Rick Mahorn: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
 
(281 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1958)}}
{{unreferenced|date=August 2006}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Rick Mahorn
| image = Rick_Mahorn.jpg
| caption = Mahorn in 2007
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|09|21}}
| birth_place = [[Hartford, Connecticut]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 240
| high_school = Weaver (Hartford, Connecticut)
| college = [[Hampton Pirates men's basketball|Hampton]] (1976–1980)
| draft_round = 2
| draft_pick = 35
| draft_year = 1980
| draft_team = [[Washington Bullets]]
| career_start = 1980
| career_end = 1999
| career_number = 44, 4
| career_position = [[Power forward (basketball)|Power forward]] / [[Center (basketball)|center]]
| coach_start = 1999
| coach_end = 2009
| years1 = {{nbay|1980|start}}–{{nbay|1984|end}}
| team1 = [[Washington Bullets]]
| years2 = {{nbay|1985|start}}–{{nbay|1988|end}}
| team2 = [[Detroit Pistons]]
| years3 = {{nbay|1989|start}}–{{nbay|1990|end}}
| team3 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]]
| years4 = 1991–1992
| team4 = [[Virtus Roma]]
| years5 = {{nbay|1992|start}}–{{nbay|1995|end}}
| team5 = [[New Jersey Nets]]
| years6 = {{nbay|1996|start}}–{{nbay|1997|end}}
| team6 = Detroit Pistons
| years7 = {{nbay|1998|end}}
| team7 = Philadelphia 76ers
| cyears1 = 1999–2000
| cteam1 = [[Rockford Lightning]]
| cyears2 = {{nbay|2000|start}}–{{nbay|2001|end}}
| cteam2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] (assistant)
| cyears3 = [[2005 WNBA season|2005]]–[[2009 WNBA season|2009]]
| cteam3 = [[Detroit Shock]] (assistant)
| cyears4 = [[2009 WNBA season|2009]]
| cteam4 = Detroit Shock (interim)
| highlights =
'''As player:'''
* [[NBA champion]] ([[1989 NBA Finals|1989]])
* [[FIBA Korać Cup]] (1992)
* [[NBA All-Defensive Second Team]] ({{nbay|1989|end}})
* [[Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|CIAA]] Player of the Year (1979)
* 3× [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] All-American (1977–1980)
* 3× First-team All-[[Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|CIAA]] (1977–1980)
'''As assistant coach:'''
* 2× [[WNBA Finals|WNBA champion]] ([[2006 WNBA Finals|2006]], [[2008 WNBA Finals|2008]])
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 7,763 (6.9 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 6,957 (6.2 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| stat3value = 1,007 (0.9 bpg)
}}
'''Derrick Allen Mahorn''' (born September 21, 1958) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player who played [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]] and [[Center (basketball)|center]] for the [[Washington Bullets]], [[Detroit Pistons]], [[Philadelphia 76ers]], and the [[New Jersey Nets]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). He is currently a [[Color commentator|radio analyst]] for the [[Detroit Pistons]],<ref name="announcer">[http://www.nba.com/pistons/multimedia/radio_television_announcers.html Pistons Announcers]</ref> works as a co-host/analyst on [[SiriusXM NBA Radio]], and during the summer is the [[head coach]] of the [[Aliens (basketball)|Aliens]] of the [[BIG3]].


Mahorn had a reputation for physical play, and was a member of the late 1980s [[Detroit Pistons]] teams known as "The Bad Boys", and with them won the 1989 [[NBA Championship]].
'''Derrick (Rick) Allen Mahorn''' (born [[September 21]], [[1958]] in [[Hartford, Connecticut]]) is a former [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] [[basketball]] player who, at 6'10", played [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]] and [[Center (basketball)|center]], most notably for the [[Detroit Pistons]]. Mahorn played college ball at [[Hampton University]].
After his playing career, Mahorn would go on to be an assistant coach under Pistons teammate and head coach [[Bill Laimbeer]] with the [[Detroit Shock]] of the [[Women's National Basketball Association]] (WNBA) and was part of two [[WNBA Championship]] teams (2006, 2008). He would eventually become head coach of the Shock, and later became head coach of [[Trilogy (basketball)|Trilogy]] of the [[BIG3]], leading the team to the inaugural BIG3 Championship in 2017, making Mahorn the only one in history to have won a championship in the NBA, WNBA, and BIG3.


