Dennis Boyd (basketball) facts for kids
| No. 11 | |
|---|---|
| Guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 21, 1954 Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Theodore Roosevelt (New York City, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Detroit Mercy (1973–1977) |
| NBA Draft | 1977 / Round: 4 / Pick: 72nd overall |
| Selected by the New Orleans Jazz | |
| Pro career | 1978–1979 |
| Career history | |
| 1978 | Detroit Pistons |
Dennis Boyd (born May 21, 1954) is an American who used to play professional basketball. He was a talented player known for his game-winning shots in college.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Dennis Boyd grew up in New York City. He went to Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx. During his final year there, he was an amazing scorer, averaging 27 points in each game!
After high school, Dennis decided to play college basketball for the University of Detroit. This was in 1973, and a new head coach named Dick Vitale had just joined the team.
Playing for the Titans
Dennis quickly became an important player for the University of Detroit team, known as the Titans. During his four years there (1973-1977), the team won a lot of games. They had a winning record of 72.2%! Coach Vitale brought in other great players who would later play in the NBA, like John Long, Terry Tyler, and Terry Duerod. Together, they built a very strong team.
Dennis played as the team's point guard. This means he was in charge of bringing the ball up the court and setting up plays. In his senior year, he averaged 10.3 points and 7.6 assists per game. He was especially famous for hitting shots that won games at the very last moment!
Big Wins and the NCAA Tournament
In his senior season (1976-77), Dennis helped his team achieve some incredible victories. One time, they beat the #8 ranked Arizona team. Even more famously, the #15 ranked Titans played against the #1 team in the country, Marquette. Marquette eventually won the national championship that year, but Dennis Boyd hit a game-winning shot with only 4 seconds left! This shot gave the Titans a thrilling 64-63 victory.
Thanks to their amazing season, the University of Detroit team made it to the 1977 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. This is a huge tournament where the best college teams compete. They won their first game against Middle Tennessee. However, their great season ended when they lost a close game to Michigan with a score of 86-81 in the Sweet Sixteen round.
Professional Basketball Career
After his successful college career, Dennis Boyd hoped to play in the NBA. He was chosen by the New Orleans Jazz in the 4th round of the 1977 NBA draft. He was the 72nd player picked overall. However, he was cut from the team before the regular season started.
In 1978, his former college coach, Dick Vitale, became the head coach for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. Coach Vitale signed Dennis Boyd to play for the Pistons for a short time. Dennis played in 5 NBA games, averaging 5.4 points per game. He even got to play alongside his old college teammates, John Long and Terry Tyler!
Dennis Boyd's time in the NBA was brief. He was released by the Pistons on December 28, 1978. This brought his professional basketball career to an end.
See also
In Spanish: Dennis Boyd para niños
