Darrin Hancock
Encyclopedia
Darrin Hancock is a retired American
professional basketball
player. In high school and college he was known for his strong offense, while his quick and agile moves to the basket drew comparisons to the likes of Dominique Wilkins
. A Parade Magazine
and McDonald's All-American
standout at Griffin High School
(Griffin, GA
), Hancock was ranked among the country's best high school basketball players in the late 1980s. He played his first two college seasons at Garden City Community College
, where he was considered one of the top junior college recruits in the nation before transferring to the University of Kansas
. There he was the starting small forward
on the Kansas Jayhawks
' Final Four
-bound squad in the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
. Hancock left college after his junior year to play professional basketball and eventually found success in United States
semi-pro basketball leagues after several uneventful stints in the NBA
. He is considered to be among the best all-time Georgia
high school basketball players in the state's history.
but relocated to the small community of Griffin, Georgia
, south of Atlanta in Spalding County
, when he was in sixth grade. Hancock suffered tragedy at a young age in 1978 when his father died after succumbing to a heart attack and thereafter was raised by his mother. As a child, he kept to himself and only picked up playing basketball in the eighth grade. Hancock credited James Martin, the Griffin High School
basketball coach, as his most positive influence other than his mother. Martin was his coach and mentor in high school and frequently advised Hancock on professional and personal affairs. The young Hancock eventually came to look at Martin as a father figure and the coach later became his legal guardian
.
on his school's varsity basketball squad during his freshman year. Hancock instantly emerged as the star of the team and was considered as one of the state's top freshman high school basketball players during the 1986–87 season. He managed to lead the 25–2 Griffin Bears in points
and rebounds
as well as helping his number two ranked school seize the state's Region 6-AAAA championship title, all the while before completing his freshman year.
The Griffin Bears continued to flourish with Hancock at the helm, as the now number one ranked basketball squad posted a 28–1 record and claimed their second Region 6-AAAA title during the 1987–88 season. Darrin Hancock finished the season averaging 17 points a game
while earning the distinct honor of being the first sophomore to be named as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's
state Player of the Year. He was not only considered one of the state's premier underclassmen, but was also rated as the number one sophomore basketball player in the nation by B.C. Scouting Service during his second year in high school.
Griffin High School began the 1988–89 season in a new basketball class, the 4-AAAA South region, but were unable to replicate their recent success. The team struggled to adjust to the new class and dropped to a sixth place ranking with a 19–5 record. However Hancock continued to achieve individual success, including being named to the 1988–89 Parade Magazine
All-American First Team and finishing third in votes for the magazine's National Player of the Year award. He was additionally considered as one of the nation's top five high school players by several national surveys upon entering his senior year in school.
Darrin Hancock and the Bears finally managed to break into the 4-AAAA South region after their relative lapse during their previous season. The team obtained the number one ranking in their new class and finished with an impressive 26–4 record before losing to Southwest Macon High School
in the state's Class 4-AAAA state quarterfinals. Hancock, who recently had also begun playing in the forward position, displayed what would be considered his best single-game high school performance that season when he scored 50 points and nailed the match's game-winning three-pointer
in a double-overtime
victory against Vanguard High School
of Ocala, FL
. The All-American averaged 30 points and nine rebounds a game at the close of the 1989–90 season. Darrin Hancock, considered to be one of the nation's top senior high school basketball players at the time, was a highly sought after prize by many college basketball programs. The All-American eventually signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
in the spring of 1990 but was ultimately disqualified from accepting an NCAA Division I scholarship
(under Proposition 48 guidelines) because of his grade point average. Unable to enroll at UNLV as a college freshman, Hancock instead opted to enroll at Garden City Community College
in southwest Kansas
, where he could officially become eligible to transfer to another university after completing his coursework.
in 1990 to begin his enrollment at Garden City Community College. He joined Garden City's basketball squad as the team's star swingman
and averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists
and 2.7 steals
during his freshman season. His continued athletic accomplishments earned him his third consecutive Parade Magazine All-American recognition as well as being named to the JUCO All-American Third Team.
