Dennis Boyd (basketball) facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
| Born | May 21, 1954 Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. |
| 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 was born on May 21, 1954. He is an American who used to play professional basketball. He was a talented player known for his skills on the court.
Contents
Dennis Boyd's Early Basketball Days
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 player, scoring an average of 27 points in each game!
After high school, Dennis decided to play college basketball. He joined the University of Detroit team. This was in 1973, and a new coach named Dick Vitale had just started.
College Success with the Titans
Dennis quickly became a key player for the University of Detroit team, known as the Titans. While he was there, from 1973 to 1977, the team won most of their games. They had a winning percentage of 72.2%, which is really good!
Coach Vitale brought in other great players too, like John Long, Terry Tyler, and Terry Duerod. Together, they made the Titans a very strong team. Dennis played as the point guard, which means he was in charge of bringing the ball up the court and setting up plays.
In his senior year, Dennis averaged 10.3 points and 7.6 assists per game. He was famous for making game-winning shots. One time, in the 1976-77 season, he helped his team beat the #8 ranked Arizona team.
A Historic Win for Detroit
One of Dennis's most famous moments was against the #1 ranked Marquette team. Marquette was expected to win the national championship that year. But Dennis hit a game-winning shot with only 4 seconds left! This helped the Titans win 64–63. It was a huge upset!
After a great season, the University of Detroit team made it to the 1977 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. They reached the "Sweet Sixteen" round. They beat Middle Tennessee in the first game. However, their amazing season ended when they lost to Michigan 86–81.
Dennis Boyd's Professional Career
After college, Dennis Boyd was chosen by the New Orleans Jazz in the 1977 NBA draft. He was the 72nd player picked overall. But he was cut from the team before the season started.
Later, in 1978, his college coach, Dick Vitale, became the head coach for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. Coach Vitale signed Dennis to play for the Pistons for a short time. Dennis played in 5 NBA games, averaging 1.2 points per game. He even played alongside his former college teammates, John Long and Terry Tyler.
Dennis's time in the NBA was brief. He was released by the Pistons on December 28, 1978. This marked the end of his professional basketball career.
See also
In Spanish: Dennis Boyd para niños
