Adrian Dantley

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Adrian Dantley

| image = Adrian Dantley (38259978012) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Dantley in 2017

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1955|2|28}}

| birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 208

| high_school = DeMatha Catholic
(Hyattsville, Maryland)

| college = Notre Dame (1973–1976)

| draft_year = 1976

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 6

| draft_team = Buffalo Braves

| career_start = 1976

| career_end = 1992

| career_position = Small forward

| career_number = 44, 4, 45, 7

| coach_start = 2003

| coach_end = 2011

| years1 = {{nbay|1976|full=y}}

| team1 = Buffalo Braves

| years2 = {{nbay|1977|start}}

| team2 = Indiana Pacers

| years3 = {{nbay|1977|start}}–{{nbay|1978|end}}

| team3 = Los Angeles Lakers

| years4 = {{nbay|1979|start}}–{{nbay|1985|end}}

| team4 = Utah Jazz

| years5 = {{nbay|1986|start}}–{{nbay|1988|end}}

| team5 = Detroit Pistons

| years6 = {{nbay|1988|end}}–{{nbay|1989|end}}

| team6 = Dallas Mavericks

| years7 = {{nbay|1990|end}}

| team7 = Milwaukee Bucks

| years8 = 1991–1992

| team8 = Aresium Milano

| cyears1 = {{nbay|2003|start}}–{{nbay|2010|end}}

| cteam1 = Denver Nuggets (assistant)

| highlights =

6× NBA All-Star ({{nasg|1980}}–{{nasg|1982}}, {{nasg|1984}}–{{nasg|1986}})
2× All-NBA Second Team ({{nbay|1980|end}}, {{nbay|1983|end}})
NBA Comeback Player of the Year ({{nbay|1983|end}})
NBA Rookie of the Year ({{nbay|1976|end}})
NBA All-Rookie Team ({{nbay|1976|end}})
2× NBA scoring champion ({{nbay|1980|end}}, {{nbay|1983|end}})
No. 4 retired by Utah Jazz
Oscar Robertson Trophy (1976)
2× Consensus first-team All-American (1975, 1976)
Mr. Basketball USA (1973)
First-team Parade All-American (1973)

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 23,177 (24.3 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 5,455 (5.7 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 2,830 (3.0 apg)

| HOF_player = adrian-dantley

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry |{{flagu|United States}}}}

}}

Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player and coach who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).{{cite web | last = Aschburner | first = Steve | title= NBA Legend Dantley Celebrates B-Day With Extra Candle |url=http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/03/01/nba-legend-dantley-celebrates-b-day-with-extra-candle/| date=March 1, 2013| website=NBA.com}} Dantley is a six-time NBA All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and a two-time NBA scoring champion. Dantley finished ninth on the all-time NBA scoring list at the time of his retirement and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. He served as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA from 2003 to 2011. He played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Early years

Dantley attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, where he played under Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten and assistant Terry Truax.{{cite news|title=Dantley named assistant for Towson basketball|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1993-08-20-1993232174-story.html|access-date=March 2, 2018|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=August 20, 1993|quote=Truax was an assistant to Morgan Wootten at DeMatha in 1969–70, during Dantley's career with the Stags.}}

College career

Dantley accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of Notre Dame. He was a consensus first-team All-American in 1974–75 and 1975–76. He ranks second on Notre Dame's career scoring list with 2,223 points and holds the school record for free throws made (615) and free throws attempted (769).

Dantley had a stellar collegiate career for the Fighting Irish. As a freshman, he played an important role in one of the biggest games in college basketball history, Notre Dame's 1974 upset to end UCLA's record 88-game winning streak. That UCLA team, coached by John Wooden, featured Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes (then known as Keith Wilkes), and Dave Meyers.

Dantley led Notre Dame in scoring in 1974–75 (30.4 points per game) and 1975–76 (28.6 points per game), while also leading the team in rebounding those two seasons with marks of 10.2 and 10.1 rebounds per game, respectively. He was also the leading scorer on the 1976 US Olympic team that captured the gold medal in Montreal.

Dantley declared for the 1976 NBA draft after his junior season at Notre Dame. He eventually graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in economics in August 1978.{{cite web|last1=Somogyi|first1=Lou|title=Notre Dame's Adrian Dantley Honored As ACC Legend|url=https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-s-adrian-dantley-honored-as-acc-legend|website=BlueAndGold.com|access-date=April 29, 2018|date=March 12, 2016}}

Professional career

= Buffalo Braves =

Dantley was selected by the Buffalo Braves sixth overall of the 1976 NBA draft. He was named a starter at small forward, averaging 20.3 points per game and became the third Buffalo player in five years to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award when he won it after the 1977 season.

On September 1, 1977, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with forward Mike Bantom, in exchange for shooting guard Billy Knight, who was the league's second-best scorer during the 1976–77 NBA season. Dantley was the first NBA Rookie of the Year to be traded following his rookie season.