The Georgia transplant further expanded his prowess on the court during his college sophomore season and averaged 21.8 points per game and 11.7 rebounds per game. Hancock displayed his top single-game college performance when he recorded a triple-double against Barton County
Community College, scoring a then collegiate career-high of 37 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Many considered Hancock to be the nation's number one junior college basketball player, including the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCCA)
, who named the sophomore star as the 1991–92 NJCCA Player of the Year. Hancock also captured the attention of the nearby University of Kansas
, whose powerhouse basketball program successfully persuaded him to become a Jayhawk
for the upcoming 1992–93 season on an athletic scholarship.
where he was tapped to start as the basketball team's starting small forward
. News of Hancock's addition to the Kansas Jayhawks' basketball squad created quite a buzz and even prompted Jayhawks' coach Roy Williams
to state that, "Darrin is one of the best athletes in the nation [a]nd he will be one of the best athletes ever to put on a Kansas uniform." Several hoops analysts forecasted Kansas as a top-ranked team and as a possible Final Four
contender with the arrival of Hancock. The Jayhawks fulfilled those predictions, capturing the 1993 Big Eight
Regular Season Championship and the second seed in the Midwest division of the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
with a 27–8 record. The Jayhawks marched through the NCAA tournament and arrived at the Final Four Regional Championships, their second appearance in three years. Though Kansas eventually lost to North Carolina
in the Final Four, the team's outstanding performance earned the squad a top ten nationwide ranking during the regular season, including a brief time spent at number one.
The dynamic backcourt duo of Rex Walters
and Adonis Jordan
provided the bulk of the Jayhawks' scoring. Hancock, on the other hand, was primarily a secondary offensive contributor with an average of 7.5 points per game in 33 starts . Hancock's failure to live up to pre-season expectations appeared to have been a result of not adapting well to Kansas' style of play. In July 1993 he abruptly left the university after undisclosed personal issues forced the Jayhawk small forward to miss required summer school coursework and thus become academically ineligible to play on the team. Hancock transferred to Indiana State University
in September but had a change of heart after one month, choosing instead to pursue a professional career in Europe
.
for the Maurienne
basketball club, where he averaged 17.3 points and 5.4 rebounds over 17 games. Back in the United States, players and teams were prepping for the upcoming 1994 NBA Draft
. Hancock attended the Chicago pre-draft camp over the summer where he showcased his trademark agility to NBA scouts. The Charlotte Hornets, who earlier packaged away their first round pick as part of the Hersey Hawkins-Kendall Gill
trade, were busy deciding who to choose for their sole 2nd round pick. The organization sought out either a rebounding-prone rookie with height or a backup point guard
. However many of Charlotte's rookie prospects were already selected by time it was their turn; and therefore the Hornets tapped Hancock with the 38th overall pick of the draft after he impressed the organization with athleticism that complimented the team's running game style of play. The young rookie earned the final open slot on Charlotte's 12-man roster after displaying his skills at the NBA summer league over the off-season. Hancock joined a veteran-heavy team that was led by the young powerhouse combination of Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning
. Hancock's own talents were outmatched by many of his teammates, compromising his minutes on the court as the Hornets' 12th man. Nonetheless, he saw significant playing time in April 1995 when Charlotte's starting small forward Scott Burrell
and backup small forward David Wingate were simultaneously out with injuries. Hancock recorded a then NBA career high of 15 points that same month against the Philadelphia 76ers
in one of his seven starts that season. As a team, the Hornets enjoyed success with their best regular season record in franchise history (50–32) while finishing second in the Central Division
. Charlotte returned to the NBA Playoffs
for the second time in three years before suffering a loss against the Chicago Bulls
in the first round. Hancock saw limited playing time in his NBA Playoffs debut as the Hornets shifted players around in order to keep a big lineup against the Chicago Bulls. Nonetheless the Hornet’s rookie contributed in the post-season action, though sparingly, playing less than 10 minutes in three games. .
