Darrell Armstrong

Player profile

Armstrong has been long respected around the NBA for his intensity and hard-nosed defense. In his prime (1998-2000) he not only averaged double digit points per game, but also over two steals a game and over six assists. His defense is even more impressive than his numbers show because of his mastery of drawing charges.

[edit] Early life

Armstrong did not play basketball in high school until his senior year, and did not play again until his junior year of college.[1] Armstrong played college basketball at Fayetteville State University. After college he was not drafted by the NBA, but played in the Global Basketball Association and United States Basketball League as well as in Europe. He began his basketball career for a team in Larnaca, Cyprus called Pezoporikos.[citation needed]

[edit] NBA career

He first signed with the NBA as a free agent for the Orlando Magic in 1995. 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. He subsequently became the starting point guard for the Magic. During his nine years in Orlando, the Magic never posted a losing record, making the post-season seven times. During the 2003 off-season, Armstrong signed with the New Orleans Hornets as a free agent. 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. After appearing in the 2005-2006 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, and signed with the Nets after clearing waivers.[2][3]

[edit] Miscellaneous

Armstrong completed a reverse layup in the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest. The "dunk" was deemed the worst dunk in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history by Kenny Smith.[1]

On July 7, 2003, he 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.[4]

On December 19th, 2005, while he was still with the Dallas Mavericks, Armstrong was fined $1,000 for grabbing a microphone before a Mavs 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.