American · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA · Born 9 April 1966Loyola Marymount guard who led the nation in scoring in 1990 and carried the Lions to an emotional Elite Eight run following the on-court death of teammate Hank Gathers, honoring him with a signature left-handed free throw tribute.
Gregory Kevin 'Bo' Kimble was born on 9 April 1966 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and began his college career at USC alongside childhood friend and high school teammate Hank Gathers before both transferred to Loyola Marymount, sitting out a season under transfer rules. Playing in coach Paul Westhead's frenetic run-and-gun system, Kimble and Gathers formed one of the most explosive scoring duos in college basketball history, with the Lions averaging over 110 points per game across multiple seasons. As a senior in 1989-90, Kimble led the nation in scoring at 35.3 points per game and was named a consensus second-team All-American, while Gathers anchored the frontcourt. On 4 March 1990, during the West Coast Conference tournament semifinal, Gathers collapsed on the court and died shortly after from a heart condition, a tragedy that stunned college basketball. Twelve days later, Loyola Marymount - as a No. 11 seed, playing without Gathers - entered the NCAA Tournament, with Kimble honoring his fallen friend by shooting his first free throw of every remaining game left-handed, in tribute to how Gathers had adjusted his own shooting form after a heart-related diagnosis. The grief-stricken Lions produced one of the most emotional runs in tournament history, defeating New Mexico State, defending champion Michigan (in a stunning 149-115 blowout), and Alabama to reach the Elite Eight, before falling to eventual champion UNLV. Kimble finished his college career having played a central role in several of the highest-scoring games in Division I history, and his No. 30 has been retired by Loyola Marymount, which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2005. He was selected in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft, and has since become an advocate for cardiac health screening in young athletes in memory of Gathers.
Leading the nation in scoring in 1990 and honoring his teammate Hank Gathers, who died during a game, by shooting his first free throw of every remaining tournament game left-handed
How They Played
Prolific scoring guard thriving in an up-tempo system, known for volume shooting and the ability to fill the basket at an extraordinary rate
Lasting Impact
Remembered as much for his extraordinary tribute to his fallen friend as for his scoring exploits, in one of the most emotionally resonant stories in NCAA Tournament history
Career Honours
- 1990 NCAA Division I Scoring Leader (35.3 ppg)
- 1990 Consensus Second-Team All-American
- 1990 West Coast Conference Player of the Year
- Led Loyola Marymount to the 1990 NCAA Elite Eight
American Athletes