= Indiana Pacers =

In the 1977–78 NBA season, he appeared in 23 games and ranked third in the league in scoring with a 26.6 average. On December 13, 1977, with the Pacers needing a bigger presence at center, he was traded along with undersized center Dave Robisch to the Los Angeles Lakers, in exchange for center James Edwards, shooting guard Earl Tatum and cash considerations.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/14/archives/lakers-get-dantley-in-aftermath-of-violent-brawl-high-scorer-takes.html| title=Lakers Get Dantley in Aftermath of Violent Brawl| work=The New York Times| date=December 14, 1977| access-date=April 6, 2020| last1=Goldaper| first1=Sam}}

= Los Angeles Lakers =

In the 1977–78 season, he appeared in 56 games at small forward, finishing second in team scoring behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with an average of 19.4 points, to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest.

In the 1978–79 season, he was hampered by injuries, allowing small forward Jamaal Wilkes to showcase his skills. Dantley still managed to play in 60 games, averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He also displayed an uncanny knack for drawing fouls, leading the league in free throws made with 541 out of 680 attempts.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/14/archives/jazz-trade-haywood-for-lakers-dantley-both-teams-pleased.html| title=Jazz Trade Haywood For Lakers' Dantley| work=The New York Times| date=September 14, 1979| access-date=April 6, 2020}}

On September 13, 1979, the team gambled on the talents of the 26-year-old Wilkes, trading the 23-year-old Dantley to the Utah Jazz before the start of the Lakers' championship season, in exchange for the 31-year-old power forward Spencer Haywood.{{cite web| url=http://projects.latimes.com/lakers/player/adrian-dantley/| title=Adrian Dantley bio| website=Los Angeles Times| access-date=April 6, 2020}}

= Utah Jazz =

In Utah, Dantley reached his peak establishing his reputation as a prolific scorer, twice leading the league in scoring (in 1981 and 1984). He averaged over 30 points per game each season between 1981 and 1984, during which he achieved his single game scoring record: 57 points in a 131–124 win over the Bulls on December 4, 1982.{{cite web |title=Dantley Career High 57 Points versus Bulls |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/dantley-career-high-57-points |website=Statmuse}} Dantley missed 60 games in 1983 after tearing ligaments in his right wrist. In 1984, Dantley recorded his postseason career high in single game scoring, 46 points in a Western Conference Semifinals Game 5 win over the Suns.{{cite web |title=Dantley Playoff Career High 46 Points in WCSF |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/dantley-playoff-career-high-46-points-uta-25835 |website=Statmuse}} However, the Jazz would go on to lose the series.{{cite web |title=1984 NBA Playoffs |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1984.html |website=Basketball Reference}} That offseason, he was named the NBA Comeback Player of the Year.{{cite news|first=Lex|last=Hemphill|title=Dantley is NBA's Comeback Player of Year|date=May 17, 1984|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99520422/ C1], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99525304/ C4]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99520422/|access-date=April 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

In his seven years with the Jazz, Dantley picked up all six of his All-Star appearances and two All-NBA second-team honors. During the 1980 NBA All-Star Game, Dantley was the first Utah Jazz player (since the team moved from New Orleans) to play in an All-Star game, and led the West in scoring with 23 points during a 144–136 loss.{{cite web |title=1980 NBA All-Star Recap |url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-1980 |website=NBA.com}} The total would also be the highest amount Dantley would score in his six All-Star games.{{cite web |title=Adrian Dantley All Star Games |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dantlad01.html#all_star |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=March 16, 2022 |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513012516/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dantlad01.html#all_star |url-status=dead }} Dantley's 1980–1984 seasons include two of the top three and four of the top seven spots in true shooting percentage for players averaging at least 30 points per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.statmuse.com/stories/74c7f3e9-5e52-4c87-9348-2868c159c39f|title=Best true shooting percentage with more than 30 PPG|website=StatMuse}} Dantley's relationship with head coach Frank Layden began to deteriorate when he had held out the first six games of the 1984-85 season and it held grew further on from there. He was sent home for a game after defending rookie Karl Malone in an argument with Layden (after Malone missed free throws late in a game) and was symbolically fined "30 dimes".https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1986/03/10/Utah-Jazz-coach-Frank-Layden-has-fined-rookie-Karl/9742510814800/ Dantley would be forced to miss the entire first round of the 1986 NBA Playoffs due to muscle spasms in his lower back to Layden's dismay, causing him to look for trade destinations for Dantley. In his absence, the Jazz would lose in 4 games to the Dallas Mavericks.

