Kendall Gill
A versatile two-guard known for lockdown defense and explosive scoring, who brought a cool, collected intensity to every game.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American basketball player·Birthday: May 25·Generation X
Biography
Kendall Gill arrived in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets in 1990, a first-round pick whose athleticism was immediately obvious. Standing 6'5", he combined a smooth scoring touch with a defensive tenacity that would become his trademark, famously leading the league in steals during the 1998-99 season. His career was a journey across the league, with notable stops in Seattle, where he was a key part of a potent backcourt, and New Jersey, where he averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game. Gill's 'Cold World' nickname spoke to his unflappable, serious demeanor on the court, a focus that allowed him to impact games on both ends of the floor. After retiring, he smoothly transitioned to broadcasting, offering analytical insights drawn from his 15-season career as a versatile and respected competitor.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kendall was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kendall Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Kendall's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the NBA in steals during the 1998-99 season with 2.7 per game.
- Averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game for the New Jersey Nets in the 1996-97 season.
- Was a key member of the 1993-94 Seattle SuperSonics team that reached the NBA Finals.
- Recorded a triple-double (15 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) in an NBA playoff game in 1997.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed professional boxer and fought in one professional bout in 2005, winning by TKO.
He was a standout baseball player in high school and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox.
He works as a basketball analyst for NBC Sports Chicago.
“Defense is an attitude; it's a choice you make every single possession.”
