Adrian Dantley always filled the room, even when it was outdoors. Playing on District playgrounds in the late 1960s, it wasn’t unusual for 500 people to ring the court. Everybody in the neighborhood watched.
Dantley was one of the city’s four greatest high school players ever. Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing and Austin Carr join Dantley on everyone’s all-time city team with the fighting over who’s fifth. It’s an unchallenged ranking.
Baylor made the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, Bing in ’90. Dantley joined them Monday on his seventh ballot along with former Georgetown star Patrick Ewing, broadcaster Dick Vitale, coach Pat Riley, center Hakeem Olajuwon, Detroit owner Bill Davidson and Immaculata coach Cathy Rush.
“It’s long overdue,” said CBS broadcaster James Brown, a one-time hoops legend at DeMatha himself. “I remember Adrian said he so admired me at DeMatha that he wanted to follow me. Please — he has shot to the moon compared to what I did at DeMatha. Inch for inch, he was the best low post player ever. On the basketball court, he was king.”
A three-time All-Met at De Matha after earning second team as a freshman, Dantley was the 1972 national prep player of the year after four city titles and losing only seven games in four seasons.
“He was unstoppable,” former DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten said. “My idea of a happy death is a one-point lead or tied and Adrian with the ball with 10 seconds to go.”
A hardbody who played full-court one-on-one games, Dantley ate cookies and ice cream only during a two-week summer break from conditioning. Dantley once bloodied Bill Walton’s nose when the center couldn’t believe the 6-foot-5 Dantley was even inside. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back,” he reportedly said.
Dantley was known among Detroit teammates as “Teach” for showing little things like napping before games. He was unselfish off the court, but so intense during games that maybe some voters needed time to get over hurt feelings before electing him.
Now Dantley joins the legends. Then again, he has been one around Washington for 40 years.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