==College career==
As dubbed by Piston announcer [[George Blaha]], Mahorn was the "Baddest Bad Boy of them all." Somewhat short for a center, Mahorn had a huge rear-end that he wasn't afraid to plow people over with. He represented the [[Detroit Pistons#1980s|Bad Boys]] perfectly with his antics both on the court and off with his infamous media handlings. After being picked up by the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] in the 1989 Expansion Draft, Pistons GM Jack McCloskey tried in vain to trade to get him back. The Wolves wouldn't have it, and Detroit lost one of its most beloved sports figures. However, Mahorn didn't last long in Minnesota, eventually finding his way to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] and teaming with superstar [[Charles Barkley]] to form the top-rebounding duo of "Thump N' Bump." Rick later played for the [[New Jersey Nets]] before returning to the Pistons in 1997. He retired in 1999 as a 76er. Currently, he serves as a color commentator with [[Bill Laimbeer]] for [[Detroit Pistons]] television broadcasts, and as an assistant coach under Laimbeer with the [[WNBA]]'s [[Detroit Shock]].
Mahorn played [[college basketball]] at [[Hampton University]]. He was a three-time [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] [[All-American]] and owned 18 school records. He scored 2,418 points while playing for the Pirates, averaging 20.3 points per game.<ref>{{cite web |title=Derrick "Rick" Mahorn (2009) - Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame - Hampton University Athletics |url=https://hamptonpirates.com/honors/hampton-athletics-hall-of-fame/derrick-rick-mahorn/4 |website=hamptonpirates.com |publisher=[[Hampton University]] |access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref>


==Playing career==
==Hard court incidents==
The turning point of Mahorn's career was perhaps when he was traded by the Washington Bullets to the [[Detroit Pistons]]. He was unhappy with the trade initially and, as he claimed in a 2014 ESPN documentary, showed up to training camp overweight and out of shape. After teammate [[Bill Laimbeer]] took him aside and spoke with him about what he was brought there for, Mahorn acquiesced and became an integral part of the Pistons’ core. In 1989, Mahorn - dubbed by Piston announcer [[George Blaha]] the "Baddest Bad Boy of them all" - won his only [[1989 NBA Finals|NBA championship]] with the Pistons.<ref>[https://big3.com/players/rick-mahorn/ Rick Mahorn bio- BIG3.com]</ref>


Two days after the Pistons won the championship in 1989, the NBA held an [[1989 NBA Expansion Draft|expansion draft]] for its two newest franchises, the [[Orlando Magic]] and [[Minnesota Timberwolves]]. League rules dictated that only eight players on each roster could be protected from being drafted by either team, and the Pistons elected not to extend that protection to Mahorn. As such, he was made the second pick in the expansion draft and the first to be taken by the Timberwolves; the Pistons were conducting their victory celebration in Detroit while the draft was happening and Mahorn was taken aside during the festivities, so he could be told. Pistons [[general manager]] [[Jack McCloskey]] tried to reacquire Mahorn to no avail, and years later Mahorn was shown to still be bothered by what transpired as the story of the expansion draft brought him to tears during the 2014 ESPN film about the team.
* During a 1988 playoff game, Mahorn intensely guarded Kevin McHale who was seeking the ball from a teammate. As the teammate began to pass the ball to McHale, Mahorn suddenly let his guard down causing McHale to fall down the floor as the ball went out of bounds.