On August 21, 1986, after dispute over his contract negotiations with Layden, he was traded with second-round draft choices in 1987 (#38-Norris Coleman) and 1990 (#49-Phil Henderson) to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for shooting guard Kelly Tripucka and center Kent Benson.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/22/sports/tripucka-traded-by-pistons-for-dantley.html| title=Tripucka Traded By Pistons For Dantley| work=The New York Times| date=August 22, 1986| access-date=April 6, 2020| last1=Goldaper| first1=Sam}} Team president Dave Checketts stated at the time of the trade: "We knew we had to get rid of him and we were never so happy to get rid of a guy in the history of the franchise.”https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2023/01/28/ex-jazz-star-adrian-dantley/ As it turned out, Tripucka and Benson would play a combined three seasons for Utah.

= Detroit Pistons =

In the 1986–87 season, Dantley was still an effective scorer but did not get as many shots with Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson, and Bill Laimbeer all averaging at least 10 points per game. Dantley was knocked unconscious while diving for a loose ball in Game 7 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals.{{Citation|title=Adrian Dantley Knocked Out Cold During Game 7 vs. Celtics (1987)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os_h_RAgs5s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Os_h_RAgs5s |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2020-01-25}}{{cbignore}}

On February 15, 1989, midway through the season he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks along with a 1991 first round draft pick (#19-LaBradford Smith), in exchange for Mark Aguirre, due to what Dantley maintained were conflicts with Thomas, but also reflected Dantley's clashes with head coach Chuck Daly and general manager Jack McCloskey over his demand for a focal point role on offense and more minutes than Dennis Rodman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2014/04/ex-piston_adrian_dantley_calls.html|title=Ex-Piston Adrian Dantley calls Isiah Thomas 'con man' on 105.1-FM show|date=2014-04-19|website=mlive|language=en|access-date=2020-01-25}}

= Final years and retirement =

In the 1989–90 season, he averaged 14.7 points in 45 games with the Dallas Mavericks, before missing the final two months with a broken leg. On April 2, 1990, he was released after playing in two seasons (76 games).

On April 2, 1991, after being out of basketball for most of the season, he signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he played 13 games (3 in the playoffs).{{cite web| url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/404266688/| title=Bucks, Dantley find one another| website=Wisconsin State Journal| date=April 3, 1991| access-date=April 6, 2020}}

On September 18, 1991, Dantley signed with Italian team Breeze Arese for the 1991–92 season.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/19/sports/sports-people-pro-basketball-dantley-goes-to-italy.html| title=SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Dantley Goes to Italy| work=The New York Times| date=September 19, 1991| access-date=April 6, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Pedrick |first1=Clare |title=Dantley Makes Himself at Home in the Italian Game, Lifestyle |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/01/02/dantley-makes-himself-at-home-in-the-italian-game-lifestyle/7663cfeb-ac76-4b29-afce-84d09d4058d6/ |website=The New York Times |access-date=July 22, 2020 |date=January 2, 1992}} He averaged 26.7 points per game.

Player profile

Although listed as a small forward due to his size, Dantley played primarily in the low post, similar to a power forward. Dantley finished his NBA career with an average of 24.3 points per game. He scored his points with a mix of flat-footed mid-range jump shots, high-percentage opportunities close to the basket, and frequent trips to the free throw line. For his career, he shot .540 from the floor—16th in NBA history—and .818 from the free throw line. He led the league in free throws six times and ranks ninth all-time in that category. He shares the record with Wilt Chamberlain for most free throws made in a regular-season NBA game with 28.

One of the all-time great free throw shooters,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/legends/profiles/adrian-dantley|title=Legends profile: Adrian Dantley|last=Staff|first=NBA com|website=NBA.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-23}} he had a set routine of four two-handed dribbles and two spins of the ball before every free throw. In addition, "prior to each free throw, he would recite his mantra from junior high that adept lip readers couldn't mistake: "Over the front rim, backspin, follow through." Fundamentals were not lip service but a way of life for Dantley.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/notre-dame/Article/AD-Thrived-At-ND-63904/|title=A.D. Thrived At N.D.|website=IrishIllustrated.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-23}}

His ability to score in the low post was even more remarkable considering one of his legs is significantly shorter than the other. To compensate for the nearly 2 inch difference in leg length, he wore custom-made inserts in his shoes.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pb0DAAAAMBAJ&q=adrian+dantley+shoes+stolen&pg=PA19|title=Jet|date=1988-07-11|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|language=en}}

NBA career statistics

= Regular season =

| {{nowrap |style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1976}}}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Buffalo

| 77 || – || 36.6 || .520 || – || .818 || 7.6 || 1.9 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 20.3

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1977}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Indiana

| 23 || – || 41.2 || .499 || – || .787 || 9.4 || 2.8 || 2.1 || 0.7 || 26.5

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1977}}

| style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers

| 56 || – || 35.4 || .520 || – || .801 || 7.2 || 3.4 || 1.3 || 0.1 || 19.4

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1978}}

| style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers

| 60 || – || 29.6 || .510 || – || .854 || 5.7 || 2.3 || 1.1 || 0.2 || 17.3

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1979}}