Derrick Coleman

Derrick Demetrius Coleman (born June 21, 1967) is an American former basketball player. Coleman was born in Mobile, Alabama, but grew up and attended high school in Detroit, and attended college at Syracuse University. He was selected first overall in the 1990 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets.

Derrick Coleman

Coleman in 2014
Personal information
Born	June 21, 1967 Mobile, Alabama
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school	Northern (Detroit, Michigan)
College	Syracuse (1986–1990)
NBA draft	1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the New Jersey Nets
Playing career	1990–2005
Position	Power forward / Center
Number	44
Career history
1990–1995	New Jersey Nets
1995–1999	Philadelphia 76ers
1999–2001	Charlotte Hornets
2001–2004	Philadelphia 76ers
2004–2005	Detroit Pistons
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (1994) 2× All-NBA Third Team (1993, 1994) NBA Rookie of the Year (1991) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1991) Consensus first-team All-American (1990) Second-team All-American – UPI (1989) Third-team All-American – NABC (1989) Big East Player of the Year (1990) 3× First-team All-Big East (1988–1990) Third-team All-Big East (1987)
Career NBA statistics
Points	12,884 (16.5 ppg)
Rebounds	7,232 (9.3 rpg)
Blocks	1,051 (1.3 bpg)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Representing  United States World Championships 1994 Canada USA

Throughout his career, the left-handed Coleman was an effective low post scorer, averaging 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. He enjoyed his best years as a member of the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 19.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. When Coleman entered the NBA, he was compared to elite power forwards such as Karl Malone and Charles Barkley, and expected to put up similar numbers, only with the added ability to shoot from three-point range. Instead, his career was overshadowed by numerous injuries. Sports Illustrated once remarked that "Coleman could have been the best power forward ever; instead he played just well enough to ensure his next paycheck."[1]

Coleman's Syracuse jersey number, 44, was retired on March 5, 2006. As of 2007, he was working as a developer and entrepreneur in Detroit.[2] He has also appeared as an occasional studio analyst for NBA TV's "NBA Gametime Live" coverage.

NBA career

Coleman was the first overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft after a successful college career. He had a solid rookie season and went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1991.

Coleman went on to improve during the 1991–92 season, averaging close to 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. The Nets were an up-and-coming team as well, with young players like Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Chris Morris and Mookie Blaylock teaming up with solid veteran players like Sam Bowie, Chris Dudley, Terry Mills and Dražen Petrović. The addition of coach Chuck Daly, who won two NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons as head coach, was enough to get the Nets a winning record and into the playoffs during the 1992–93 season. The 1993–94 season was the peak for Coleman and the Nets during his time with the team. The Nets made it to the playoffs for the third straight season, while Coleman averaged his second straight 20 points, 10 rebounds season and was selected to represent the Nets in the All-Star game along with teammate Kenny Anderson.

He played for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.[3]

During a 1995 game featuring Coleman's Nets and rival Karl Malone's Utah Jazz, Coleman controversially referred to Malone as an 'Uncle Tom'.[4][5]

Coleman's career ended during the 2004–05 season, when he was cut by the Pistons during the season. He was one of nine NBA players that faced suspension for his role in the infamous November 2004 Pacers–Pistons brawl.

Coleman is one of only three players in NBA history to record a five-by-five in a game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds (the other two being Hakeem Olajuwon and Draymond Green).[6]

Post NBA

Coleman purchased a home in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, where he resided until 2010, when he moved to Detroit.[7] After the water crisis began in Flint, Michigan, Coleman drove 65 miles daily to bring residents clean bottled water and eating utensils, which they did not have access to.[8]

NBA career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1990–91	New Jersey	74	68	35.2	.467	.342	.731	10.3	2.2	1.0	1.3	18.4
1991–92	New Jersey	65	58	34.0	.504	.303	.763	9.5	3.2	0.8	1.5	19.8
1992–93	New Jersey	76	73	36.3	.460	.232	.808	11.2	3.6	1.2	1.7	20.7
1993–94	New Jersey	77	77	36.1	.447	.314	.774	11.3	3.4	0.9	1.8	20.2
1994–95	New Jersey	56	54	37.6	.424	.233	.767	10.6	3.3	0.6	1.7	20.5
1995–96	Philadelphia	11	11	26.7	.407	.333	.625	6.5	2.8	0.4	0.9	11.2
1996–97	Philadelphia	57	54	36.9	.435	.269	.745	10.1	3.4	0.9	1.3	18.1
1997–98	Philadelphia	59	58	36.2	.411	.265	.772	9.9	2.5	0.8	1.2	17.6
1998–99	Charlotte	37	29	31.8	.414	.212	.753	8.9	2.1	0.6	1.1	13.1
1999–2000	Charlotte	74	64	31.7	.456	.362	.785	8.5	2.4	0.5	1.8	16.7
2000–01	Charlotte	34	3	20.1	.380	.392	.685	5.4	1.1	0.3	0.6	8.1
2001–02	Philadelphia	58	58	35.9	.450	.337	.815	8.8	1.7	0.7	0.9	15.1
2002–03	Philadelphia	64	35	27.2	.448	.328	.784	7.0	1.4	0.8	1.1	9.4
2003–04	Philadelphia	34	30	24.8	.413	.222	.754	5.6	1.4	0.7	0.8	8.0
2004–05	Detroit	5	0	10.0	.214	.000	1.000	3.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.8
Career		781	672	33.2	.447	.295	.769	9.3	2.5	0.8	1.3	16.5
All-Star		1	1	18.0	.167	.000	–	3.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	2.0

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1992	New Jersey	4	4	40.5	.486	.167	.762	11.3	5.3	1.8	1.0	22.3
1993	New Jersey	5	5	45.0	.532	.417	.806	13.4	4.6	1.2	2.6	26.8
1994	New Jersey	4	4	43.3	.397	.556	.780	14.3	2.5	0.5	1.3	24.5
2000	Charlotte	4	4	42.3	.474	.313	.786	12.5	3.5	0.8	3.0	20.3
2001	Charlotte	5	0	17.6	.265	.250	.778	5.0	1.2	0.8	0.4	5.4
2002	Philadelphia	5	5	38.2	.524	.308	.800	9.2	2.0	0.2	1.4	12.8
2003	Philadelphia	12	12	37.4	.500	.400	.872	8.0	2.0	0.6	1.3	13.6
Career		39	34	37.4	.472	.351	.806	9.9	2.8	0.8	1.5	16.8

See also

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders

References

1. SI.com, NBA Draft Busts #17
2. Hoop hopes: Ex-NBA star aids neglected neighborhood Detroit Free Press
3. "1994 USA Basketball". Archived from the original on June 29, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2008.
4. This article is unavailable - HighBeam Research
5. PRO BASKETBALL; Coleman Speaks, And Beard Cringes - New York Times
6. http://nbahoopsonline.com/History/Records/5x5.html
7. Staff. "Score big at the Derrick Coleman Estate sale", The Detroit News, January 15, 2009. Accessed January 28, 2011. "We're selling the entire contents of Derrick's Franklin Lakes NJ home at 75 percent off says Coleman's longtime interior designer Mark Morganroth."
8. How former NBA bust Derrick Coleman became a hero

External links

• nba.com/historical/playerfile
• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com  or Basketball-Reference.com