Darrall Imhoff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Darrall Imhoff

Imhoff c. 1970
Personal information
Born	(1938-10-11)October 11, 1938 San Gabriel, California
Nationality	American
Died	June 30, 2017(2017-06-30) (aged 78) Bend, Oregon
High school	Alhambra (Alhambra, California)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	California (1957–1960)
NBA Draft	1960 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Pro career	1960–1972
Career history
1960–1962	New York Knicks
1962–1964	Detroit Pistons
1964–1968	Los Angeles Lakers
1968–1970	Philadelphia 76ers
1970–1971	Cincinnati Royals
1971–1972	Portland Trail Blazers
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (1967) NCAA champion (1959) Consensus first-team All-American (1960) 2× First-team All-AAWU (1959, 1960) No. 40 retired by California Golden Bears
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  United States Summer Olympics Gold 1960 Rome Team competition

Darrall Tucker Imhoff (born October 11, 1938 – died June 30, 2017) was a talented American professional basketball player. He played for 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with six different teams, from 1960 to 1972. Darrall was an NBA All-Star and also won a gold medal at the Olympics. Many remember him as one of the players who tried to guard the legendary Wilt Chamberlain during his famous 100-point game in 1962.

Darrall Imhoff's Early Life

Darrall Imhoff was born on October 11, 1938. His parents were Clark and Lorraine Imhoff. He grew up in a town called San Gabriel, California. He went to Alhambra High School in Alhambra, California.

College Basketball Career

Darrall started his college basketball journey at the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the team as a "walk-on," meaning he wasn't offered a scholarship at first. But he worked hard and became a two-time All-American player.

Winning the NCAA Championship

In 1959, Darrall was the top rebounder on the NCAA championship team. He even scored the winning basket with only 17 seconds left in the game! The next year, in 1960, he was the main scorer and rebounder for his team, which made it to the NCAA finals again.

Darrall was known for blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. His coach, Pete Newell, built the team around Darrall's skills. In 1959, his team, the California Golden Bears, beat Jerry West's West Virginia University team. In 1960, Darrall led the best defense in the country. His team reached the NCAA finals but lost to Jerry Lucas and Ohio State.

College Honors and Legacy

Darrall Imhoff was honored many times for his college achievements.

• He was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
• In 2005, he joined the Pac-10 Hall of Honor.
• His jersey number 40 was retired by the California Golden Bears in 2009. This means no other player at Cal will wear that number.

During his 75 college games, Darrall averaged 10.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

1960 Olympic Gold Medal

In 1960, Darrall was about to start his professional NBA career. His college coach, Pete Newell, was also the coach for the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Coach Newell added Darrall to the 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team for the Summer Olympic Games in Rome.

The Olympic team was full of future Hall of Fame players like Walt Bellamy, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jerry Lucas, and Bob Boozer. Darrall played in 8 games, averaging 4.5 points, as Team USA won the Gold Medal.

In 2011, the entire 1960 U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team and their coaches were inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Darrall Imhoff's NBA Career

Darrall Imhoff played in the NBA for 12 seasons. He was known for his strong defense and rebounding.

New York Knicks (1960–1962)

Darrall was a very talked-about player when he was picked third overall in the 1960 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Fans were excited, hoping he would help the team become a championship contender.

However, the pressure was tough, and his first season didn't go as well as hoped. He became a backup player. In March 1962, Darrall was the starting center in the famous game where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. After that season, Darrall was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit Pistons (1962–1964)

Darrall kept working hard to improve his game, even though his shooting skills weren't the best in the NBA. He started getting more playing time with the Pistons. In 1964, he was traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles Lakers (1964–1968)

With the Lakers, Darrall joined a team with big stars like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. He became a valuable reserve player, helping the team win the Western Division and reach the NBA Finals in 1965. The Lakers were impressed and made him a starter the next season. They reached the Finals again but lost to the Boston Celtics.

In the 1966–67 season, Darrall had a great year. He averaged 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 assists per game as a starter. This strong performance earned him a spot on the 1967 NBA All-Star Team. After the 1967-68 season, Darrall was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a deal that brought Wilt Chamberlain to the Lakers.

Philadelphia 76ers (1968–1970)

With the Philadelphia 76ers, Darrall continued to play well. The 76ers were a strong team, reaching the playoffs in both seasons he was there. In the 1969–70 campaign, he was a starter and played against future legend Lew Alcindor (who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

Cincinnati Royals (1970–1971)

Darrall was traded to the Cincinnati Royals at the start of the 1970–71 season. He became their starting center until he suffered a serious knee injury that required surgery. He re-injured his knee the next season, which led to him being released from the team.

Portland Trail Blazers (1971–1972)

The Portland Trail Blazers signed Darrall for the rest of the 1971–72 season. He finished his career with Portland in 1972. Darrall retired due to his knee injury and had another surgery in 1973.

NBA Career Summary

In his 801 NBA games over 12 seasons, Darrall Imhoff averaged 7.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

Life After Basketball

After retiring from basketball, Darrall Imhoff lived in Hillsboro and Eugene, Oregon. He worked as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at the United States Basketball Academy (USBA). This was a well-known basketball camp in Oregon.

He was also involved in many community activities, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Rotary International.

Darrall was married to Susan and had three daughters (Karen, Diana, and Nancy) and two sons (David and Robert). His daughter Nancy was inducted into the Idaho State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. His grandson, Damon Jones, is a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball.

Darrall Imhoff passed away on June 30, 2017, in Bend, Oregon, from a heart attack. He was 78 years old.

Honors and Achievements

Darrall Imhoff received many honors for his basketball career:

• He was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
• In 2005, he was honored in the Pac-10 Hall of Honor.
• His college jersey number 40 was retired by the California Golden Bears in 2009.
• In 2011, the entire 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team and their coaching staff were inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Darrall Imhoff para niños