Darrall Imhoff
Darrall Imhoff | |
|---|---|
| Born | Darrall Tucker Imhoff 11 October 1938 San Gabriel, California, U.S. |
| Died | 30 June 2017 (aged 78) |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player |
| Years active | 1960–1972 |
| Known for | NBA All-Star, member of 1960 Olympic Gold medal-winning basketball team |
Darrall Tucker Imhoff (October 11, 1938 – June 30, 2017) was a professional basketball athlete from the United States who competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) over a span of 12 seasons, representing six different franchises between 1960 and 1972. Recognized as an NBA All-Star and a member of the 1960 Olympic Gold medal-winning team, he is famously remembered for his defensive role against Wilt Chamberlain during the legendary 100-point performance in 1962.
Early life
Born to parents Clark and Lorraine (Tucker) Imhoff on October 11, 1938, Imhoff was raised in San Gabriel, California. He attended Alhambra High School, where he played as a center on the school's basketball squad.
College career
Imhoff joined the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) basketball team initially as a walk-on. He evolved into a two-time All-American and served as the leading rebounder on Cal’s 1959 NCAA championship-winning squad, famously scoring the game-winning shot in the final. During the 1960 season, he led Cal’s NCAA runner-up team in both scoring (13.7 points per game) and rebounds (12.4 per game), while also being a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team that year.
Renowned for his abilities in shot blocking and rebounding, Imhoff was a defensive anchor for coach Pete Newell’s NCAA champion Cal team. Newell attributed their triumph to strong team cohesion and mutual respect among players. The 1958-59 Cal team boasted the nation’s top defense, limiting opponents to just 51 points per contest. In the semifinal against Cincinnati and star player Oscar Robertson, Imhoff contributed 22 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to secure victory. In the championship game, Cal edged out Jerry West's West Virginia squad 71–70, with Imhoff delivering the critical put-back basket.
Imhoff, along with Robertson and West, earned spots on the NCAA tournament’s all-first team; Robertson and West would later be inducted into the Hall of Fame and achieve NBA stardom. Imhoff received second-team All-American recognition in 1959 and was named first-team All-Pac-10. Some evaluations ranked him among the nation’s elite collegiate players that year.
In the 1959-60 season prior to tournament play, Cal’s defense allowed an average of only 48.2 points per game, with Imhoff (standing 6 ft 10 in tall and weighing 235 lbs) serving as their defensive linchpin. Coach Newell described him as the "main spring" behind their defensive strength. Cal advanced again to the finals after defeating Cincinnati but ultimately fell to Ohio State, featuring future Hall of Famers Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek.
Imhoff attained Associated Press first-team All-American honors in 1960 alongside Lucas, Robertson, West, and Tony Jackson, securing consensus first-team All-American status. Subsequently, he joined Lucas, West, and Robertson on the U.S. Olympic squad that year. He repeated as first-team All-Pac-10 and was honored as Cal’s Most Valuable Player.
He earned either two First Team All-American selections or a combination of second-team in 1959 followed by first-team in 1960. Additionally, he was affiliated with Berkeley’s Nu chapter of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.
Imhoff was inducted into Cal’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 and later into the Pac-10 Hall of Honor in 2005. His jersey number 40 was retired at Haas Pavilion on February 14, 2009.
Throughout his collegiate career spanning 75 games at Cal, Imhoff averaged a double-double with 10.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest.
1960 Olympics
As a senior preparing to enter the NBA in 1960, Imhoff participated in tryouts for the 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team ahead of the Summer Olympics. These tryouts featured NCAA collegiate all-stars under the guidance of future Hall of Fame coach Pete Newell, alongside AAU squads and Armed Forces all-star groups. Newell ultimately selected Imhoff from the college players to join the Olympic roster.
The team roster boasted future Hall of Famers such as Walt Bellamy, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jerry Lucas, and Bob Boozer from the Peoria Caterpillars AAU team, in addition to Adrian Smith representing the Armed Forces. Interestingly, prominent college players John Havlicek and Lenny Wilkens were not included on the final squad.
