Ernest Maurice "Kiki" Vandeweghe III is a former professional basketball player and coach. He was born on August 1, 1958, in Wiesbaden, West Germany, where his father was stationed as a physician in the U.S. Army. Vandeweghe grew up in Southern California and attended Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, where he played basketball and volleyball.
Vandeweghe played college basketball at UCLA, where he was a two-time All-American and helped lead the Bruins to the NCAA championship game in 1980. He was selected 11th overall in the 1980 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks, but was traded to the Denver Nuggets before the start of the season.
Vandeweghe played for the Nuggets from 1980 to 1984, where he was one of the top scorers in the league. He averaged over 20 points per game in each of his four seasons with the team and was named an All-Star in 1983 and 1984. Vandeweghe was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1984, where he played for three seasons and helped lead the team to the NBA Finals in 1990.
After his playing career ended, Vandeweghe worked as an executive for the Denver Nuggets and the New Jersey Nets. He also served as the general manager of the Nets from 2001 to 2007. In 2009, Vandeweghe was named the interim head coach of the Nets, and he led the team to a 12-52 record in the second half of the season.
Vandeweghe was known for his scoring ability and his smooth shooting stroke. He was a deadly mid-range shooter and was also capable of hitting from beyond the arc. Vandeweghe was also a solid rebounder and passer, and he was a key player on several successful teams during his career.
Overall, Kiki Vandeweghe had a successful career as a player and executive in the NBA. He was one of the top scorers of his era and helped lead his teams to several playoff appearances and a trip to the NBA Finals. Vandeweghe's contributions to the game of basketball have been recognized by his induction into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
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