Ernest Nzigamasabo
July 23, 2020
Dedric Willoughby
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 27/05/74
- Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana (USA)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 191
- Weight (KG): #N/A
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Iowa State (1992-1997)
- NBL DEBUT: 17/02/01
- AGE AT DEBUT: 26
- LAST NBL GAME: 17/02/01
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Sydney 2001
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Dedric Willoughby was born in New Orleans, Louisiana (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Dedric Willoughby made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 26 years of age. He scored nine points in his first game.
A 6’3″ guard, Willoughby began his college basketball career at the University of New Orleans, then transferred to Iowa State University. His coach at both schools was Tim Floyd.
After playing professionally in Italy, Willoughby made the roster of the Chicago Bulls for the 1999-2000 NBA season, and was reunited once again with coach Tim Floyd.
Dedric Willoughby played in one NBL game during the 2000-01 season, scoring 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 26 | Sydney | 17-11 (5) | 1 | 29 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 33% | 1 | 3 | 33% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 45% | 0% | 9 | Totals | 1 | 29 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 33.3% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 0% | 0% | 9 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 26 | Sydney | 17-11 (5) | 1 | 29.0 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | 33% | 1.0 | 3.0 | 33% | 2.0 | 2.0 | 100% | 45% | 0% | 9 | Total | 1 | 29.0 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | 33.3% | 0.3 | 33.3% | 1.0 | 3.0 | 100.0% | 0% | 0% | 9 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Willoughby played 25 games in the NBA. He averaged 7.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- October 28, 1999: Signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls.
- January 4, 2000: Waived by the Chicago Bulls.
- January 6, 2000: Became a free agent after being waived by the Chicago Bulls.
- January 10, 2000: Signed a 10-day contract with the Chicago Bulls.
- January 20, 2000: Became a free agent after his second Chicago Bulls contract ended.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 64% | 97% | 81% | 0% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 3 | 9 | 33.3% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-00 | 25 | Chicago | PG | 25 | 1 | 508 | 190 | 51 | 66 | 11 | 40 | 23 | 2 | 37 | 32 | 61 | 179 | 29 | 98 | 39 | 51 | 47% | 42% | Total | 25 | 1 | 508 | 190 | 51 | 66 | 11 | 40 | 23 | 2 | 37 | 32 | 61 | 179 | 34% | 29 | 98 | 30% | 39 | 51 | 76% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-00 | 25 | Chicago | PG | 25 | 1 | 20.3 | 7.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 7.2 | 34% | 1.2 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 47% | 42% | Total | 25 | 1 | 20.3 | 7.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 7.2 | 34% | 1.2 | 3.9 | 30% | 1.6 | 2.0 | 76% |
COLLEGE
Dedric Willoughby began his NCAA career at the University of New Orleans, playing for head coach Tim Floyd during the 1992-93 season as the Privateers finished 26-4 and reached the NCAA Tournament before falling to Xavier 73-55 on March 19, 1993.
In that 1992-93 season, Willoughby appeared in 5 games and started 4, averaging 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 19.0 minutes per game while shooting 7-for-24 from the field (29.2%), going 7-for-22 from three (31.8%), and making 5-of-9 free throws (55.6%), with 26 total points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, and 1 foul recorded across his limited sample.
Willoughby continued at New Orleans for the 1993-94 season, where he averaged 9.0 points per game alongside 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists as a sophomore before later following Floyd to Iowa State for the next stage of his college career.
Willoughby transferred to Iowa State University ahead of the 1995-96 season and immediately became the Cyclones’ lead perimeter scorer, starting all 33 games and averaging 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in 38.2 minutes per game while shooting .415 from the field (204-for-492), .337 from three (88-for-261), and .793 at the line (180-for-227), producing 676 total points for a 24-9 Iowa State team that won the Big Eight Tournament (including a 56-55 title-game win over Kansas) and reached the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed.
In the 1996 NCAA Tournament, Iowa State opened with a 74-64 win over California, with Willoughby logging 38 minutes and scoring 23 points while adding 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, before the Cyclones were eliminated by Utah 73-67 in the next round.
In 1996-97, Willoughby’s senior year, Iowa State went 22-9 overall (10-6 in the Big 12) and returned to the NCAA Tournament, with Willoughby playing 27 games (all starts) and averaging 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 35.9 minutes per game while shooting .433 overall, making 102 three-pointers on 45.1% accuracy (102-for-226), and hitting .821 from the free-throw line; he also missed four games that season (three due to injury and one due to a suspension), and he delivered one of his biggest regular-season scoring nights against Kansas with 36 points and 9 made three-pointers.
During each of his two seasons at Iowa State, Willoughby was the runner-up for the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year Award, and as a senior he averaged 18.9 points per game and made 45% of his three-point field goal attempts.
In the 1997 NCAA Tournament, Willoughby helped Iowa State reach the Sweet Sixteen by scoring 21 points in a first-round win over Illinois State and adding 14 points in a 67-66 second-round win over Cincinnati, then closed his college career with 34 points in an overtime loss to UCLA (11-for-21 shooting, 8-for-17 from three, 4-for-4 at the line, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 44 minutes) as Iowa State fell 74-73; across those three tournament games he totaled 74 points (24.7 points per game), which ranked as the top individual scoring average in the 1997 NCAA Tournament.
Across his two Iowa State seasons combined, Willoughby totaled 1,186 points and 190 made three-pointers, with his 102 triples in 1996-97 standing as a single-season benchmark for the program and his two-year scoring output placing him among the most prolific short-tenure scorers in school history.
LIFE AFTER BASKETBALL
Dedric Demond Willoughby passed away suddenly on July 19, 2023, aged 49, while playing basketball in Atlanta, Georgia.
The University of New Orleans basketball program and his family paid tribute following his passing.
His funeral was held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hahnville, Louisiana, on July 29, 2023.
Related
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