10, 1996. This was after the Magic had lost Shauille O’Neal to the Lakers as a free agent. However, Spencer played just 1 game for Orlando prior to being traded to Golden State in the deal that brought Rony Seikaly to the Magic. Spencer went on to play 71 games for the Warriors and do a solid job at center, rating as 2nd on the team in rebounding and 3rd in blocked shots.
His role was reduced in 1997-98 by the arrival of second-year man Erick Dampier as the starter, and also the drafting of rookie Adonal Foyle. Spencer then received limited action as a reserve in 68 games. He later played less in 1998-99, averaging just 6.1 minutes in his 26 appearances off the bench. Spencer later retired after the 2001-02 season, last playing with the Knicks. He then worked as a security guard for Atherton High School in Louisville.
Coaching career
Spencer became an assistant basketball coach at Spalding University in 2011. He was later an assistant basketball coach at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY.
Felton Spencer’s Net Worth
American professional basketball player Spencer was active from 1990 to 2002 and then served as a coach. He had gathered an estimated net worth of around $5 million- $10 million as of his death in 2023.