During the competition in Rome, Imhoff and Bellamy shared duties at center and power forward positions, particularly facing off against the towering Soviet national team. The U.S. squad exhibited dominance by winning all eight contests with an average margin exceeding 40 points. Their victories included an 81–57 triumph over the Soviet Union and a 90–63 gold medal-clinching win against Brazil. The Naismith Hall of Fame has recognized this lineup as possibly the greatest amateur basketball team ever assembled. Imhoff contributed an average of 4.5 points per game while helping Team USA secure the gold medal.
In 2011, the entire 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team along with its coaching staff received induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
New York Knicks
Imhoff was among the most talked-about selections in the 1960 NBA draft. Chosen third overall by the New York Knicks, he became their first pick that year, generating considerable anticipation. Selected immediately after All-Americans and future Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson (first pick) and Jerry West (second pick), Imhoff was regarded as one of the draft’s premier prospects. Although not projected as a primary scorer, his agility and rebounding skills were seen as assets to counteract dominant centers like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
The Knicks already featured stars such as Richie Guerin and Willie Naulls, so Imhoff was expected to enhance their defense and rebounding alongside these offensive leaders. However, his rookie campaign did not meet expectations; New York finished with a disappointing 21–58 record. Imhoff averaged 16 minutes per game, collecting 4.8 rebounds and 4.7 points while serving as backup center behind Phil Jordon. Meanwhile, Robertson earned Rookie of the Year honors with averages of 30.5 points, 9.7 assists, and 10.1 rebounds per contest; West was named an all-star after averaging 17.6 points per game.
In his sophomore season, Imhoff showed modest improvement, posting averages of 5.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in nearly 20 minutes per game but remained a reserve player. A notable moment came when he started in March 1962 during Wilt Chamberlain’s historic 100-point game. Despite some assumptions, Imhoff played only about 20 minutes due to foul trouble, with Chamberlain scoring most of those points while Imhoff was on the bench. Chamberlain himself acknowledged that Imhoff was among the best defenders he faced.
Following that season, Imhoff was traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for All-Star guard Gene Shue.
Detroit Pistons
Though his shooting ability remained limited, Imhoff continued to develop and earned increased playing time before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1964. During the 1962-63 season with Detroit, he served primarily as backup center behind Bob Ferry, averaging 2.7 points and 3.4 rebounds across 10.2 minutes per game. The subsequent season saw his production rise to averages of 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds while playing approximately 15 minutes each contest.
Los Angeles Lakers
In April 1964, the Lakers secured Imhoff's contract from the Pistons. During the 1964-65 campaign, he divided the center position with LeRoy Ellis and Gene Wiley, averaging five points and 6.6 rebounds over 20 minutes per contest. Amid a lineup featuring luminaries such as Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, Imhoff served as a dependable reserve on a squad that captured the NBA Western Division title and advanced to the 1965 NBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics. He contributed averages of 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds during the Western Division Finals.
Impressed by his contributions, the Lakers designated Imhoff as a starter the following season; however, injuries curtailed his playing time as Ellis and Wiley received more minutes. The team once again clinched the Western Division but ultimately finished second to the Celtics.
Following trades involving Ellis and Wiley, Imhoff secured a consistent starting role in the 1966–67 NBA season. He achieved career-best statistics, averaging 10.7 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2 blocks per game, which earned him his sole NBA All-Star appearance in 1967. Despite his strong individual performance, the Lakers were swept by the Golden State Warriors during the playoffs.
In the 1967–68 season, Imhoff shared center responsibilities with Erwin Mueller, posting reduced averages of 9.3 points and 10.9 rebounds across 27.7 minutes per game. Subsequently, the Lakers traded Imhoff alongside Archie Clark and Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia in exchange for Wilt Chamberlain, then the reigning NBA MVP and future Hall of Famer. Though initially reluctant to report to Philadelphia, Imhoff acknowledged Chamberlain as "the greatest offensive player who ever was invented for this game."
Philadelphia 76ers
76ers coach and general manager Jack Ramsay persuaded the then-30-year-old Imhoff—who had reservations about playing time and relocation—to join Philadelphia by assuring him opportunities on court. Imhoff relocated his family to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, settling concerns about moving. He commenced the 1968–69 campaign as backup center behind Luke Jackson. After Jackson suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon after 25 games, Imhoff assumed the starting role. He participated in every game that season, averaging 9.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest.
