| Kolbeinn Pálsson | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Order: | 12th | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Office: | Icelandic Basketball AssociationChairman of KKÍ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Term Start: | 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Term End: | 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor: | Björn Björgvinsson | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor: | Ólafur Rafnsson | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 26 November 1945 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Iceland | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality: | Icelandic | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Module: |
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Kolbeinn Hermann Pálsson (born 26 November 1945) is an Icelandic former basketball player and a former member of the Icelandic national team. In 1966 he became the first basketball player to be named the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year.[1] [2] He served as the chairman of the Icelandic Basketball Association from 1988 to 1996.[3]
Kolbeinn started playing basketball at the age of 14. During his youth he was an avid Handball player and played with KR in the Icelandic top-tier handball league during the 1962–1963 before focusing fully on basketball.[4]
Kolbeinn spent his entire career with KR, playing a total of 383 games for the club. He last played during the 1980-1981 season, appearing in 4 games. On 18 November 1966 he scored 25 points against defending champions Simmenthal Milano in the FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague).[5] [1]
On 1 December 1977 Kolbeinn ruptured his left achilles tendon in a game against Valur. He managed to return before the end of the season and participated in the extra game between KR and Njarðvík where KR won the national championship.[6]
Kolbeinn played 55 games for the Icelandic national team from 1966 to 1976.[7] He played his first game in 1966 against Poland.[8] In 1966 he made two free throws in the final seconds of Iceland's game against Denmark, giving them victory and the bronze in the 1966 Nordic Championships.[9]
1966
Kolbeinn is the father of former Icelandic national team player Páll Kolbeinsson.[10] His sister, Vigdís Pálsdóttir, played handball for Valur.[11]