Mahorn, as it turned out, would never play for Minnesota. After refusing to report to the Timberwolves, he ended up being traded instead to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]], where he teamed with superstar [[Charles Barkley]] (despite previous rivalries with him) to form the top-rebounding duo of "Thump N' Bump".<ref>{{cite news |author1=Keith Groller |title=Dawkins, Hawkins pushing all right buttons |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-dawkins-hawkins-pushin/125496136/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[The Morning Call]] |date=6 November 1990 |page=C3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> After two seasons, Mahorn signed a two-year contract with [[Virtus Roma|Il Messaggero Roma]] of the Italian [[Serie A (basketball)|Serie A]] in 1991.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Mitch Albom |title=Rickey's Roman holiday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-rickeys-roman-holida/125495182/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=10 March 1992 |pages=1C, 6C |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> Teaming up with [[Dino Radja]], Mahorn helped Roma win the [[1991–92 FIBA Korać Cup|1992 FIBA Korać Cup]]. He started the 1992–1993 season with Roma but was kicked of the team in October after throwing a chair in a heated argument with head coach [[Paolo Di Fonzo]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Corky Meinecke |title=Mahorn sprung before spring? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-mahorn-sprung-before/125495723/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=13 October 1992 |page=4C |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> In November, he returned to the NBA and signed with the [[New Jersey Nets]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Howard Blatt |title=A bang-up job! Mahorn a Net |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-a-bang-up-job-mahorn-a-net/125496010/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[New York Daily News]] |date=10 November 1992 |page=70 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> He played with the Nets for four seasons, before returning to the Pistons in 1996–97 under coach [[Doug Collins (basketball)|Doug Collins]]. He retired after the 1999 season, after a second stint with the 76ers.
* This is from memory. In the 80s with the Bullets, the point guard was Frank Johnson. They had a play where, when there was pressure in the backcourt on Johnson, they'd set a halfcourt pick with Mahorn. Johnson would run past him, trying to run his man into Mahorn. They worked this successfully a couple of times. One time, Andrew Toney was knocked out. The game was delayed as they tried to revive him. I recall listening to Mel Proctor, the Bullets radio man at the time, describing the scene, filling in air time.


==Trivia==
==Coaching==
===WNBA===
* After the Pistons' 1990 Championship Series win over the Los Angeles Lakers and Mahorn's subsequent release from the Pistons, a phone call from Mahorn to Pistons' center Bill Laimbeer revealed Laimbeer's words to Mahorn as having said "I can't talk to you; you are the ENEMY!" as Mahorn in vain tried to get Laimbeer to see that basketball is a just a game, but friendship is friendship. Ironic that they are now working together.
Mahorn then served as a color commentator for Pistons radio broadcasts, and as an assistant coach under former teammate [[Bill Laimbeer]] with the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]]'s [[Detroit Shock]]. Laimbeer and Mahorn led the Shock to two WNBA titles (2006, 2008).<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/big3-signs-nba-legends-clyde-drexler-rick-barry-and-rick-mahorn-as-coaches-300397867.html BIG 3 signs NBA legends Drexler, Barry, and Mahorn as coaches - PR Newswire.com]</ref>


On July 22, 2008, at a Sparks-Shock game, Mahorn attempted to break up a [[Sparks–Shock brawl|brawl]]. When attempting to restrain [[Lisa Leslie]], he put his left hand out and Leslie fell to the ground. Mahorn was suspended for two games.<ref>Arritt, Dan. [http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/wnba/sparks/la-sp-wnba25-2008jul25,0,2967674.story "Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie suspended after WNBA fight"]. ''Los Angeles Times''. July 25, 2008.</ref>


On June 15, 2009, he became the head coach of the Shock, a position he held until the franchise moved to [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]] after the season. Shortly afterward, Mahorn continued his work with Pistons radio, doing color commentary alongside [[Mark Champion]].
[[Category:1958 births|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:Living people|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:American basketball players|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:Detroit Pistons players|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:People from Hartford, Connecticut|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:African American basketball players|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:New Jersey Nets players|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:Philadelphia 76ers players|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:Washington Bullets players|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association broadcasters|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:Detroit Shock coaches|Mahorn, Rick]]
[[Category:Hampton University alumni|Mahorn, Rick]]


===BIG3===
[[es:Rick Mahorn]]
In 2017, Mahorn became head coach of [[Trilogy (basketball)|Trilogy]], the eventual champion of the [[BIG3]] basketball league's inaugural season. His team's players included [[Al Harrington]] and [[Kenyon Martin]].<ref>[https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/big3-championship-former-nba-players-harrington-martin-win-inaugural-title/ Former NBA players Harrington, Martin win inaugural BIG 3 title - CBS Sports.com]</ref>