Hancock spent the 1995 summer off-season working on expanding his offensive prowess, which appeared to have some effect on his game during a surprising pre-season start where he averaged 15.5 points over six exhibition game
s. Starter Scott Burrell entered the season on the injured list nursing a torn Achilles tendon
, forcing the newly acquired shooting guard Glen Rice
to switch positions and replace Burrell as the squad's starting small forward. Charlotte took a chance with tapping Hancock to temporarily fill the void at the starting shooting guard position in the meantime. He appeared in four starts during the middle of November, averaging five points and two rebounds. However Burrell returned to the starting lineup later in the month, relegating Hancock back to the bench. Darrin Hancock saw limited playing time in about half of all regular season games through the end of December but recorded an NBA career high of 16 points during an away game against the Utah Jazz
. The now second-year NBA swingman began to see a dramatic increase in playing time after Burrell suffered a season-ending dislocated shoulder
on New Year's Eve. This time around Charlotte went with Dell Curry
as the team's new replacement starting shooting guard, designating Hancock as the Hornets' primary guard-forward swingman reserve. Hancock finished the season with a total average of 13.3 minutes per game in 63 games. Despite seeing more time on the court, Hancock was unable to carry over his pre-season offensive exploits into the regular season and settled instead for a 4.3 points per game average. The Charlotte Hornets, playing their first year without star Alonzo Mourning, had also seen better times after failing to make the playoffs with a 41-41 record. The Hornets decided not to re-sign Hancock at the end of his two year contract, making the former Hornet a marketable free agent soon thereafter.
on October 3, 1996 and his strong defensive front court presence helped the former Hornet survive the team's off-season cuts. He averaged 4.8 points and 14.8 minutes in six pre-season contests and eventually made the team's roster for the start of the 1996–97 season. However Milwaukee head coach Chris Ford struggled to work Hancock into his playbook and as a result the newly acquired Buck saw scarce minutes on the floor, averaging 4.3 minutes per game as small forward reserve. He was traded along with a conditional second round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns
in exchange for Chucky Brown
after playing in only nine games for Milwaukee. Hancock remained inactive on the Suns' injured list with bruised knees and was waived a week later on December 11, 1996.
However Hancock’s future soon looked promising when Tyrone Corbin
, the Atlanta Hawks’ starting small forward, went down with a sprained left ankle in late December. The organization took interest in the native Georgian, who was looking to rebound back into the league after having recently been dropped by the Suns. Hancock, who at the time was conveniently residing in Atlanta, accepted his hometown team’s eventual offer. The Hawks signed Henry James
and later added Hancock on January 2, 1997, handing Corbin’s starting role over to James while assigning Hancock as the team’s backup small forward. However Darrin Hancock only saw scarce time on the court during his stay with Atlanta, playing a total of 10 minutes in two games. Just five days after joining the Hawks, the team released Hancock in order to re-activate Tyrone Corbin from the injured list.
However the dismissal did not prevent Hancock from returning to the court. He soon found an opportunity to in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA)
when the Omaha Racers offered Hancock a deal to play for the team in late January. Hancock averaged 14 points and 3.5 rebounds in his first two games with the Racers. Hancock departed the CBA soon thereafter and found his way back into the big leagues on a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs
on January 29, 1997, joining his fifth NBA team in three seasons. Hancock donned a Spurs uniform for only eight minutes during a road game against the Philadelphia 76ers before San Antonio decided against re-signing his 10-day contract in favor for re-signing teammate Jamie Feick
. Hancock was offered a 10-day contract in March to return to Atlanta, where he finished the remainder of season as a Hawk.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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. In high school and college he was known for his strong offense, while his quick and agile moves to the basket drew comparisons to the likes of Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins
Jacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
. A Parade Magazine
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
and McDonald's All-American
McDonald's All-American Team
The McDonald's All-American Game refers to each of the all-star basketball games played each year for boys' and girls' high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top American and Canadian players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball...
standout at Griffin High School
Griffin High School (Georgia)
Griffin High School is located in Griffin, Georgia. It is part of the Griffin-Spalding County School District. The mascot of Griffin High School is the Bear...
(Griffin, GA
Griffin, Georgia
Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.-Geography:Griffin is located at ....
), Hancock was ranked among the country's best high school basketball players in the late 1980s. He played his first two college seasons at Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College is a fully accredited community college located in Garden City, Kansas, USA. GCCC has regional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
, where he was considered one of the top junior college recruits in the nation before transferring to the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. There he was the starting small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
on the Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
' Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
-bound squad in the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 1993, and ended with the championship game on April 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
. Hancock left college after his junior year to play professional basketball and eventually found success in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
semi-pro basketball leagues after several uneventful stints 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...
