Darrall Imhoff
Encyclopedia
Darrall Tucker Imhoff is an American former professional basketball
player. He spent twelve seasons in the NBA
(1960-72), playing for half a dozen teams. Imhoff was the starting center for the New York Knicks
, and played for 20 minutes in the game
when Wilt Chamberlain
scored an NBA personal scoring record of 100 points.
. After making the team as a walk-on, at the University of California, Berkeley
, Imhoff was a two-time All-American and was the top rebounder on the 1959 NCAA
championship team and hit the winning basket with just seventeen seconds to go. He was the leading scorer and rebounder on the 1960 NCAA runner-up Berkeley team and was a part of the gold medal-winning 1960 Olympic basketball team.
As a collegian, Imhoff was feared as a shot blocker, and was a respected rebounder who was the hub around which coach Pete Newell
built his NCAA champion University of California
team. The Golden Bears edged Jerry West
's West Virginia University
team in 1959, with Imhoff rated by some the best college player in the country. In 1960, leading the nation's top-rated defense from his center spot, the 6'10 235-pounder led Cal back to the NCAA Finals before losing to Jerry Lucas
and Ohio State. He was a two-time First Team All-American and a member of Berkeley's Nu Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau
fraternity.
Imhoff was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1988 and enshrined into the Pac-10 Hall of Honor in 2005. His jersey at Cal (No. 40) was retired during a game between Cal and Stanford
at Haas Pavilion
on February 14, 2009.
in 1960 when coach Pete Newell
, now the U.S. Olympic coach, added his prize player to the Olympic
roster. Playing behind Lucas, Purdue
's Terry Dischinger
and Indiana's Walt Bellamy, Imhoff still saw action during the Rome Games as the Americans usually jetted out to a big lead early and then rested their starters.
pick of the NBA that same year. The New York Knickerbockers
, picking third overall, made him their first pick, a move which generated much excitement for the team. The Knicks had two all-stars already, Richie Guerin
and Willie Naulls
, and looked for Imhoff to complete a potential contender in the league's largest city.
Imhoff unfortunately, was not up to the pressure and had a season which fell well below hopes.
Disappointed, he was the second backup center by season's end. Considered a major bust, he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons
in 1962.
in 1964.
and others, Imhoff was now a respected reserve. He contributed solidly to a team that won the NBA West and made it to the NBA Finals in 1965. The Lakers were encouraged enough to start Imhoff the next season, again winning their division, but were Finals runner-up again. Finally, in the 1966-67 season, Imhoff hit some of his potential, averaging 12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks per game as a Laker starter. He made the 1967 NBA All-Star team
as a reserve. But he was still badly outplayed by Boston's Bill Russell
in the NBA Finals, a fact which repeated itself in 1968. This fact spurred the Lakers to sign Wilt Chamberlain
that year, and Imhoff was traded to Philadelphia
where he was again a solid backup center.
. He had one more decent season as the backup center for Cincinnati
before finishing his career at the end of Portland
's bench in 1972.
, and then Eugene
. He is currently the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at the United States Basketball Academy (USBA), a prestigious, internationally recognized basketball camp located in Oregon
's McKenzie River
Valley, about 45 miles east of Eugene.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He spent twelve seasons in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(1960-72), playing for half a dozen teams. Imhoff was the starting center for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and played for 20 minutes in the game
Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game
Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, named by the National Basketball Association as one of its greatest games, was a regular-season game between the Philadelphia Warriors and the New York Knicks held on March 2, 1962, at Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.The Warriors won the game 169-147,...
when Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
scored an NBA personal scoring record of 100 points.
College
Imhoff attended Alhambra High School, Alhambra, CaliforniaAlhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
. After making the team as a walk-on, at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, Imhoff was a two-time All-American and was the top rebounder on the 1959 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championship team and hit the winning basket with just seventeen seconds to go. He was the leading scorer and rebounder on the 1960 NCAA runner-up Berkeley team and was a part of the gold medal-winning 1960 Olympic basketball team.
