Derrick Coleman From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. (December 2007) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. Derrick Coleman Position(s): Power forward Jersey #(s): 44 Height: 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) Weight: 230 lb (100 kg) Born: June 21, 1967 (1967-06-21) (age 41) Mobile, Alabama, USA Career information Year(s): 1990–2005 NBA Draft: 1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 College: Syracuse Professional team(s) New Jersey Nets (1990-1995) Philadelphia 76ers (1995-1998, 2001-2004) Charlotte Hornets (1998-2001) Detroit Pistons (2004-2005) Career stats Points 12,884 Rebound 7,232 Assists 1,985 Career highlights and awards 1x NBA All-Star (1994) 2x All-NBA Third Team 1991 NBA Rookie of the Year 1991 NBA All-Rookie First Team Medal record Competitor for United States World Championships Gold 1994 Canada USA Derrick D. Coleman (born June 21, 1967, in Mobile, Alabama) is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. Coleman grew up and attended high school in Detroit, Michigan and attended college at Syracuse University. He was selected first overall in the 1990 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Throughout his career, the left-handed Coleman has been an effective low post scorer with a reliable perimeter shooting touch, averaging 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds through his career. 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. However, despite those impressive numbers, Coleman is often regarded as a poster boy for unrealized potential. 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 his questionable attitude (lack of work ethic resulting in excessive weight gain, plus alcohol abuse and general disruptive behavior), and his penchant for injury which saw him play 70 or more games in only four of his 15 NBA seasons. 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] His Syracuse jersey number, 44, was retired on March 5, 2006. He is currently working as a developer and entrepreneur in Detroit, Michigan.[2] Contents [hide] 1 NBA career 2 Legal trouble 3 Personal life 4 See also 5 References 6 External links [edit] NBA career Coleman was drafted in 1990 after a successful college career that was also fueled by controversy due to his reckless behavior. However, 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 1991-1992 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 Croatian Drazen Petrovic, the Nets top player who looked to be on his way to becoming an NBA legend. The addition of coach Chuck Daly, who took the Detroit Pistons to win two NBA championships, was enough to get the Nets a winning record and into the playoffs during the 1992-1993 season. The 1993-1994 season was the peak for Coleman and the Nets during his reign. 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. It would be the only All-Star game that Coleman would ever play in during his NBA career. He played for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.[3] The 1994-1995 season saw the Nets luck start turning downward. Daly left the team and new coach Butch Beard replaced him. Petrovic died in a terrible car accident during the summer of 1993, leaving a huge void in the leadership and shooting guard position for the Nets to fill. Many of the veteran players that were so essential to the Nets success either were traded away, left for other teams through free agency, or retired. Instead, the team was loaded with misfits and lazy players. Coleman was not much help in this department. Expected to step up as a leader and as the new leading scorer in place of Petrovic, Coleman had another 20 points, 10 rebounds season, but seemed to be gliding by in games and not giving a full effort. He had a turbulent relationship with Beard, who criticized Coleman for his lazy work ethic in practice and his ignorance of the conduct and team rules. At the start of training camp one year with the Nets, Beard advised his players to adhere to a dress code or be fined. Coleman outraged Beard by simply handing him a blank check to cover all the fines he promised to pile up. He also had a rocky relationship with teammate Anderson, who felt he wasn't getting enough scoring opportunities because of Coleman. His behavior caused him to be traded away to the Philadelphia 76ers at the beginning of the 1995-1996 season for center Shawn Bradley. During a 1995 game featuring Coleman's Nets and rival Karl Malone's Utah Jazz, Coleman went so far as to call Malone an 'Uncle Tom'.