Derrick McKey
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| Position | Small forward |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Heavy D |
| Height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Born | October 10 1966 Image:Flag of Mississippi.svg Meridian, Mississippi |
| College | Alabama |
| Draft | 9th overall, 1987 Seattle SuperSonics |
| Pro career | 1987–2002 |
| Former teams | Seattle SuperSonics (1987-1993) Indiana Pacers (1993-2001) Philadelphia 76ers (2001-2002) |
| Awards | 2-Time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (94-95, 95-96) |
Derrick Wayne McKey (born October 10 1966, Meridian, Mississippi) is a retired American NBA basketball player who played the most part of his career between the small forward and the power forward positions. In addition to being a star basketball player in high school, he was a shortstop on the baseball team despite his 6'9" height.
He attended the University of Alabama for three years, leading the Tide to a regional No. 1 seed in 1986-87 and to the Sweet 16 (where they were eliminated by Providence). He played for the US national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.[1] He declared for the NBA after his junior season and was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the ninth overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft, ahead of, notably, Reggie Miller, Horace Grant and Reggie Lewis. In the 1988-89 season, McKey averaged 15.9 PPG, his best scoring average in a single season.[2]
McKey spent the following six seasons in Seattle, before being traded along with Gerald Paddio to the Indiana Pacers for Detlef Schrempf. After years of playoff disappointments, he and the Pacers finally reached the NBA Finals in 2000, before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. He then spent the 2001-2002 season, the last of his career, with the Philadelphia 76ers.
[edit] Style
At 6'9", McKey was mostly known for his defensive skills, his emphasis on teamwork play, and his versatility, which allowed him to guard opposing players of any position. Consequently, he was elected twice to the All-NBA Second Defensive Team. These abilities were the prime reason why coach Larry Brown wanted him in Indiana.[citation needed] He was also a smart, team-oriented player, shooting wisely (.486 for his career) and had a knack for passing.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Derrick McKey Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg | United States squad - 1986 FIBA World Championship Champions - Gold medal | Image:Flag of the United States.svg |
|---|---|---|
|
4 Amaker | 5 Bogues | 6 Elliott | 7 Gilliam | 8 Hammonds | 9 Kerr | 10 McKey | 11 Robinson | 12 Seikaly | 13 Shaw | 14 C.Smith | 15 K.Smith | Coach: Olson | ||
Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since March 2007 | 1966 births | Living people | African American sportspeople | Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball players | American basketball players | United States men's national basketball team members | Indiana Pacers players | People from Meridian, Mississippi | Philadelphia 76ers players | Seattle SuperSonics players | Small forwards | United States basketball biography, 1960s birth stubs