. He is considered to be among the best all-time Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
high school basketball players in the state's history.
Early life
Darrin Hancock was born and raised in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
but relocated to the small community of Griffin, Georgia
Griffin, Georgia
Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.-Geography:Griffin is located at ....
, south of Atlanta in Spalding County
Spalding County, Georgia
Spalding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created December 20, 1851. As of 2000, the population was 58,417. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 62,826...
, when he was in sixth grade. Hancock suffered tragedy at a young age in 1978 when his father died after succumbing to a heart attack and thereafter was raised by his mother. As a child, he kept to himself and only picked up playing basketball in the eighth grade. Hancock credited James Martin, the Griffin High School
Griffin High School (Georgia)
Griffin High School is located in Griffin, Georgia. It is part of the Griffin-Spalding County School District. The mascot of Griffin High School is the Bear...
basketball coach, as his most positive influence other than his mother. Martin was his coach and mentor in high school and frequently advised Hancock on professional and personal affairs. The young Hancock eventually came to look at Martin as a father figure and the coach later became his legal guardian
Legal guardian
A legal guardian is a person who has the legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of another person, called a ward. Usually, a person has the status of guardian because the ward is incapable of caring for his or her own interests due to infancy, incapacity, or disability...
.
High school career
The young Alabama native attended Griffin High School where his considerably tall height of 6'6" and athletic talent helped land him the role of starting centerCenter (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
on his school's varsity basketball squad during his freshman year. Hancock instantly emerged as the star of the team and was considered as one of the state's top freshman high school basketball players during the 1986–87 season. He managed to lead the 25–2 Griffin Bears in points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
and rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
as well as helping his number two ranked school seize the state's Region 6-AAAA championship title, all the while before completing his freshman year.
The Griffin Bears continued to flourish with Hancock at the helm, as the now number one ranked basketball squad posted a 28–1 record and claimed their second Region 6-AAAA title during the 1987–88 season. Darrin Hancock finished the season averaging 17 points a game
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
while earning the distinct honor of being the first sophomore to be named as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
state Player of the Year. He was not only considered one of the state's premier underclassmen, but was also rated as the number one sophomore basketball player in the nation by B.C. Scouting Service during his second year in high school.
Griffin High School began the 1988–89 season in a new basketball class, the 4-AAAA South region, but were unable to replicate their recent success. The team struggled to adjust to the new class and dropped to a sixth place ranking with a 19–5 record. However Hancock continued to achieve individual success, including being named to the 1988–89 Parade Magazine
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-American First Team and finishing third in votes for the magazine's National Player of the Year award. He was additionally considered as one of the nation's top five high school players by several national surveys upon entering his senior year in school.
Darrin Hancock and the Bears finally managed to break into the 4-AAAA South region after their relative lapse during their previous season. The team obtained the number one ranking in their new class and finished with an impressive 26–4 record before losing to Southwest Macon High School
Southwest Magnet High School
Southwest Magnet High School, also known as Southwest-Macon and Southwest Magnet High School and Law Academy, is a high school in Macon, Georgia, serving students in grades 9-12...
in the state's Class 4-AAAA state quarterfinals. Hancock, who recently had also begun playing in the forward position, displayed what would be considered his best single-game high school performance that season when he scored 50 points and nailed the match's game-winning three-pointer
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
in a double-overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
victory against Vanguard High School
Vanguard High School
Vanguard High School is one of eight high schools in Marion County, Florida. The school serves the northeast area of Ocala, Florida. Vanguard offers the International Baccalaureate program for students, which accepts pupils from outside districts and makes up about 25% of the student population....
of Ocala, FL
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
. The All-American averaged 30 points and nine rebounds a game at the close of the 1989–90 season. Darrin Hancock, considered to be one of the nation's top senior high school basketball players at the time, was a highly sought after prize by many college basketball programs. The All-American eventually signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
in the spring of 1990 but was ultimately disqualified from accepting an NCAA Division I scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
(under Proposition 48 guidelines) because of his grade point average. Unable to enroll at UNLV as a college freshman, Hancock instead opted to enroll at Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College is a fully accredited community college located in Garden City, Kansas, USA. GCCC has regional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
in southwest Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, where he could officially become eligible to transfer to another university after completing his coursework.
