Darrell Armstrong - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Darrell Eugene Armstrong (born June 22, 1968 in Gastonia, North Carolina

Gastonia, North Carolina

Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...

) is a former American professional basketball

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, who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association

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...

. He is currently an assistant coach for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...

, who won the championship in the 2010–11 season

2010–11 NBA season

The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...

Early life

Armstrong did not play basketball in high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

until his senior year, and did not play again until his junior year of college

College

A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...

. He played college basketball

College basketball

College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....

at Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville State University is a historically black, regional university located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. FSU is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.-Academics:The primary...

, a Division II school in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....

, and was also a kicker on the football team.

After college, Armstrong was not drafted

NBA 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...

by any NBA team, and went on to play in the Global Basketball Association

Global Basketball Association

The Global Basketball Association was a minor league with various franchises in the United States. Teams were located throughout the South and Midwest...

and United States Basketball League

United States Basketball League

The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...

, as well as in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, where he began playing in Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

with Pezoporikos Larnaca, followed by an ACB

Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto

The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...

stint.

NBA career

Armstrong first signed with the NBA as a free agent for the Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...

in late 1994–95, playing just 3 games with 10 points and 8 minutes of action. In 95–96 he played just 13 games in 41 minutes, scoring 42 points total.

He saw 67 games in his first full season on the roster in 1997–98, averaging 6 points per game in 15 minutes per game off the bench. Armstrong won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute . A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout...

and the NBA Most Improved Player Award

NBA Most Improved Player Award

The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...

in 1999, thus becoming the first player in NBA history to win both awards simultaneously. In a 1999 game against the Philadelphia 76ers

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...

, Armstrong stole an inbounds pass and streaked to the other end of the court for a game winning layup as time expired. He subsequently became the starting point guard

Point guard

Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...

for the Magic. His career year was in 1999-00, averaging 16.2 ppg in 31 mpg. During his nine years in Orlando, the team never posted a losing record, making the post-season

NBA Playoffs

The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...

seven times.

On July 7, 2003, Armstrong was arrested after an incident outside an Orlando

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

night club. He was subsequently charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, but the case was eventually dismissed. During that off-season, Armstrong signed with the New Orleans Hornets as a free agent. He was traded by the Hornets to the Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks

in exchange for Dan Dickau

Dan Dickau

Daniel David "Dan" Dickau is an American professional basketball player.-Early life and college:Born in Portland, Oregon, Dickau graduated from Prairie High School in Brush Prairie, Washington. He played for the University of Washington Huskies prior to transferring to, and becoming a standout...

and a second round draft pick on December 3, 2004.

On December 19, 2005, while he was still with the Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks

, Armstrong was fined $1,000 for grabbing a microphone before a Mavs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...

at the American Airlines Center

American Airlines Center

The American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.It is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and the Dallas Stars of the NHL....

and yelling "How 'bout those Redskins!" Only a few hours prior, the Cowboys had been routed by the Redskins 35–7. Armstrong was raised in North Carolina as a Redskins fan. After appearing in the 2006 NBA Finals

2006 NBA Finals

The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...

with the Mavericks, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...

in exchange for guard Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson (basketball)

Anthony Mark Johnson is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the Orlando Magic of the NBA. Johnson is a 6'3" point guard. He found success in pro basketball, becoming the first NBA D-League player to participate in a NBA Finals...

in July 2006.

Armstrong was released by the Pacers on October 1, 2007, and signed with the New Jersey Nets

New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

after clearing waivers. He appeared in 50 games in 2007–08, averaging 2.5ppg in 11.0 minutes, and buried three 3-pointers in his final appearance of the season. After retiring, Armstrong re-joined the Mavs, as an assistant coach.

Player profile

Armstrong was long respected around the NBA for his intensity and hard-nosed defense. In his prime (1998–2002) he not only averaged double digit points per game, but also two steals

Steal (basketball)

In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...

and over six assists

Assist (basketball)

In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...

a game. His defense proved even more impressive than his numbers showed because of his mastery of drawing charges. He was also one of the most accurate free throw

Free throw

In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...

shooters ever, shooting 87% from the line.