==NBA career statistics==
{{hoops-bio-stub}}

{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1980}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1980–81 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 52 || 0 || 13.4 || .507 || .000 || .675 || 4.1 || 0.5 || 0.4 || .8 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1981}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1981–82 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 80 || 80 || 33.3 || .507 || .000 || .632 || 8.8 || '''1.9''' || 0.7 || 1.7 || '''12.2'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1982}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1982–83 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| '''82''' || '''82''' || '''36.9''' || .490 || .000 || .575 || '''9.5''' || 1.4 || '''1.0''' || '''1.8''' || 11.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1983}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1983–84 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| '''82''' || '''82''' || 32.9 || .507 || .000 || .651 || 9.0 || 1.6 || 0.8 || 1.5 || 9.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1984}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1984–85 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 77 || 63 || 26.9 || .499 || .000 || .653 || 7.9 || 1.6 || 0.8 || 1.4 || 6.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1985}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1985–86 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 80 || 12 || 18.0 || .455 || .000 || .681 || 5.2 || 0.8 || 0.5 || .8 || 4.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1986}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1986–87 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 63 || 6 || 20.3 || .477 || .000 || '''.821''' || 6.0 || 0.6 || 0.5 || .8 || 6.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1987}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1987–88 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 67 || 64 || 29.3 || '''.574''' || '''.500''' || .756 || 8.4 || 0.9 || 0.6 || .6 || 10.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| {{nbay|1988}}†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1988–89 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 72 || 61 || 24.9 || .517 || .000 || .748 || 6.9 || 0.8 || 0.6 || .9 || 7.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1989}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1989–90 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 75 || 66 || 30.3 || .497 || .222 || .715 || 7.6 || 1.3 || 0.6 || 1.4 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1990}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1990–91 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 80 || 74 || 30.5 || .467 || .000 || .788 || 7.8 || 1.5 || '''1.0''' || .7 || 8.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1992}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1992–93 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 74 || 9 || 14.6 || .472 || .333 || .800 || 3.8 || 0.4 || 0.3 || .4 || 3.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1993}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1993–94 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 28 || 0 || 8.1 || .489 || .000 || .650 || 1.9 || 0.2 || 0.1 || .2 || 2.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1994}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1994–95 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 58 || 7 || 10.9 || .523 || .333 || .796 || 2.8 || 0.4 || 0.2 || .2 || 3.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1995}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1995–96 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 50 || 0 || 9.0 || .352 || .000 || .723 || 2.2 || 0.3 || 0.3 || .3 || 2.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1996}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1996–97 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 22 || 7 || 9.9 || .370 || .000 || .727 || 2.4 || 0.3 || 0.2 || .1 || 2.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1997}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1997–98 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 59 || 0 || 12.0 || .457 || .000 || .676 || 3.3 || 0.3 || 0.2 || .1 || 2.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1998}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1998–99 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 16 || 0 || 7.9 || .278 || .000 || .375 || 1.4 || 0.1 || 0.3 || .1 || 0.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" | Career
| 1117 || 613 || 23.1 || .493 || .132 || .704 || 6.2 || 1.0 || 0.6 || .9 || 6.9
{{S-end}}

===Playoffs===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1982 NBA Playoffs|1982]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1981–82 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 7 || 7 || 34.6 || .438 || .000 || .714 || 8.7 || '''1.9''' || '''1.4''' || .7 || '''10.6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1984 NBA Playoffs|1984]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1983–84 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 4 || 4 || '''38.5''' || '''.600''' || .000 || .800 || '''10.8''' || 1.5 || 0.3 || '''1.5''' || 9.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1985 NBA Playoffs|1985]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1984–85 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 4 || 1 || 10.3 || .500 || .000 || '''1.000''' || 1.8 || 0.0 || 0.0 || .8 || 3.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1986 NBA Playoffs|1986]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1985–86 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 4 || 0 || 15.3 || .385 || .000 || '''1.000''' || 3.0 || 0.0 || 0.3 || .0 || 3.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1987 NBA Playoffs|1987]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1986–87 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 15 || 15 || 32.2 || .541 || .000 || .800 || 9.5 || 0.3 || 0.4 || .7 || 9.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1988 NBA Playoffs|1988]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1987–88 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| '''23''' || '''21''' || 17.8 || .344 || .000 || .684 || 3.9 || 0.6 || 0.2 || .4 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| [[1989 NBA Playoffs|1989]]†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1988–89 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 17 || 17 || 21.2 || .580 || .000 || .654 || 5.1 || 0.4 || 0.5 || .8 || 5.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1990 NBA Playoffs|1990]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1989–90 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 10 || 10 || 34.2 || .430 || .000 || .769 || 7.0 || 1.0 || 0.7 || .8 || 9.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1991 NBA Playoffs|1991]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1990–91 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 8 || 8 || 26.0 || .556 || .000 || .786 || 5.3 || 1.8 || 0.3 || .5 || 6.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1993 NBA Playoffs|1993]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1992–93 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 4 || 2 || 15.8 || .400 || .000 || .000 || 3.3 || 0.8 || 0.0 || .5 || 2.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1994 NBA Playoffs|1994]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1993–94 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 3 || 0 || 6.3 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || .3 || 0.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1997 NBA Playoffs|1997]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1996–97 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| 2 || 1 || 9.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || .0 || 0.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1999 NBA Playoffs|1999]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1998–99 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 5 || 0 || 5.8 || .333 || .000 || .500 || 1.6 || 0.2 || 0.2 || .0 || 1.6
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" | Career
| 106 || 86 || 22.9 || .427 || .000 || .750 || 5.5 || 0.7 || 0.4 || .6 || 5.8
{{S-end}}