Garden City College
Darrin Hancock relocated from his Georgia home to the Midwest and settled in rural Finney County, KansasFinney County, Kansas
Finney County is a county located in Southwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 36,776. Its county seat and most populous city is Garden City...
in 1990 to begin his enrollment at Garden City Community College. He joined Garden City's basketball squad as the team's star swingman
Swingman
A Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard positions, and, in essence, swing between the shooting guard and small forward positions." Swingmen males are often between 6'5" and 6'8" .John Havlicek, who played for the Boston Celtics in...
and averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.3 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...
and 2.7 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...
during his freshman season. His continued athletic accomplishments earned him his third consecutive Parade Magazine All-American recognition as well as being named to the JUCO All-American Third Team.
The Georgia transplant further expanded his prowess on the court during his college sophomore season and averaged 21.8 points per game and 11.7 rebounds per game. Hancock displayed his top single-game college performance when he recorded a triple-double against Barton County
Barton County, Kansas
Barton County is a county located in Western Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 27,674. Its county seat and most populous city is Great Bend. The county is named in honor of Clara Barton, responsible for the founding of the American Red Cross...
Community College, scoring a then collegiate career-high of 37 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Many considered Hancock to be the nation's number one junior college basketball player, including the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCCA)
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
, who named the sophomore star as the 1991–92 NJCCA Player of the Year. Hancock also captured the attention of the nearby University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, whose powerhouse basketball program successfully persuaded him to become a Jayhawk
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
for the upcoming 1992–93 season on an athletic scholarship.
Kansas
Hancock transferred to the University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
where he was tapped to start as the basketball team's starting small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
. News of Hancock's addition to the Kansas Jayhawks' basketball squad created quite a buzz and even prompted Jayhawks' coach Roy Williams
Roy Williams (coach)
Roy Williams is head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of North Carolina. After averaging nearly an 80% win percentage in 15 seasons at the University of Kansas, he became the eighteenth head coach at North Carolina when he replaced Matt Doherty in 2003...
to state that, "Darrin is one of the best athletes in the nation [a]nd he will be one of the best athletes ever to put on a Kansas uniform." Several hoops analysts forecasted Kansas as a top-ranked team and as a possible Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
contender with the arrival of Hancock. The Jayhawks fulfilled those predictions, capturing the 1993 Big Eight
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
Regular Season Championship and the second seed in the Midwest division of the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 1993, and ended with the championship game on April 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
with a 27–8 record. The Jayhawks marched through the NCAA tournament and arrived at the Final Four Regional Championships, their second appearance in three years. Though Kansas eventually lost to North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
in the Final Four, the team's outstanding performance earned the squad a top ten nationwide ranking during the regular season, including a brief time spent at number one.
The dynamic backcourt duo of Rex Walters
Rex Walters
-External links:...
and Adonis Jordan
Adonis Jordan
Adonis Jordan moved from one coast to another and resettled in Los Angeles, California after his sophomore year in high school. He transferred to Cleveland High School in Reseda and joined future NBA veteran Lucious Harris as stars of the school's varsity basketball team...
provided the bulk of the Jayhawks' scoring. Hancock, on the other hand, was primarily a secondary offensive contributor with an average of 7.5 points per game in 33 starts . Hancock's failure to live up to pre-season expectations appeared to have been a result of not adapting well to Kansas' style of play. In July 1993 he abruptly left the university after undisclosed personal issues forced the Jayhawk small forward to miss required summer school coursework and thus become academically ineligible to play on the team. Hancock transferred to Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
in September but had a change of heart after one month, choosing instead to pursue a professional career 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...
.
Charlotte Hornets
The former Jayhawk spent his first season as a pro playing in the French Pro B LeagueLigue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
for the Maurienne
Aix Maurienne Savoie Basket
Aix Maurienne Savoie Basket is a basketball club based in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, France that plays in the Ligue Nationale de Basketball. Their home arena is Halle Marlioz.-External links:*...
basketball club, where he averaged 17.3 points and 5.4 rebounds over 17 games. Back in the United States, players and teams were prepping for the upcoming 1994 NBA Draft
1994 NBA Draft
The 1994 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1994 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is notable for the fact that two NBA rookies of the year were picked in the first round, as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were co-winners of the award for the 1994–95 NBA season...
