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When the Utah Jazz drafted Kearney (Neb.) State guard Bart Kofoed in the fifth round of the 1987 draft, they got a player then-coach Frank Layden nicknamed "Joe Palooka" because of his toughness.
Kofoed was a only a 38-percent shooter, but his strength, athleticism and defensive ability enabled him to play11/2 seasons with the Jazz -- far longer than most fifth-rounders.
Kofoed, the 107th player taken in the draft, probably would have played longer in Utah, except for an incident in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 1989.
During a New Year's Eve party, Kofoed got into a fight with teammate Bobby Hansen, who was the Jazz's starter at shooting guard.
Hansen ended up with a broken cheekbone and ended up on the injured list for a month. Kofoed was waived two days later and replaced on the roster by Jim Farmer.
"There are many versions of the story," said then-general manager David Checketts. "The fact is, a punch was thrown, and I don't see that the situation could ever be patched up again.
"There is a clause in his contract that requires him to act in good citizenship and good sportsmanship. For violation of that clause, we're going to terminate his contract because he struck one of his teammates and caused significant damage and damaged the team."
After being released by the Jazz, Kofoed played parts of three other seasons with Golden State, Seattle and Boston.
Today, Kofoed works for 2XSALT, a non-profit Christian organization in Charlotte, N.C., that he co-founded with former NBA stars Bobby Jones and David Thompson.
According to the organization's website, Kofoed developed an interest in helping at-risk youth during his NBA career, which led to his involvement with 2XSALT.
The 45-year-old Kofoed and his wife, Rita, have four children.
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