Dinitri Dantley
Dantley had an outstanding NBA career that included six All-Star selections and 23,177 points scored with an exceptional shooting percentage.
He was widely known as an aggressive low post player who used his physicality and power to score inside. With an intense competitive spirit and sometimes disruptive nature, he often proved an unexpected difficulty for coaches.
Early Life and Education
Dinitri Dantley was born February 28th 1956 in Washington D.C. He is the son of Virginia Dantley and has had an interest in basketball from an early age. At DeMatha Catholic High School under Morgan Wootten’s coaching he posted 36 straight wins, finishing his high school career 57-2 overall!
Later he received a basketball scholarship at Notre Dame University, where he earned two All-American selections. Additionally he represented his country at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games while serving on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Los Angeles Lakers team from 1977 until 1979.
He is now retired from professional basketball but remains engaged with the sport through coaching young players. Dinitri lives with him in Silver Spring, Maryland with three children named Cameron, Kayla and Kalani.
Professional Career
Dantley was a scoring force for 15 seasons in the NBA, playing for Buffalo Braves, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks – winning two scoring championships and six All-Star selections along the way.
He was an all-around player, excelling as both small forward and shooting guard. Additionally, his defense earned him praise.
At one game, Aguirre blocked his shot with ease, which resulted in an eruption of boos from the crowd – infuriating Aguirre further; his response? Intentionally letting his head fake burn his defender to cause missteps on defense and force an error by his teammate.
After retiring as a player, Dantley served as coach at Towson State University in Maryland for 10 years before becoming an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets.
Achievement and Honors
Dantley earned numerous accolades during his impressive basketball career. At Notre Dame University he was twice honored with All-America status; winning gold with Team USA during 1976 Montreal Olympic. Later, in 2008 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Since his retirement he resides in Maryland with his wife Dinitri and children Cameron, Kayla, and Kalani; still actively helping budding players develop. Additionally he served as assistant coach at Towson University’s Purcell Pavilion as an alumni!
On October 29, 2013, Notre Dame honored him with its Purcell Pavilion Ring of Honor award, making him just the sixth person connected with Notre Dame to receive this distinction.
Personal Life
Dantley graduated from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland and was selected sixth overall in the 1976 NBA draft by the Buffalo Braves. Over 15 seasons he would amass 23,177 points while making six All-Star team appearances; his small size made no difference as he proved an effective dead eye shooter and aggressive player.
Sonny was an effective rebounder and master at using head fakes to manipulate opponents, often scoring 61-points in local summer league playoff games – earning himself the moniker “Shotgun Sonny.”
After retiring as a player, Dantley became an assistant coach for Towson State University and later took on interim head coaching duties for the Denver Nuggets while George Karl battled cancer. Today he coaches up-and-coming basketball players in Maryland.
Net Worth
Adrian Dantley is an American professional basketball player with an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. He played forward for Notre Dame Fighting Irish and earned two first-team All-American selections; also setting several school records while becoming the team’s second leading scorer of all time.
He won an Olympic gold medal as part of the United States national team at the 1976 Montreal Games and played alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the Los Angeles Lakers from 1977-1979.
After retiring, Dantley worked as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets before briefly serving as head coach during 2009. George Karl had battled cancer during this season, so Dantley took over. Since then he has continued coaching aspiring players in Maryland; he’s married to Dinitri and has one son named Cameron.