. Hancock attended the Chicago pre-draft camp over the summer where he showcased his trademark agility to NBA scouts. The Charlotte Hornets, who earlier packaged away their first round pick as part of the Hersey Hawkins-Kendall Gill
Kendall Gill
Kendall Cedric Gill is a retired American professional basketball player, now a sports analyst for Comcast Sports Net and the Big Ten Network.-Early life:...
trade, were busy deciding who to choose for their sole 2nd round pick. The organization sought out either a rebounding-prone rookie with height or a backup 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...
. However many of Charlotte's rookie prospects were already selected by time it was their turn; and therefore the Hornets tapped Hancock with the 38th overall pick of the draft after he impressed the organization with athleticism that complimented the team's running game style of play. The young rookie earned the final open slot on Charlotte's 12-man roster after displaying his skills at the NBA summer league over the off-season. Hancock joined a veteran-heavy team that was led by the young powerhouse combination of Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
. Hancock's own talents were outmatched by many of his teammates, compromising his minutes on the court as the Hornets' 12th man. Nonetheless, he saw significant playing time in April 1995 when Charlotte's starting small forward Scott Burrell
Scott Burrell
Scott David Burrell is an American retired professional basketball player and current assistant coach for Quinnipiac University. He has played internationally and was also a professional baseball player...
and backup small forward David Wingate were simultaneously out with injuries. Hancock recorded a then NBA career high of 15 points that same month 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...
in one of his seven starts that season. As a team, the Hornets enjoyed success with their best regular season record in franchise history (50–32) while finishing second in the Central Division
Central Division (NBA)
The Central Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks...
. Charlotte returned to the NBA Playoffs
1995 NBA Playoffs
The 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994-1995 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic...
for the second time in three years before suffering a loss against the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the first round. Hancock saw limited playing time in his NBA Playoffs debut as the Hornets shifted players around in order to keep a big lineup against the Chicago Bulls. Nonetheless the Hornet’s rookie contributed in the post-season action, though sparingly, playing less than 10 minutes in three games. .
Hancock spent the 1995 summer off-season working on expanding his offensive prowess, which appeared to have some effect on his game during a surprising pre-season start where he averaged 15.5 points over six exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
s. Starter Scott Burrell entered the season on the injured list nursing a torn Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
, forcing the newly acquired shooting guard Glen Rice
Glen Rice
Glen Anthony Rice is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. The 6'8" tall Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star guard/forward, ranking 11th in NBA history with 1,559 three-point field goals made during his 15-year career. As a player, Rice won an NCAA Men's Division...
to switch positions and replace Burrell as the squad's starting small forward. Charlotte took a chance with tapping Hancock to temporarily fill the void at the starting shooting guard position in the meantime. He appeared in four starts during the middle of November, averaging five points and two rebounds. However Burrell returned to the starting lineup later in the month, relegating Hancock back to the bench. Darrin Hancock saw limited playing time in about half of all regular season games through the end of December but recorded an NBA career high of 16 points during an away game against the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The now second-year NBA swingman began to see a dramatic increase in playing time after Burrell suffered a season-ending dislocated shoulder
Dislocated shoulder
A dislocated shoulder occurs when the humerus separates from the scapula at the glenohumeral joint. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and as a result is particularly susceptible to dislocation and subluxation. Approximately half of major joint...
on New Year's Eve. This time around Charlotte went with Dell Curry
Dell Curry
Wardell Stephen "Dell" Curry is a retired American professional basketball player at the shooting guard and the small forward positions who received his education from Fort Defiance High School in Virginia and Virginia Tech. He then played in the National Basketball Association from 1986 until 2002...
as the team's new replacement starting shooting guard, designating Hancock as the Hornets' primary guard-forward swingman reserve. Hancock finished the season with a total average of 13.3 minutes per game in 63 games. Despite seeing more time on the court, Hancock was unable to carry over his pre-season offensive exploits into the regular season and settled instead for a 4.3 points per game average. The Charlotte Hornets, playing their first year without star Alonzo Mourning, had also seen better times after failing to make the playoffs with a 41-41 record. The Hornets decided not to re-sign Hancock at the end of his two year contract, making the former Hornet a marketable free agent soon thereafter.
