Darrell Armstrong
Armstrong in 2012 at Palau Sant Jordi after a Dallas Mavericks exhibition game against FC Barcelona Bàsquet
Dallas Mavericks
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1968-06-22) June 22, 1968
Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High schoolAshbrook (Gastonia, North Carolina)
CollegeFayetteville State (1988–1991)
NBA draft1991: undrafted
Playing career1991–2008
PositionPoint guard
Number10, 3, 24
Coaching career2009–present
Career history
As player:
1991–1994Atlanta Eagles/Trojans
1992Capital Region Pontiacs
1992–1993South Georgia Blues
1993–1994Pezoporikos Larnaca
1994–1995Ourense
1995–2003Orlando Magic
2003–2004New Orleans Hornets
2004–2006Dallas Mavericks
2006–2007Indiana Pacers
2007–2008New Jersey Nets
As coach:
2009–presentDallas Mavericks (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player
As assistant coach
Career NBA statistics
Points7,712 (9.2 ppg)
Rebounds2,269 (2.7 rpg)
Assists3,394 (4.0 apg)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Darrell Eugene Armstrong (born June 22, 1968) is a former American professional basketball player, who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He is currently an assistant coach for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, who won the championship in the 2010–11 season.

Early life

Armstrong was born in Gastonia, North Carolina and graduated from Ashbrook High School of Gastonia in 1986.[1][2] At Ashbrook, Armstrong was a punter and wide receiver on the football team and began playing basketball as a senior.[3] Armstrong then attended Fayetteville State University, a Division II college in Fayetteville, North Carolina and part of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference, and joined the football team as a walk-on placekicker.[3] Armstrong played football for the 1986 and 1987 seasons and twice kicked school-record 48-yard field goals.[4] In 1988, Armstrong joined the Fayetteville State basketball team and would play three seasons under coach Jeff Capel II.[1] In his senior season of 1990–91, Armstrong played 24 games and averaged 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.[1] Armstrong was the CIAA Slam Dunk champion in 1990 and a first-team All-CIAA selection in 1991.[4][5]

Minor and international leagues (1991–1995)

Armstrong was not selected in the 1991 NBA draft and began his career with the Atlanta Eagles (renamed Trojans in 1994) of the United States Basketball League (USBL) in 1991.[6] Armstrong was named to the USBL All-Defensive team three consecutive seasons from 1992 to 1994, was a second-team All-USBL selection in 1992, and first-team All-USBL selection in 1993 and 1994.[7]

In October 1992, Armstrong signed with the Capital Region Pontiacs of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).[8] Armstrong later played for the South Georgia Blues of the Global Basketball Association until the team folded in 1993.[9] After playing for the Blues, Armstrong returned to Gastonia. He volunteered at Ashbrook High School as an assistant basketball coach and worked the night shift at a yarn factory.[9]

Armstrong signed with Pezoporikos Larnaca of Cyprus in 1993.[6][10] He averaged 32.0 points and 8.0 assists and won Player of the Year honors.[11]

For the 1994–95 season, Armstrong played for Coren Ourense of the Spanish Liga ACB and averaged 24.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He was a ULEB All-Star in 1994.[4][10]

NBA career

Orlando Magic

Armstrong first signed with the NBA as a free agent for the Orlando Magic in late 1994–95, playing in the last 3 games of the regular season with 10 points in 8 minutes of action including a spectacular one-handed reverse windmill dunk late in a blowout vs the Indiana Pacers in his 2nd game. In 95–96 he played just 41 minutes in 13 games, scoring 42 points total; despite his limited minutes, he participated in the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest. He was inactive after February.

He saw 67 games in his first full season on the roster in 1996–97, averaging 6 points per game in 15 minutes per game off the bench. Armstrong won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 1999, thus becoming the first player in NBA history to win both awards simultaneously. In a 1999 game against the Philadelphia 76ers, 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 for the Magic. His career year was in 1999–00, averaging 16.2 ppg in 31 mpg.

On February 14, 2001, Armstrong recorded 22 points and a career-high 16 assists in a 114–101 win over the LA Clippers.[12]

During his nine years in Orlando, the team never posted a losing record, making the post-season seven times.

On July 7, 2003, Armstrong was arrested after an incident outside an Orlando night club. He was subsequently charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, but the case was eventually dismissed.[13]

New Orleans Hornets

During the 2003 off-season, Armstrong signed with the New Orleans Hornets as a free agent.

