In the National Basketball Association (NBA), the man who is mostly known as “Mr. Dunkenstein” is Darrell Griffith. He is a retired American basketball player who made his life successful and wealthy. His NBA career was affluent with successes and records, and led him to be a rich man. During his NBA career, he achieved a lot of fame and fans. They are very curious about Darrell Griffith’s current worth, personal life, and career history. For this purpose, we have written this article to let them know about his career.
Achievements & Awards (At a Glance)
Darrell Griffith, also known as “Dr. Dunkenstein,” is a former NBA player who played for the Utah Jazz from 1980 to 1991. Griffith was known for his exceptional leaping ability and powerful dunks. Here is a table listing some of his notable achievements throughout his basketball career:
Achievement | Year(s) | Details |
---|---|---|
NCAA Champion | 1980 | Led the University of Louisville to the championship |
Consensus First-Team All-American | 1980 | Named one of the best college players in the nation |
NBA Rookie of the Year | 1981 | Awarded for his outstanding debut season in the NBA |
NBA All-Rookie First Team | 1981 | Named to the best rookie team of the year |
Utah Jazz No. 35 Jersey Retired | 1993 | Honored by the Utah Jazz for his contributions |
Utah Sports Hall of Fame | 1996 | Inducted for his achievements in basketball |
Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame | 2003 | Inducted for his achievements in basketball |
Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame | 2014 | Inducted for his contributions to the University of Louisville |
Darrell Griffith’s Net Worth and Salary
In 10 year-long journeys in the NBA, he scored 12,391 total points. Wearing jersey number 1 of the Utah Jazz, he retired from his professional life in 1991. The estimated net worth of this successful man is $16 million, the same as Kevin McHale. His outstanding career in the NBA helped him to be a millionaire. His salary was approximately $850,000 per year.
Family and Early Life
On June 16, 1958, Darrell Griffith came into the world in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. His nicknames is Dr. Dunkenstein. At the beginning of his life, he studied at Louisville Male High School, and he played here during his school tenure.
In his college career in basketball, he played for the University of Louisville and exposed this latent faculty in the field of college basketball, becoming the best college basketball player in the nation.
Is Darrell Griffith married or not?
As far as I know, Darrell Griffith is still single and has not dated anyone. He always tried to keep his personal life private. So we don’t have any information about her wife or girlfriend right now. But he has a son named Darrell Griffith Jr.
Darrell Griffith- Professional NBA Career Highlights
The journey of his professional career began in 1980 alongside Joe Carroll after the completion of his impressive college tenure. In the 1980 NBA draft, he was taken by the Utah Jazz and played with Hall of Famer Karl Malone.
He scored 20.6 points per game in his rookie year and won the title of NBA Rookie of the Year. In his professional life, he spent a notable portion of his career with Utah Jazz. As he showed his best excellence in his professional career, he was also called “The Golden Griff.“
The golden period of his life was the (1984–85) season. He scored his career-best 22.6 points per game, breaking the league record by sinking 92 three-point shots. In later seasons, he could not play because of his injury.
Darrell Griffith’s Career Stats
Year | Team | GP | Min | Pts | FG% | 3pt% | Reb | Blk | Stl | Ast |
1980 | Utah Jazz | 81 | 35.4 | 20.6 | 46.4 | 19.2 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
1981 | Utah Jazz | 80 | 32.5 | 19.8 | 48.2 | 28.8 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 2.3 |
1982 | Utah Jazz | 77 | 36.2 | 22.2 | 48.4 | 28.8 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 3.5 |
1983 | Utah Jazz | 82 | 32.3 | 20.0 | 49.0 | 36.1 | 4.1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 3.5 |
1984 | Utah Jazz | 78 | 35.6 | 22.6 | 45.7 | 35.8 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 3.1 |
1986 | Utah Jazz | 76 | 24.2 | 15.0 | 44.6 | 33.5 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
1987 | Utah Jazz | 52 | 20.2 | 11.3 | 42.9 | 27.5 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
1988 | Utah Jazz | 82 | 29.0 | 13.8 | 44.6 | 31.1 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
1989 | Utah Jazz | 82 | 17.6 | 8.9 | 46.4 | 37.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
1990 | Utah Jazz | 75 | 13.4 | 5.7 | 39.1 | 34.8 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
Career | 765 | 28.0 | 16.2 | 46.3 | 33.2 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 2.1 |
Darrell Griffith’s Height, Age, and Weight
The height of this prominent NBA player is 6 feet 4 inches. His weight is 86 kg. He is still alive, and he is 62 years old. In my NBA career, the position was shooting guard. He gained popularity by proving himself best-fitted for this position by staying in this position. He wore jersey number 35 in both his college and professional careers, which is still remembered by his fans. They wish to see him again in this jersey, at 35, on the field of basketball.
Achievements and Awards
In his NBA career, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1981. He became the NBA’s all-rookie first team. In his college career, he won the NCAA championship. In 1980, he was nominated as the NCAA Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
Full Bio/Wiki:
Total Net Worth in 2025: | $16 million |
Salary Per Season: | $850,000 |
Earned From Utah Jazz: | $1.78 million |
Profession: | Basketball Player |
Nick Name: | Dr. Dunkenstein |
Vertical leap/Jump: | 48 inches |
Birth Date: | June 16, 1958 |
Birth Place: | Louisville, United States |
Nationality: | American |
High School: | Louisville Male High School |
First Draft Year: | 1980 |
Drafted Team: | Utah Jazz |
Position: | Shooting guard |
Hair Color: | Black |
Eye Color: | Black eyes |
Jersey Number: | 35 |
College Education: | University of Louisville |
Wife/Girlfriend: | Under Review |
Children: | Darrell Griffith Jr. |
Nationality: | American |
Achievements: |
|
Height: | 6 feet 4 inches |
Weight: | 86 kg |
Current Age: | 62 years |
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Over the past five years, Rick C. Nees has written hundreds of NBA players' biographies, some of which have already been published in famous newspapers. He previously worked as- Commentator, Basketball Analyst, Basketball Player, Newspaper Sports Editor, Radio sports presenter. Rick grew up watching basketball leagues. He was a state-level high school basketball player who followed all NBA events since he was a child.