Darrell Eugene Armstrong (born June 22, 1968 in
Gastonia, North Carolina) is an American
professional basketball player for the NBA's New
Jersey Nets.
Armstrong has been long respected around the NBA for
his intensity and hard-nosed defense. In his prime
(1998-2000) he not only averaged double digit points
per game, but also over two steals a game and over
six assists. His defense is even more impressive
than his numbers show because of his mastery of
drawing charges.
Armstrong did not play basketball in high school
until his senior year, and did not play again until
his junior year of college. Armstrong played college
basketball at Fayetteville State University. After
college he was not drafted by the NBA, but played in
the Global Basketball Association and United States
Basketball League as well as in Europe. He began his
basketball career for a team in Larnaca, Cyprus
called Pezoporikos.
He first signed with the NBA as a free agent for the
Orlando Magic in 1995. Armstrong won the NBA Sixth
Man of the Year Award and the NBA Most Improved
Player Award in 1999 thus becoming the first player
in NBA history to win both awards simultaneously. He
subsequently became the starting point guard for the
Magic. During his nine years in Orlando, the Magic
never posted a losing record, making the post-season
seven times. During the 2003 off-season, Armstrong
signed with the New Orleans Hornets as a free agent.
He was traded by the Hornets to the Dallas Mavericks
in exchange for Dan Dickau and a second round draft
pick on December 3, 2004. After appearing in the
2005-2006 NBA Finals with the Mavericks, he was
traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for guard
Anthony Johnson in July 2006.
Armstrong was released by the Pacers on October 1,
2007, and signed with the Nets after clearing
waivers.
Armstrong completed a reverse layup in the 1996 Slam
Dunk Contest. The "dunk" was deemed the worst dunk
in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history by Kenny Smith.
On July 7, 2003, he was arrested after an incident
outside an Orlando night club. He was subsequently
charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a
police officer, but the case was eventually
dismissed.
On June 29th 1993, he had a son named Jamaalio
On December 19th, 2005, while he was still with the
Dallas Mavericks, Armstrong was fined $1,000 for
grabbing a microphone before a Mavs game against the
Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines
Center and yelling "How 'bout those Redskins!" Only
a few hours prior, the Cowboys had been routed by
the Redskins 35-7. Armstrong was raised in North
Carolina as a Redskins fan.