== Personal life ==
Mahorn played himself in a 2017 episode of ''[[Detroiters (TV series)|Detroiters]]'' titled "Quick Rick Mahorn of Dearborn."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hinds|first=Julie|title=Why Comedy Central's 'Detroiters' had a winning season|url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/julie-hinds/2017/04/08/comedy-central-detroiters-season-finale/100167592/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Detroit Free Press|language=en}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
*1989 [[NBA Champion]] (as a player with the [[Detroit Pistons]])
*Two-time WNBA Champion (2006, 2008 - as an assistant coach with the [[Detroit Shock]])
*2017 [[BIG3]] Champion (as head coach of [[Trilogy (basketball)|Trilogy]])
*[[Virginia Sports Hall of Fame]] (class of 2018)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
{{Basketballstats|bbr=m/mahorri01}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121018114859/http://www.wnba.com/coachfile/rick_mahorn/index.html?nav=page WNBA.com profile]

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{1980 NBA draft}}
{{Detroit Pistons 1988–89 NBA champions}}
{{Pallacanestro Virtus Roma 1991–92 FIBA Korać Cup Champions}}
{{Detroit Shock 2006 WNBA champions}}
{{Detroit Shock 2008 WNBA champions}}
{{Detroit Shock}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahorn, Rick}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African-American basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Hartford, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Big3 coaches]]
[[Category:Continental Basketball Association coaches]]
[[Category:Detroit Pistons announcers]]
[[Category:Detroit Pistons players]]
[[Category:Detroit Shock coaches]]
[[Category:Detroit Shock head coaches]]
[[Category:Hampton Pirates basketball players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Timberwolves expansion draft picks]]
[[Category:New Jersey Nets players]]
[[Category:Virtus Roma players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia 76ers players]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Hartford, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Washington Bullets draft picks]]
[[Category:Washington Bullets players]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportspeople]]

Latest revision as of 19:04, 11 January 2024

Rick Mahorn
Mahorn in 2007
Personal information
Born (1958-09-21) September 21, 1958 (age 65)
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolWeaver (Hartford, Connecticut)
CollegeHampton (1976–1980)
NBA draft1980: 2nd round, 35th overall pick
Selected by the Washington Bullets
Playing career1980–1999
PositionPower forward / center
Number44, 4
Coaching career1999–2009
Career history
As player:
1980–1985Washington Bullets
1985–1989Detroit Pistons
1989–1991Philadelphia 76ers
1991–1992Virtus Roma
1992–1996New Jersey Nets
1996–1998Detroit Pistons
1999Philadelphia 76ers
As coach:
1999–2000Rockford Lightning
2000–2002Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
2005–2009Detroit Shock (assistant)
2009Detroit Shock (interim)
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As assistant coach:

Career statistics
Points7,763 (6.9 ppg)
Rebounds6,957 (6.2 rpg)
Blocks1,007 (0.9 bpg)
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Derrick Allen Mahorn (born September 21, 1958) is an American former professional basketball player who played power forward and center for the Washington Bullets, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently a radio analyst for the Detroit Pistons,[1] works as a co-host/analyst on SiriusXM NBA Radio, and during the summer is the head coach of the Aliens of the BIG3.

Mahorn had a reputation for physical play, and was a member of the late 1980s Detroit Pistons teams known as "The Bad Boys", and with them won the 1989 NBA Championship. After his playing career, Mahorn would go on to be an assistant coach under Pistons teammate and head coach Bill Laimbeer with the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and was part of two WNBA Championship teams (2006, 2008). He would eventually become head coach of the Shock, and later became head coach of Trilogy of the BIG3, leading the team to the inaugural BIG3 Championship in 2017, making Mahorn the only one in history to have won a championship in the NBA, WNBA, and BIG3.