As a collegian, Imhoff was feared as a shot blocker, and was a respected rebounder who was the hub around which coach Pete Newell
Pete Newell
Peter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses...
built his NCAA champion University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
team. The Golden Bears edged Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
's West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
team in 1959, with Imhoff rated by some the best college player in the country. In 1960, leading the nation's top-rated defense from his center spot, the 6'10 235-pounder led Cal back to the NCAA Finals before losing to Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
and Ohio State. He was a two-time First Team All-American and a member of Berkeley's Nu Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau is a U.S. national collegiate fraternity.-History:Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity was founded in the Union Literary Society Hall of Miami University's Old Main Building in Oxford, Ohio on March 17, 1906...
fraternity.
Imhoff was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in 1988 and enshrined into the Pac-10 Hall of Honor in 2005. His jersey at Cal (No. 40) was retired during a game between Cal and Stanford
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
at Haas Pavilion
Haas Pavilion
The Walter A. Haas, Jr. Pavilion is the home of the University of California's men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, and men's and women's gymnastics teams...
on February 14, 2009.
Olympics
Imhoff was a senior awaiting entry into the National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
in 1960 when coach Pete Newell
Pete Newell
Peter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses...
, now the U.S. Olympic coach, added his prize player to the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
roster. Playing behind Lucas, Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
's Terry Dischinger
Terry Dischinger
Terence Gilbert "Terry" Dischinger is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He currently practices orthodontics.-High school career:...
and Indiana's Walt Bellamy, Imhoff still saw action during the Rome Games as the Americans usually jetted out to a big lead early and then rested their starters.
New York Knickerbockers
Imhoff was the most highly publicized draftNBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
pick of the NBA that same year. The New York Knickerbockers
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, picking third overall, made him their first pick, a move which generated much excitement for the team. The Knicks had two all-stars already, Richie Guerin
Richie Guerin
Richard Vincent "Richie" Guerin is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. The 6'4" Guerin played with the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks from 1956 to 1963 and was a player-coach of the St...
and Willie Naulls
Willie Naulls
William Dean "Willie" Naulls is a retired American basketball player. A 6'6" power forward/center, he played professionally in the National Basketball Association from 1956 to 1966....
, and looked for Imhoff to complete a potential contender in the league's largest city.
Imhoff unfortunately, was not up to the pressure and had a season which fell well below hopes.
Disappointed, he was the second backup center by season's end. Considered a major bust, he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in 1962.
Detroit Pistons
Imhoff's lack of quickness and shooting skills at the NBA level had been exposed, but he never quit working to improve. He began to see more minutes with the Pistons until he was dealt to the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in 1964.
Los Angeles Lakers
On a star-studded team that included Jerry West, Elgin BaylorElgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
and others, Imhoff was now a respected reserve. He contributed solidly to a team that won the NBA West and made it to the NBA Finals in 1965. The Lakers were encouraged enough to start Imhoff the next season, again winning their division, but were Finals runner-up again. Finally, in the 1966-67 season, Imhoff hit some of his potential, averaging 12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks per game as a Laker starter. He made the 1967 NBA All-Star team
1967 NBA All-Star Game
The 1967 NBA All-Star Game was the 17th All-Star Game played January 10, 1967 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. The Western Conference All-Stars defeated the Eastern Conference All-Stars, 135-120...
as a reserve. But he was still badly outplayed by Boston's Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
in the NBA Finals, a fact which repeated itself in 1968. This fact spurred the Lakers to sign Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
that year, and Imhoff was traded to Philadelphia
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
where he was again a solid backup center.
Philadelphia 76ers/Cincinnati Royals/Portland Trail Blazers
The 76ers were second in the East, but were knocked out by Boston and Russell again in the playoffs. Imhoff was a starter again for the 1969-70 campaign and Philadelphia made it to the playoffs before losing to Milwaukee and Lew AlcindorKareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. He had one more decent season as the backup center for Cincinnati
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
before finishing his career at the end of Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
's bench in 1972.
Later years
After retiring he lived in Hillsboro, OregonHillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
, and then Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
. He is currently the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at the United States Basketball Academy (USBA), a prestigious, internationally recognized basketball camp located in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
's McKenzie River
McKenzie River
The McKenzie River is a tributary of the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Eugene and flows into the southernmost end of the Willamette Valley. It is named for Donald MacKenzie, a Scottish Canadian fur trader...
Valley, about 45 miles east of Eugene.
External links
- Darrall Imhoff Profile and Stats at LakersWeb.com