[4][5] Coleman's numbers decreased more and more after his trade from the Nets, and while being a solid role player for the 76ers, the Hornets, and the Detroit Pistons, he was known more for his weight gain, lazy attitude, conduct problems and injury proneness. He also gained a reputation as a "clubhouse cancer", and during the 2000-01 season, when Coleman missed more than half the season through various injuries, the Hornets performed significantly better without Coleman in their lineup (12-22 with Coleman, 34-14 without him). Coleman's career ended during the 2004-2005 season, when he was cut by the Pistons during the season. [edit] Legal trouble Coleman was arrested December 21, 1988, while in Syracuse and charged with criminal mischief in the fourth degree and harassment He later pleaded guilty to harassment and disorderly conduct. In 1995, Coleman was arrested in Detroit and

charged with refusing to move his truck and swearing at a police officer. The jury failed to reach a verdict and the case ended in a mistrial. Coleman along with several others were arrested in 1997 and charged with interfering with a police officer's duty in Detroit. Police said Coleman was released on a $100 bond on the misdemeanor charge. In 1999, Derrick Coleman pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from an incident in a Detroit restaurant. Coleman was accused of urinating in front of patrons at Intermezzo Italian Ristorante and was charged with disorderly conduct. Coleman still denies his guilt and says it was a drink that had spilled on his pants. In July 2002, Coleman was pulled over for driving over 100 mph (160 km/h) and arrested after test results showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.13 percent when he was stopped, over Michigan's then-legal limit of 0.10 percent. Coleman was taken into custody by officers who suspected that he had been drinking. Coleman was ticketed for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and refusing to take a breath test. Also in 2002, Coleman surrendered himself to police while a member of the Charlotte Hornets on traffic-violation warrants. Coleman paid $800 and was released from the Mecklenburg County jail a few hours later. Coleman was wanted on charges of driving with a revoked license and using an out-of-state license while his North Carolina license was revoked. Coleman had his license revoked because he refused to take a sobriety test after an accident in October 2001. Coleman was charged after his sport utility vehicle was involved in a late-night wreck with a tractor-trailer in Charlotte. Coleman and a female passenger received facial and head lacerations, and Eldridge Recasner, a reserve shooting guard for the Hornets, almost died after sustaining a broken shoulder and a partially collapsed lung. While Recasner was still in intesive care, Coleman called the wreck a 'freak accident' and said "I'm just happy everybody's OK and that we can look at this particular point in time and laugh and joke about it." Coleman refused to take a blood test after the wreck. Coleman eventually was acquitted of the drunken driving charges due to a mistrial. [edit] Personal life Coleman attended Detroit Northern High School, graduating in 1986. The school was closed in 2008 in a cost saving measure by Detroit Public Schools. Coleman has maintained a residence in the Detroit area since the start of his pro career, which over time has included a space in the Riverfront Towers and several homes within Detroit city limits.[6] He currently resides in Beverly Hills, Michigan. [7] Coleman considers Dave Bing a personal mentor of his.[citation needed] The two first met when Coleman was 14 and a freshman in high school, and remain friends.[8] Coleman and Bing both have business interests in Detroit, and have been active in recruiting new business to the city. Coleman most recently opened the first Tim Hortons within Detroit city limits, located in the Millender Center.