College career[edit]

Mahorn played college basketball at Hampton University. He was a three-time NAIA All-American and owned 18 school records. He scored 2,418 points while playing for the Pirates, averaging 20.3 points per game.[2]

Playing career[edit]

The turning point of Mahorn's career was perhaps when he was traded by the Washington Bullets to the Detroit Pistons. He was unhappy with the trade initially and, as he claimed in a 2014 ESPN documentary, showed up to training camp overweight and out of shape. After teammate Bill Laimbeer took him aside and spoke with him about what he was brought there for, Mahorn acquiesced and became an integral part of the Pistons’ core. In 1989, Mahorn - dubbed by Piston announcer George Blaha the "Baddest Bad Boy of them all" - won his only NBA championship with the Pistons.[3]

Two days after the Pistons won the championship in 1989, the NBA held an expansion draft for its two newest franchises, the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves. League rules dictated that only eight players on each roster could be protected from being drafted by either team, and the Pistons elected not to extend that protection to Mahorn. As such, he was made the second pick in the expansion draft and the first to be taken by the Timberwolves; the Pistons were conducting their victory celebration in Detroit while the draft was happening and Mahorn was taken aside during the festivities, so he could be told. Pistons general manager Jack McCloskey tried to reacquire Mahorn to no avail, and years later Mahorn was shown to still be bothered by what transpired as the story of the expansion draft brought him to tears during the 2014 ESPN film about the team.

Mahorn, as it turned out, would never play for Minnesota. After refusing to report to the Timberwolves, he ended up being traded instead to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he teamed with superstar Charles Barkley (despite previous rivalries with him) to form the top-rebounding duo of "Thump N' Bump".[4] After two seasons, Mahorn signed a two-year contract with Il Messaggero Roma of the Italian Serie A in 1991.[5] Teaming up with Dino Radja, Mahorn helped Roma win the 1992 FIBA Korać Cup. He started the 1992–1993 season with Roma but was kicked of the team in October after throwing a chair in a heated argument with head coach Paolo Di Fonzo.[6] In November, he returned to the NBA and signed with the New Jersey Nets.[7] He played with the Nets for four seasons, before returning to the Pistons in 1996–97 under coach Doug Collins. He retired after the 1999 season, after a second stint with the 76ers.

Coaching[edit]

WNBA[edit]

Mahorn then served as a color commentator for Pistons radio broadcasts, and as an assistant coach under former teammate Bill Laimbeer with the WNBA's Detroit Shock. Laimbeer and Mahorn led the Shock to two WNBA titles (2006, 2008).[8]

On July 22, 2008, at a Sparks-Shock game, Mahorn attempted to break up a brawl. When attempting to restrain Lisa Leslie, he put his left hand out and Leslie fell to the ground. Mahorn was suspended for two games.[9]

On June 15, 2009, he became the head coach of the Shock, a position he held until the franchise moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma after the season. Shortly afterward, Mahorn continued his work with Pistons radio, doing color commentary alongside Mark Champion.

BIG3[edit]

In 2017, Mahorn became head coach of Trilogy, the eventual champion of the BIG3 basketball league's inaugural season. His team's players included Al Harrington and Kenyon Martin.[10]

NBA career statistics[edit]

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
 †  Won an NBA championship