Despite his short height, Armstrong had the ability to dunk. He accidentally completed a reverse layup in the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest

Slam Dunk Contest

The Slam Dunk Contest is an annual National Basketball Association competition held during the NBA All-Star Weekend. The contest was inaugurated by the American Basketball Association at its All-Star Game in 1976 in Denver, the same year the slam dunk was legalized in the NCAA...

, which was deemed the worst dunk in the competition's history by Kenny Smith

Kenny Smith

Kenneth "The Jet" Smith is a retired National Basketball Association player and current TV basketball analyst, primarily for Inside the NBA on TNT.-Early life:...

. Subsequently, he was awarded last place in the contest, and was never invited to compete again.

Regular season

Orlando Magic

| 3 || 0 || 2.7 || .375 || .333 || 1.000 || .3 || 1.0 || .3 || .0 || 3.3
|-
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 13 || 0 || 3.2 || .500 || .500 || 1.000 || .2 || .4 || .5 || .0 || 3.2
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 67 || 0 || 15.1 || .383 || .304 || .868 || 1.1 || 2.6 || .9 || .1 || 6.1
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 48 || 17 || 25.8 || .411 || .368 || .854 || 3.3 || 4.9 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 50 || 15 || 30.0 || .441 || .365 || .904 || 3.6 || 6.7 || 2.2 || .1 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 82 || 82 || 31.6 || .433 || .340 || .911 || 3.3 || 6.1 || 2.1 || .1 || 16.2
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 75 || 75 || 36.9 || .412 || .355 || .884 || 4.6 || 7.0 || 1.8 || .2 || 15.9
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 82 || 79 || 33.3 || .419 || .349 || .888 || 3.9 || 5.5 || 1.9 || .1 || 12.4
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 82 || 23 || 28.7 || .409 || .336 || .878 || 3.6 || 3.9 || 1.6 || .2 || 9.4
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 79 || 22 || 28.4 || .395 || .315 || .854 || 2.9 || 3.9 || 1.7 || .2 || 10.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 14 || 9 || 29.4 || .333 || .243 || .905 || 3.4 || 4.6 || 1.1 || .1 || 10.1
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Dallas

Dallas Mavericks

| 52 || 7 || 11.1 || .305 || .268 || .830 || 1.3 || 2.2 || .6 || .1 || 2.3
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Dallas

Dallas Mavericks

| 62 || 2 || 10.0 || .336 || .229 || .786 || 1.3 || 1.4 || .4 || .1 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Indiana

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...

| 81 || 4 || 15.7 || .414 || .336 || .785 || 1.7 || 2.4 || .9 || .1 || 5.6
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New Jersey

New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

| 50 || 2 || 11.0 || .364 || .333 || .667 || 1.3 || 1.5 || .6 || .0 || 2.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 840 || 337 || 23.7 || .409 || .334 || .871 || 2.7 || 4.0 || 1.4 || .1 || 9.2

Playoffs

Orlando Magic

| 5 || 0 || 28.6 || .476 || .333 || .846 || 4.2 || 3.4 || 1.6 || .2 || 11.4
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 4 || 4 || 40.8 || .370 || .375 || 1.000 || 5.0 || 6.3 || 2.2 || .0 || 14.8
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 4 || 4 || 41.8 || .378 || .368 || .923 || 5.5 || 4.8 || 2.0 || .5 || 13.3
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 4 || 4 || 39.5 || .476 || .235 || .810 || 2.8 || 3.3 || 1.2 || .0 || 15.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Orlando

Orlando Magic

| 7 || 1 || 32.3 || .455 || .333 || .909 || 2.4 || 3.7 || .9 || .0 || 9.4
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | New Orleans
| 7 || 0 || 21.4 || .235 || .200 || 1.000 || 2.1 || 2.3 || .9 || .0 || 3.4
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Dallas

Dallas Mavericks

| 9 || 0 || 7.3 || .500 || .250 || .000 || .4 || 1.0 || .3 || .2 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Dallas

Dallas Mavericks

| 11 || 0 || 4.3 || .200 || .000 || 1.000 || .6 || .2 || .3 || .1 || .7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 51 || 13 || 22.0 || .398 || .287 || .900 || 2.3 || 2.5 || .9 || .1 || 6.8

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.