Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame - DERRICK "RICK" MAHORN

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DERRICK "RICK" MAHORN

CLASS

INDUCTION 2009

SPORT(S) Men's Basketball

One of the most noted names to ever grace the court in either college or professional basketball, Derrick “Rick” Mahorn is a true legend of the game. From 1976-80, he evolved into one of the nation’s premiere college hoopsters while matriculating as an Education major at Hampton University.

A three-time All-American, Mahorn scored an amazing 2,418 points while playing for the Pirates, averaging 20.3 points per contest as a collegian. Both his points total and scoring average remain an all-time career best at HU.

Following a modest freshman year in 1976-77 that saw him average 5.7 points, he surged as a sophomore while averaging 24.0 points in 1977-78 and followed that season by posting averages of 22.8 points a game as a junior in 1978-79 and 27.6 points a game as a senior in 1979-80. Mahorn’s name sits atop the HU basketball records books in some 10 major offensive statistical categories. His 48 points against St. Augustine on February 22, 1980 remain a school record.

While his offensive game was supreme, Mahorn was a terror on defense as well for the Pirates. His 1,465 career rebounds is an all-time best at HU, and his 12.3 career rebounding average ranks second all-time at the school. Mahorn grabbed 20 or more rebounds in nine games as a collegian, including an all-time single-game high of 28 boards in a contest against Winston-Salem State on February 24, 1979.

Mahorn captured All-CIAA honors in each of his last three seasons at Hampton. He was tabbed the league’s player-of-the-year in 1978-79, the same season in which he earned Associated Press All-America honors. In 2003, the CIAA honored Mahorn by electing him into the conference’s Hall of Fame.

The first HU player ever drafted into the NBA, Mahorn had an illustrious career with the Detroit Pistons, winning a championship in 1989. He also played in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. In 2009, Mahorn served as head coach of the WNBA’s Detroit Shock and a four-year stint as that team’s assistant coach.