Bucks–Hawks–Spurs
Darrin Hancock was signed by the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
on October 3, 1996 and his strong defensive front court presence helped the former Hornet survive the team's off-season cuts. He averaged 4.8 points and 14.8 minutes in six pre-season contests and eventually made the team's roster for the start of the 1996–97 season. However Milwaukee head coach Chris Ford struggled to work Hancock into his playbook and as a result the newly acquired Buck saw scarce minutes on the floor, averaging 4.3 minutes per game as small forward reserve. He was traded along with a conditional second round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in exchange for Chucky Brown
Chucky Brown
Clarence "Chucky" Brown is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward from North Carolina State, Brown was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft...
after playing in only nine games for Milwaukee. Hancock remained inactive on the Suns' injured list with bruised knees and was waived a week later on December 11, 1996.
However Hancock’s future soon looked promising when Tyrone Corbin
Tyrone Corbin
Tyrone Kennedy Corbin is the head coach of the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association. He was installed as head coach on February 10, 2011 following the resignation of longtime coach Jerry Sloan....
, the Atlanta Hawks’ starting small forward, went down with a sprained left ankle in late December. The organization took interest in the native Georgian, who was looking to rebound back into the league after having recently been dropped by the Suns. Hancock, who at the time was conveniently residing in Atlanta, accepted his hometown team’s eventual offer. The Hawks signed Henry James
Henry James (basketball)
Henry Charles James is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Undrafted out of St...
and later added Hancock on January 2, 1997, handing Corbin’s starting role over to James while assigning Hancock as the team’s backup small forward. However Darrin Hancock only saw scarce time on the court during his stay with Atlanta, playing a total of 10 minutes in two games. Just five days after joining the Hawks, the team released Hancock in order to re-activate Tyrone Corbin from the injured list.
However the dismissal did not prevent Hancock from returning to the court. He soon found an opportunity to in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA)
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
when the Omaha Racers offered Hancock a deal to play for the team in late January. Hancock averaged 14 points and 3.5 rebounds in his first two games with the Racers. Hancock departed the CBA soon thereafter and found his way back into the big leagues on a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
on January 29, 1997, joining his fifth NBA team in three seasons. Hancock donned a Spurs uniform for only eight minutes during a road game against the Philadelphia 76ers before San Antonio decided against re-signing his 10-day contract in favor for re-signing teammate Jamie Feick
Jamie Feick
Jamie Feick is retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round of the 1996 NBA Draft. A 6'9" center from Michigan State University, Feick played in five NBA seasons from 1996 to 2001...
. Hancock was offered a 10-day contract in March to return to Atlanta, where he finished the remainder of season as a Hawk.
Personal
Darrin Hancock is the father of Darrin “Buck” Hancock Jr., a recruited college football running back at Garden City Community College as of 2010 and formerly a preseason All-Region 4-AAAA standout running back at Griffin High School.Awards and accomplishments
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Boys Class AAAA All-State First Team (1987–88)
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Year (1988)
- 1988 Mr. Georgia Basketball
- 2× Parade MagazineParade (magazine)Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-American First Team (1988–89, 1989–90) - Dapper Dan Roundball ClassicRoundball ClassicThe Roundball Classic, originally known as The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic is well known in the sports world as the first national high school All Star basketball game...
(1990) - McDonald's All-American TeamMcDonald's All-American TeamThe McDonald's All-American Game refers to each of the all-star basketball games played each year for boys' and girls' high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top American and Canadian players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball...
(1990) - U.S. Olympic Festival: Men's Basketball South Team (1990)
- Parade Magazine All-American Second Team (190–91)
- JUCO All-American Third Team (1990–91)
- National Junior College Athletic AssociationNational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
All-American Team (1991–92) - 1991–92 National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year
- 2× All-USBLUnited States Basketball LeagueThe 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:...
Team (2000, 2003) - 2003 USBL Post Season MVP
External links
- Darrin Hancock NBA stats @ basketball-reference.com