[9] [edit] See also List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds [edit] References ^ SI.com, NBA Draft Busts #17 ^ Hoop hopes: Ex-NBA star aids neglected neighborhood Detroit Free Press ^ 1994 USA Basketball ^ This article is unavailable - HighBeam Research ^ PRO BASKETBALL; Coleman Speaks, And Beard Cringes - New York Times ^ [1] ^ [2] ^ [3] ^ [4] [edit] External links NBA Playerfile nba.com/historical/playerfile Derrick Coleman Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com OrangeHoops Profile on Derrick Coleman NBA Draft Busts #17 Awards and achievements Preceded by Pervis Ellison NBA first overall draft pick 1990 NBA Draft Succeeded by Larry Johnson Preceded by David Robinson NBA Rookie of the Year 1991 Succeeded by Larry Johnson [show]v • d • e United States squad - 1994 FIBA World Championship Champions - Gold medal 4 Dumars | 5 Price | 6 Coleman | 7 Kemp | 8 Smith | 9 Majerle | 10 Miller | 11 K.Johnson | 12 Wilkins | 13 O'Neal | 14 Mourning | 15 L.Johnson | Coach: Nelson [show]v • d • e1990 NBA Draft First Round Derrick Coleman • Gary Payton • Chris Jackson • Dennis Scott • Kendall Gill • Felton Spencer • Lionel Simmons • Bo Kimble • Willie Burton • Rumeal Robinson • Tyrone Hill • Alec Kessler • Loy Vaught • Travis Mays • Dave Jamerson • Terry Mills • Jerrod Mustaf • Duane Causwell • Dee Brown • Gerald Glass • Jayson Williams • Tate George • Anthony Bonner • Dwayne Schintzius • Alaa Abdelnaby • Lance Blanks • Elden Campbell Second Round Les Jepsen • Toni Kukoč • Carl Herrera • Negele Knight • Brian Oliver • Walter Palmer • Kevin Pritchard • Greg Foster • Trevor Wilson • A. J. English • Jud Buechler • Steve Scheffler • Bimbo Coles • Steve Bardo • Marcus Liberty • Tony Massenburg • Steve Henson • Antonio Davis • Kenny Williams • Derek Strong • Cedric Ceballos • Phil Henderson • Miloš Babić • Tony Smith • Stefano Rusconi • Abdul Shamsid-Deen • Sean Higgins NBA Drafts 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 00 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 [show]v • d • eNational Basketball Association number one overall draft picks 1947: McNeely | 1948: Tonkovich | 1949: Shannon | 1950: Share | 1951: Melchiorre | 1952: Workman | 1953: Felix | 1954: Selvy | 1955: Ricketts | 1956: Green | 1957: Hundley | 1958: Baylor | 1959: Boozer | 1960: Robertson | 1961: Bellamy | 1962: McGill | 1963: Heyman | 1964: Barnes | 1965: Hetzel | 1966: Russell | 1967: Walker | 1968: Hayes | 1969: Alcindor | 1970: Lanier | 1971: Carr | 1972: L. Martin | 1973: Collins | 1974: Walton | 1975: D. Thompson | 1976: Lucas | 1977: Benson | 1978: M. Thompson | 1979: E. Johnson | 1980: Carroll | 1981: Aguirre | 1982: Worthy | 1983: Sampson | 1984: Olajuwon | 1985: Ewing | 1986: Daugherty | 1987: D. Robinson | 1988: Manning | 1989: Ellison | 1990: Coleman | 1991: L. Johnson | 1992: O'Neal | 1993: Webber | 1994: G. Robinson | 1995: Smith | 1996: Iverson | 1997: Duncan | 1998: Olowokandi | 1999: Brand | 2000: K. Martin | 2001: Brown | 2002: Yao | 2003: James | 2004: Howard | 2005: Bogut | 2006: Bargnani | 2007: Oden | 2008: Rose [show]v • d • eNBA Rookie of the Year Award 1953: Meineke | 1954: Felix | 1955: Pettit | 1956: Stokes | 1957: Heinsohn | 1958: Sauldsberry | 1959: Baylor | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Robertson | 1962: Bellamy | 1963: Dischinger | 1964: Lucas | 1965: Reed | 1966: Barry | 1967: Bing | 1968: Monroe | 1969: Unseld | 1970: Alcindor | 1971: Cowens & Petrie | 1972: Wicks | 1973: McAdoo | 1974: DiGregorio | 1975: Wilkes | 1976: Adams | 1977: Dantley | 1978: Davis | 1979: Ford | 1980: Bird | 1981: Griffith | 1982: Williams | 1983: Cummings | 1984: Sampson | 1985: Jordan | 1986: Ewing | 1987: Person | 1988: Jackson | 1989: Richmond | 1990: Robinson | 1991: Coleman | 1992: Johnson | 1993: O'Neal | 1994: Webber | 1995: Hill & Kidd | 1996: Stoudamire | 1997: Iverson | 1998: Duncan | 1999: Carter | 2000: Brand & Francis | 2001: Miller | 2002: Gasol | 2003: Stoudemire | 2004: James | 2005: Okafor | 2006: Paul | 2007: Roy | 2008: Durant Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derrick_Coleman" Categories: 1967 births | African American basketball players | Basketball players from Alabama | United States men's national basketball team members | Charlotte Hornets players | Detroit Pistons players | Living people | McDonald's High School All-Americans | New Jersey Nets draft picks | New Jersey Nets players | People from Mobile, Alabama | People from Detroit, Michigan | Philadelphia 76ers players | Syracuse Orange men's basketball players | Power forwards (basketball)