Last Updated on April 15, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the information about Darrall Imhoff:

  • Full Name: Darrall Tucker Imhoff
  • Nickname: N/A
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: January 11, 1938 (died June 30, 2017, aged 78)
  • Hometown: San Gabriel, California, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 10 in (208 cm)
  • Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg)
  • Wingspan: Not publicly recorded
  • Shoe Size: Not publicly recorded
  • Jersey Number (College and NBA):
    • #32 — University of California, Berkeley
    • #17 — New York Knicks
    • #19 — Los Angeles Lakers
    • #18 — St. Louis Hawks
    • #20 — Detroit Pistons
    • #17 — Philadelphia 76ers
    • #21 — Cincinnati Royals
  • Position: Center
  • High School: Alhambra High School (California)
  • College: University of California, Berkeley
  • NBA Draft: 1960 — Round 1, Pick 3 — New York Knicks
  • Player Archetype: Traditional interior center / defensive anchor
  • Primary Offensive Role: Low-post finisher, offensive rebounder, screen-setter
  • Defensive Role: Rim protector, paint anchor, positional rebounder
  • Play Style: Fundamentally sound big man who relied on positioning, timing, and efficiency rather than explosiveness
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed
  • Athletic Profile: Above-average size for his era with solid mobility early in his career; not an elite leaper but coordinated and physically reliable in the paint
  • Recruiting Status: Highly regarded collegiate big man (pre-modern recruiting rankings era)
  • Draft Status Detail: Top-3 pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, selected ahead of multiple future contributors, reflecting strong collegiate impact
  • Injury Status Category: Durable — maintained a long professional career (1960–1971) with consistent availability and no widely documented major injuries
  • Career Stage: Retired (former NBA player)
  • Comparison Style: Similar to traditional centers like Bill Russell in role emphasis (defense-first), but without elite athleticism or historic impact
  • Teams Played For:
    • New York Knicks (1960–1962)
    • Los Angeles Lakers (1962–1964)
    • St. Louis Hawks (1964–1965)
    • Detroit Pistons (1965–1967)
    • Los Angeles Lakers (1967–1968)
    • Philadelphia 76ers (1968–1969)
    • Cincinnati Royals (1969–1971)
  • Championship Rings: 1 (1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers)
  • Parents: Not publicly documented
  • Children: Yes, Imhoff had children, though details are not widely publicized.
  • Siblings: Not publicly documented
  • Retirement Age: 33
  • Retirement Year: 1971

Darrall Imhoff fits the archetype of a traditional interior center, operating primarily as a defensive anchor who controlled the paint with size and positional awareness. Defensively, he functioned as a rim protector and rebounder, using timing rather than elite verticality, while offensively he contributed as a low-post finisher, screen-setter, and second-chance scorer. At 6’10” with a sturdy frame, his physical traits suited the slower, half-court style of his era, allowing him to play a disciplined, team-oriented game. His overall play style leaned heavily on fundamentals—boxing out, setting solid screens, and making efficient interior plays—rather than high-usage scoring or athletic dominance, making him a reliable rotational big across multiple franchises during the 1960s.

Sources:
Basketball Reference — Darrall Imhoff Stats
NBA.com — Darrall Imhoff Player Bio
Cal Bears Athletics — Darrall Imhoff Biography