Dr. Dunkenstein — Louisville's Naismith Award winner who led the Cardinals to the 1980 national championship.
Darrell Steven Griffith was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1958. He attended the University of Louisville under coach Denny Crum and won the national championship in 1980. He was named both the national player of the year (Naismith Award) and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He earned the nickname Dr. Dunkenstein for his extraordinary leaping ability and spectacular dunk artistry. He averaged 18.5 points per game across four seasons. His combination of athleticism — his vertical leap was considered one of the highest in college basketball history — with scoring ability and the leadership that brought Louisville to a championship made him the complete package. Utah Jazz selected him second overall in the 1980 NBA Draft. His professional career produced the NBA's Three-Point Contest title in 1986 and a decade of consistent scoring. His Louisville career — four years culminating in a championship and the national player of the year award — remains the most decorated in Cardinals history alongside Pervis Ellison's freshman championship.
National Championship (1980)
Career Honours
- National Championship (1980)
- Naismith Award (1980)
- Tournament MOP (1980)
- Consensus All-American