Regular season[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1980–81 Washington 52 0 13.4 .507 .000 .675 4.1 0.5 0.4 .8 4.8
1981–82 Washington 80 80 33.3 .507 .000 .632 8.8 1.9 0.7 1.7 12.2
1982–83 Washington 82 82 36.9 .490 .000 .575 9.5 1.4 1.0 1.8 11.0
1983–84 Washington 82 82 32.9 .507 .000 .651 9.0 1.6 0.8 1.5 9.0
1984–85 Washington 77 63 26.9 .499 .000 .653 7.9 1.6 0.8 1.4 6.3
1985–86 Detroit 80 12 18.0 .455 .000 .681 5.2 0.8 0.5 .8 4.9
1986–87 Detroit 63 6 20.3 .477 .000 .821 6.0 0.6 0.5 .8 6.1
1987–88 Detroit 67 64 29.3 .574 .500 .756 8.4 0.9 0.6 .6 10.7
1988–89† Detroit 72 61 24.9 .517 .000 .748 6.9 0.8 0.6 .9 7.3
1989–90 Philadelphia 75 66 30.3 .497 .222 .715 7.6 1.3 0.6 1.4 10.8
1990–91 Philadelphia 80 74 30.5 .467 .000 .788 7.8 1.5 1.0 .7 8.9
1992–93 New Jersey 74 9 14.6 .472 .333 .800 3.8 0.4 0.3 .4 3.9
1993–94 New Jersey 28 0 8.1 .489 .000 .650 1.9 0.2 0.1 .2 2.1
1994–95 New Jersey 58 7 10.9 .523 .333 .796 2.8 0.4 0.2 .2 3.4
1995–96 New Jersey 50 0 9.0 .352 .000 .723 2.2 0.3 0.3 .3 2.4
1996–97 Detroit 22 7 9.9 .370 .000 .727 2.4 0.3 0.2 .1 2.5
1997–98 Detroit 59 0 12.0 .457 .000 .676 3.3 0.3 0.2 .1 2.4
1998–99 Philadelphia 16 0 7.9 .278 .000 .375 1.4 0.1 0.3 .1 0.8
Career 1117 613 23.1 .493 .132 .704 6.2 1.0 0.6 .9 6.9

Playoffs[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1982 Washington 7 7 34.6 .438 .000 .714 8.7 1.9 1.4 .7 10.6
1984 Washington 4 4 38.5 .600 .000 .800 10.8 1.5 0.3 1.5 9.5
1985 Washington 4 1 10.3 .500 .000 1.000 1.8 0.0 0.0 .8 3.0
1986 Detroit 4 0 15.3 .385 .000 1.000 3.0 0.0 0.3 .0 3.0
1987 Detroit 15 15 32.2 .541 .000 .800 9.5 0.3 0.4 .7 9.7
1988 Detroit 23 21 17.8 .344 .000 .684 3.9 0.6 0.2 .4 3.3
1989† Detroit 17 17 21.2 .580 .000 .654 5.1 0.4 0.5 .8 5.7
1990 Philadelphia 10 10 34.2 .430 .000 .769 7.0 1.0 0.7 .8 9.4
1991 Philadelphia 8 8 26.0 .556 .000 .786 5.3 1.8 0.3 .5 6.4
1993 New Jersey 4 2 15.8 .400 .000 .000 3.3 0.8 0.0 .5 2.0
1994 New Jersey 3 0 6.3 .000 .000 .000 1.3 0.0 0.0 .3 0.0
1997 Detroit 2 1 9.0 .000 .000 .000 0.5 0.0 0.0 .0 0.0
1999 Philadelphia 5 0 5.8 .333 .000 .500 1.6 0.2 0.2 .0 1.6
Career 106 86 22.9 .427 .000 .750 5.5 0.7 0.4 .6 5.8

Personal life[edit]

Mahorn played himself in a 2017 episode of Detroiters titled "Quick Rick Mahorn of Dearborn."[11]

Awards and honors[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pistons Announcers
  2. ^ "Derrick "Rick" Mahorn (2009) - Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame - Hampton University Athletics". hamptonpirates.com. Hampton University. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  3. ^ Rick Mahorn bio- BIG3.com
  4. ^ Keith Groller (6 November 1990). "Dawkins, Hawkins pushing all right buttons". The Morning Call. p. C3. Retrieved 29 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ^ Mitch Albom (10 March 1992). "Rickey's Roman holiday". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 6C. Retrieved 29 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ Corky Meinecke (13 October 1992). "Mahorn sprung before spring?". Detroit Free Press. p. 4C. Retrieved 29 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  7. ^ Howard Blatt (10 November 1992). "A bang-up job! Mahorn a Net". New York Daily News. p. 70. Retrieved 29 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ^ BIG 3 signs NBA legends Drexler, Barry, and Mahorn as coaches - PR Newswire.com
  9. ^ Arritt, Dan. "Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie suspended after WNBA fight". Los Angeles Times. July 25, 2008.
  10. ^ Former NBA players Harrington, Martin win inaugural BIG 3 title - CBS Sports.com
  11. ^ Hinds, Julie. "Why Comedy Central's 'Detroiters' had a winning season". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2020-06-11.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rick Mahorn.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rick_Mahorn&oldid=1194979887"