Adrian Dantley

Lore & Background

Dantley attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, where he played under Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten and assistant Terry Truax. He accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of Notre Dame. He was a consensus first-team All-American in 1974–75 and 1975–76. He ranks second on Notre Dame's career scoring list with 2,223 points and holds the school record for free throws made (615) and free throws attempted (769). Dantley had a stellar collegiate career for the Fighting Irish. As a freshman, he played an important role in one of the biggest games in college basketball history, Notre Dame's 1974 upset to end UCLA's record 88-game winning streak. That UCLA team, coached by John Wooden, featured Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes (then known as Keith Wilkes), and Dave Meyers. Dantley led Notre Dame in scoring in 1974–75 (30.4 points per game) and 1975–76 (28.6 points per game), while also leading the team in rebounding those two seasons with marks of 10.2 and 10.1 rebounds per game, respectively. He was also the leading scorer on the 1976 US Olympic team that captured the gold medal in Montreal. Dantley declared for the 1976 NBA draft after his junior season at Notre Dame. He eventually graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in economics in August 1978. Dantley was selected by the Buffalo Braves sixth overall of the 1976 NBA draft. He was named a starter at small forward, averaging 20.3 points per game and became the third Buffalo player in five years to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award when he won it after the 1977 season. On September 1, 1977, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with forward Mike Bantom, in exchange for shooting guard Billy Knight, who was the league's second-best scorer during the 1976–77 NBA season. Dantley was the first NBA Rookie of the Year to be traded following his rookie season. In the 1977–78 NBA season, he appeared in 23 games and ranked third in the league in scoring with a 26.6 average. On December 13, 1977, with the Pacers needing a bigger presence at center, he was traded along with undersized center Dave Robisch to the Los Angeles Lakers, in exchange for center James Edwards, shooting guard Earl Tatum and cash considerations.

Reader's Guide

Although listed as a small forward due to his size, Dantley played primarily in the low post, similar to a power forward. Dantley finished his NBA career with an average of 24.3 points per game. He scored his points with a mix of flat-footed mid-range jump shots, high-percentage opportunities close to the basket, and frequent trips to the free throw line. For his career, he shot .540 from the floor—16th in NBA history—and .818 from the free throw line. He led the league in free throws six times and ranks ninth all-time in that category. Dantley previously held the record (shared with Wilt Chamberlain) for most free throws made in a regular-season NBA game with 28. Bam Adebayo broke the record with 36 made free throws on March 10, 2026. Dantley was regarded as one of the NBA's best free-throw shooters. Before each free throw, he followed a set routine of four two-handed dribbles and two spins of the ball. He also reportedly repeated a mantra from junior high – 'Over the front rim, backspin, follow through' – which reflected his strong emphasis on fundamentals. His ability to score in the low post was even more remarkable considering one of his legs is significantly shorter than the other. To compensate for the nearly 2 inch difference, he wore a specially built shoe.

Did You Know?

• He was traded to the Detroit Pistons on August 21, 1986, along with second-round draft choices in 1987 and 1990.
• Dantley was knocked unconscious in Game 7 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals.
• He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on February 15, 1989, along with a 1991 first-round draft pick.