Chad Kinch

Chadwick Oliver Kinch ( – ) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Charlotte 49ers and was selected in the 1980 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kinch played for one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks. He finished his basketball career with a short stint for the Reno Bighorns of the Continental Basketball Association in 1982. After his playing retirement, Kinch descended into a drug habit and eventually contracted HIV. He died of AIDS-related complications in 1994 at the age of 35.

Early life Kinch was raised in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. His father, Raymond Sr., worked in construction and his mother, Pauline, worked as a community organizer for the board of education. In the Mideast Regional Final against the No. 1 ranked Michigan Wolverines, Kinch drove the baseline and dunked on Phil Hubbard before the 49ers went on to upset the Wolverines.

Kinch was a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference first-team selection. He scored 2,020 points during his 49ers career and ranked second in program history at the time of his departure. Kinch averaged 2.8 points per game in 29 appearances with the Cavaliers. He scored 32 points in 12 games for the Mavericks. He averaged 11.5 points and 1.1 assists in eight games played. On December 29, he left the team to take a job with Aetna Life Insurance Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Post-playing career Kinch lived in Charlotte after his playing career and worked as a bus dispatcher. He returned often to Charlotte to visit his son.

Regular season Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Personal life Kinch's older brother, Raymond, played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team. Kinch was close with Raymond and never talked about him after his death.

Kinch struggled with drug abuse after his basketball career and used a needle that was infected with HIV. Kinch spent the last months of his life in and out of hospices. He made the decision to spend his final days at his parent's home in Cartaret, New Jersey, and died of AIDS on April 3, 1994.