The 76ers concluded second in the Eastern Division but were ousted by the Boston Celtics during the playoffs. Despite this outcome, Imhoff performed exceptionally well, averaging 18.2 points and 16.4 rebounds over an average of 38.2 minutes per game.
During the 1969–70 season, Imhoff maintained a starting position and achieved career-high averages of 13.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Philadelphia advanced to the postseason but was eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Lew Alcindor.
Cincinnati Royals
At the outset of the 1970–71 season, Imhoff was traded from Philadelphia to the Cincinnati Royals in exchange for center Connie Dierking, Fred Foster, and a second-round draft pick. He took on starting center duties while sharing playing time with rookie Sam Lacey. In January 1971, Imhoff sustained a knee injury involving torn cartilage and an ACL tear that necessitated surgical intervention. After re-injuring this knee early in the subsequent season, he was placed on waivers.
Portland Trail Blazers
Imhoff joined the Portland Trail Blazers as a free agent to complete the 1971–72 NBA season. Acting as the secondary center behind Dale Schlueter, he participated in 40 contests, posting averages of 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds across slightly more than 10 minutes per game. Chronic knee complications ultimately prompted his retirement, following ACL surgery in January 1973.
Career
Throughout a 12-season NBA tenure encompassing 801 games, Imhoff maintained averages of 7.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per outing. Nicknamed "The Ax" for his robust style of play, he made a significant and enduring contribution to the league.
Personal life
Following his basketball career, Imhoff resided in San Jose, where he held the roles of vice president and marketing director at Tred 2, a company specializing in athletic footwear. He also lived in Hillsboro and Eugene, Oregon. Before retiring, he served as vice president of sales and marketing at the United States Basketball Academy (USBA), a prestigious international basketball camp located near Eugene.
Imhoff was actively involved with organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Providence Child Center, and Rotary International.
He was married to Susan and fathered five children: Karen, Diana, Nancy, David, and Robert. His daughter Nancy earned induction into the Idaho State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. Additionally, his grandson, Damon Jones, competed in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Death
Imhoff passed away on June 30, 2017, in Bend, Oregon, due to a heart attack. He was survived by his five children, eighteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960–61 | New York | 62 | 16.0 | .394 | .510 | 4.8 | .8 | 4.7 |
| 1961–62 | New York | 76 | 19.5 | .386 | .576 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 5.9 |
| 1962–63 | Detroit | 45 | 10.2 | .314 | .480 | 3.4 | .6 | 2.7 |
| 1963–64 | Detroit | 58 | 15.0 | .414 | .605 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 4.8 |
| 1964–65 | L.A. Lakers | 76 | 20.0 | .466 | .571 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 5.0 |
| 1965–66 | L.A. Lakers | 77 | 18.4 | .448 | .566 | 6.6 | 1.5 | 4.9 |
| 1966–67 | L.A. Lakers | 81 | 33.6 | .474 | .614 | '13.3' | '2.7' | '10.7' |
| 1967–68 | L.A. Lakers | '82' | '27.7' | ' .478' | ' .619' | '10.9' | '2.5' | '9.3' |
| Career !801 !22.3 !.458 !.594 !7.6 !1.8 !7.2 | ||||||||
| All-Star !1 !6 !0 !– !7 !1 !0 | ||||||||
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962–63 | Detroit | 1 | 2.0 | – | – | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1964–65 | L.A. Lakers | 11 | 13.7 | .542 | .583 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 3.0 |
| 1965–66 | L.A. Lakers | 14 | 17.4 | .350 | .722 | 5.8 | 2.1 | 2.9 |
| 1966–67 | L.A. Lakers | 3 | 28.7 | .542 | .800 | 12.3 | 1.7 | 10.0 |
| 1967–68 | L.A. Lakers | 15 | 29.3 | .494 | .510 | 10.9 | 2.0 | 7.6 |
| 1968–69 | Philadelphia | 5 | '38.2' | .500 | ' .658' | ' 16.4' | ' 2.4' | ' 18.2' |
| 1969–70 | Philadelphia | 5 | 27.6 | .458 | ' .143' | ' 7.0' | ' 2.2' | ' 9.0' |
| Career totals | '54' | '23.2' | ' .478' | ' .580' | ' 8.2' | ' 1.9' | ' 6.6' | |