Dallas Mavericks

He was traded by the Hornets to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dan Dickau and a second round draft pick on December 3, 2004. On December 19, 2005, while he was still with the Dallas Mavericks, Armstrong was fined $1,000 for grabbing a microphone before a Mavericks game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center 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.[14]

Indiana Pacers

After appearing in the 2006 NBA Finals with the Mavericks, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for guard Anthony Johnson in July 2006. Armstrong was released by the Pacers on October 1, 2007.

New Jersey Nets

After being released by the Pacers, Armstrong signed with the New Jersey Nets after clearing waivers.[15][16] He appeared in 50 games in 2007–08, averaging 2.5 ppg in 11.0 minutes, and buried three 3-pointers in his final appearance of the season.

Player profile

Despite his short height, Armstrong had the ability to dunk. He accidentally completed a reverse layup in the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest, which was deemed the worst dunk in the competition's history by Kenny Smith.[17] Subsequently, he was awarded last place in the contest, and was never invited to compete again.

Coaching career

On January 26, 2009, the Dallas Mavericks hired Armstrong to be assistant coach for player development.[18] Armstrong helped coach the Mavericks to win the 2011 NBA Finals.

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 *  Led the league

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1994–95 Orlando 302.7.375.3331.000.31.0.3.03.3
1995–96 Orlando 1303.2.500.5001.000.2.4.5.03.2
1996–97 Orlando 67015.1.383.304.8681.12.6.9.16.1
1997–98 Orlando 481725.8.411.368.8543.34.91.2.19.2
1998–99 Orlando 50*1530.0.441.365.9043.66.72.2.113.8
1999–00 Orlando 8282*31.6.433.340.9113.36.12.1.116.2
2000–01 Orlando 757536.9.412.355.8844.67.01.8.215.9
2001–02 Orlando 827933.3.419.349.8883.95.51.9.112.4
2002–03 Orlando 822328.7.409.336.8783.63.91.6.29.4
2003–04 New Orleans 792228.4.395.315.8542.93.91.7.210.6
2004–05 New Orleans 14929.4.333.243.9053.44.61.1.110.1
2004–05 Dallas 52711.1.305.268.8301.32.2.6.12.3
2005–06 Dallas 62210.0.336.229.7861.31.4.4.12.1
2006–07 Indiana 81415.7.414.336.7851.72.4.9.15.6
2007–08 New Jersey 50211.0.364.333.6671.31.5.6.02.5
Career 84033723.7.409.334.8712.74.01.4.19.2

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1997 Orlando 5028.6.476.333.8464.23.41.6.211.4
1999 Orlando 4440.8.370.3751.0005.06.32.2.014.8
2001 Orlando 4441.8.378.368.9235.54.82.0.513.3
2002 Orlando 4439.5.476.235.8102.83.31.2.015.3
2003 Orlando 7132.3.455.333.9092.43.7.9.09.4
2004 New Orleans 7021.4.235.2001.0002.12.3.9.03.4
2005 Dallas 907.3.500.250.000.41.0.3.22.0
2006 Dallas 1104.3.200.0001.000.6.2.3.1.7
Career 511322.0.398.287.9002.32.5.9.16.8

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Darrell Armstrong". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  2. ↑ Walker, Richard (November 13, 2012). "Gastonia's Armstrong still enjoying basketball, coaching in the NBA". Gaston Gazette. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Burns, Marty (March 1, 1999). "A Player with an Extra Kick". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "Darrell Armstrong bio". National Basketball Association. Archived from the original on February 15, 2004. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  5. ↑ Schmitz, Brian (February 6, 1996). "Memories Of Crank To Carry Armstrong at Slam-dunk Contest". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Darrell Armstrong". HoopsHype.com. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  7. ↑ "History of the United States Basketball League". Association for Professional Basketball Research. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Transactions: Weekend". The New York Times. October 5, 1992. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  9. 1 2 Schmitz, Brian (April 26, 2002). "Darrell Armstrong Is Strong Role Model For Never Saying, 'I Can't'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Darrell Armstrong" (in Spanish). Liga ACB. Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Darrell Armstrong bio". National Basketball Association. Archived from the original on February 15, 2004.
  12. ↑ "Los Angeles Clippers at Orlando Magic Box Score, February 14, 2001". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  13. ↑ Judge dismisses case on second day
  14. ↑ Armstrong fined $1,000 for cheering Redskins
  15. ↑ Point guard Armstrong picks Nets Archived December 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, October 4, 2007
  16. ↑ New Jersey adds depth to backcourt with guard Darrell Armstrong Archived May 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, October 5, 2007
  17. ↑ Armstrong dunk on youtube
  18. ↑ Sefko, Eddie (January 27, 2009). "Armstrong to join Dallas Mavericks' coaching staff". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009.
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