Darrell Griffith
Encyclopedia
Darrell Steven Griffith (born June 16, 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky
), also known by his nickname Dr. Dunkenstein, is a retired American
basketball
player who spent his entire professional career with the Utah Jazz
of the National Basketball Association
.
and was heavily recruited by colleges all across the country. He decided to attend his hometown school, the University of Louisville
, much to the delight of local fans.
He didn't disappoint, delivering the school's first-ever NCAA men's basketball championship
in 1980. He scored 23 points in the Cardinals
' 59-54 victory over UCLA in the championship game. Due to his strong performance, he was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four
. Griffith totaled 825 points in his senior season, setting a school record. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-American by the Associated Press
and was given the Wooden Award as the best college basketball player in the nation. He left college as Louisville's all-time leading scorer with 2,333 points in his career. His jersey number, 35, was retired during ceremonies after the 1980 season.
. The Jazz had recently moved to Salt Lake City from New Orleans, and the team needed a star to replace legendary shooting guard Pete Maravich
. Griffith accepted the challenge, averaging 20.6 points per game in his first season and earning the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.
For the next four seasons, Griffith teamed with small forward Adrian Dantley
to form one of the highest-scoring duos in the league. With defensive support from center Mark Eaton
and point guard Rickey Green
, the Jazz improved dramatically, winning the Midwest Division
title in 1983-84 and qualifying for the NBA playoffs for the first time ever. Individually, Griffith transformed his offensive game, adding long-distance shooting skills to his aerial acrobatics. He led the league in three-point shooting (36.1 percent) and set an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single season (91). His new abilities earned him a new nickname: Utah's play-by-play announcer Hot Rod Hundley began calling him "The Golden Griff".
The following season (1984–85) was the best of Griffith's career. He averaged a career-high 22.6 points per game, and broke his own league record by sinking 92 three-point shots. During the year, he passed Joey Hassett as the all-time NBA leader for most career three-pointers. He also continued his high-flying ways, representing the Jazz in the 1985 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
However, the team changed dramatically in the late 1980s with the emergence of Karl Malone
and John Stockton
as Utah's top offensive weapons. Dantley was traded away and Griffith suffered from injuries, eventually losing his starting position in 1986. He managed to re-claim his starting spot for most of the 1988-89 season, but lost it permanently the following year. His playing time gradually decreased until his retirement in 1991. He scored 12,391 total points over the course of his 10-year professional career - all with the Jazz. The franchise recognized his contributions by retiring his jersey number 35 on December 4, 1993.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
), also known by his nickname Dr. Dunkenstein, is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 spent his entire professional career with 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...
of 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...
.
High School and College
Griffith starred at Louisville Male High SchoolLouisville Male High School
Louisville Male Traditional High School is a public secondary school serving students in grades 9 through 12 in the southside of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is part of the Jefferson County Public School District....
and was heavily recruited by colleges all across the country. He decided to attend his hometown school, the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, much to the delight of local fans.
He didn't disappoint, delivering the school's first-ever NCAA men's basketball championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in 1980. He scored 23 points in the Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
' 59-54 victory over UCLA in the championship game. Due to his strong performance, he was named Most Outstanding Player of the 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...
. Griffith totaled 825 points in his senior season, setting a school record. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-American by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and was given the Wooden Award as the best college basketball player in the nation. He left college as Louisville's all-time leading scorer with 2,333 points in his career. His jersey number, 35, was retired during ceremonies after the 1980 season.
Professional career
Utah selected Griffith with the second overall pick in the 1980 NBA Draft1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
. The Jazz had recently moved to Salt Lake City from New Orleans, and the team needed a star to replace legendary shooting guard Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
. Griffith accepted the challenge, averaging 20.6 points per game in his first season and earning the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.
For the next four seasons, Griffith teamed with small forward Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Delano Dantley is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, including seven as a member of the Utah Jazz. A forward/guard and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008...
to form one of the highest-scoring duos in the league. With defensive support from center Mark Eaton
Mark Eaton (basketball)
Mark E. Eaton is a retired American professional basketball player who was a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame and his strong defense...
and point guard Rickey Green
Rickey Green
Rickey Green is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. The 6'0" and 170 lb point guard from the University of Michigan and Vincennes University was selected with the 16th pick in the 1977 NBA Draft, and competed in 14 seasons, playing for the Golden State Warriors, Detroit...
, the Jazz improved dramatically, winning the Midwest Division
Midwest Division (NBA)
The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail...
title in 1983-84 and qualifying for the NBA playoffs for the first time ever. Individually, Griffith transformed his offensive game, adding long-distance shooting skills to his aerial acrobatics. He led the league in three-point shooting (36.1 percent) and set an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single season (91). His new abilities earned him a new nickname: Utah's play-by-play announcer Hot Rod Hundley began calling him "The Golden Griff".
The following season (1984–85) was the best of Griffith's career. He averaged a career-high 22.6 points per game, and broke his own league record by sinking 92 three-point shots. During the year, he passed Joey Hassett as the all-time NBA leader for most career three-pointers. He also continued his high-flying ways, representing the Jazz in the 1985 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
However, the team changed dramatically in the late 1980s with the emergence of Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
and John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
as Utah's top offensive weapons. Dantley was traded away and Griffith suffered from injuries, eventually losing his starting position in 1986. He managed to re-claim his starting spot for most of the 1988-89 season, but lost it permanently the following year. His playing time gradually decreased until his retirement in 1991. He scored 12,391 total points over the course of his 10-year professional career - all with the Jazz. The franchise recognized his contributions by retiring his jersey number 35 on December 4, 1993.