Once Grinding Players on the Court, Norris is Now Coaching Them Up
Ron Bailey, Publisher
September 19, 2006 – Baltimore, MD is known for producing tough, skilled guards, and Kevin ‘Stink’ Norris personified that ethos. Coming out of B’Mo’s Eastside, and graduating from Lake Clifton High School, Norris brought his town’s trademarks to the Big East conference, where he started for four years. He’s now coaching in the junior college ranks, where he’s still representing.
During a career at the University of Miami spanning between 1994-1998, Norris, a 5’9”, 180lb point guard made a distinct impact at the school. While at Miami, he would become the school’s leader in games started (108), steals (208), and assists (493) – though that last mark would later be slightly surpassed. As a Hurricane, Norris was a rock on the court as a four year starter leading his team in assists every year, and logging major minutes on the floor - 3,255 to exact. That is good for 5th on the school’s all time list.
His performance in the Big East was no less impressive as in 72 league games, Norris would supply 325 assists and 122 steals – good enough to be ranked 14th and 19th all-time in conference history. During his freshman season, the former Lake Clifton Laker standout was named to the All-Big East squad.
Kevin Norris was a standout floor leader for the Miami Hurricanes. While there, he never felt second fiddle to the school's football program, in part due to hoops program's success.
Norris’ impact at Miami was immediately obvious on the hardwood, where the Hurricanes went 15-13 his freshman year: A record achieved despite the school going winless in league play during 1993-1994. The team, coached by Leonard Hamilton, would actually make postseason play three times in Norris’ four years, with the National Invitation Tournament being visited twice (’94 and ’96), and the Canes competing in the NCAA tourney his senior year.
Being part of such a significant turnaround – Miami had not seen post season play in over 30 years before the first NIT appearance, and suffered a NCAA drought starting in 1960 before the 1997-1998 campaign - is a source of great pride for Norris. “I loved UM” said Kevin, who also graduated with a degree in Business Management, during a recent phone interview. He also proudly shared “I was voted most flamboyant” by Sporting News Magazine, as a 4th year player.
Equally important to Norris was the relationship he and Hamilton forged. “We were like a father and son” said Kevin”. “My father died when I was 16, and when I left Doodie (Anthony Lewis, Norris’s esteemed youth/AAU coach), he stepped right in. As soon as I touched the University of Miami, he took over all fatherly duties”.
Anthony Lewis (above), coach and director of Cecl Kirk AAU, willingly stepped up when Norris' dad passed. "He was a very special kid" said Lewis of Kevin. "We wanted to fill the void, and point him in the right direction".
Lewis, the director and head coach of Cecil Kirk AAU based on Baltimore’s Eastside, not only functioned as a role model to Norris, but was instrumental in his hoops development as well. “Cecil is one of the top programs, without a doubt, in the county” Norris opined. “We are still standing, and a lot of other guys failed. It’s about longevity”.
Cecil Kirk, which has produced the likes of Reggie Williams, Reggie Lewis, Kevin Braswell and a host of other standout performers, was Norris’ home away from home since he was six years old. “When I was six, I tried out, and played in the 8-10 age groups” he revealed. Norris continued playing against older competition each year, constantly distinguishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.