Darius Garland
A shifty, scoring point guard whose slick handle and deep range earned him an All-Star nod in Cleveland.
Born 2000 (age 26)·American basketball player·Birthday: January 26·Generation Z
Biography
Darius Garland arrived in the NBA with the polished game of a coach's son and the burden of high expectations. A Tennessee high school legend, his time at Vanderbilt was cut short by a meniscus injury, making him a question mark in the 2019 draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers bet on his smooth shooting and playmaking vision. After a quiet rookie year, Garland exploded, becoming the engine of Cleveland's revival. His partnership with Donovan Mitchell formed one of the league's most dynamic backcourts, with Garland's ability to navigate defenses and fire from the logo making him a nightmare to guard. His first All-Star selection in 2022 signaled his arrival as a cornerstone, a player whose skill and poise belied his youth, tasked with leading a franchise into a new era.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Darius was born in 2000, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Darius Was Born
The biggest hits of 2000
#1 Movie
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Best Picture
Gladiator
#1 TV Show
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Darius's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2000Born
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2005Started school
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2013Became a teenager
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2016Could drive
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2018Could vote
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2021Turned 21
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 26 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named an NBA All-Star in 2022 for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- Averaged over 21 points and 8 assists per game in the 2021-22 season, establishing himself as a premier point guard.
- Was selected with the 5th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- Won the NBA Three-Point Contest during the 2022 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.
- Led Brentwood Academy (TN) to four consecutive state basketball championships.
Did You Know?
His father, Winston Garland, played seven seasons in the NBA in the 1980s and 90s.
He was named Tennessee's Mr. Basketball three times in high school, a state record.
He played only five games in his lone college season at Vanderbilt due to a knee injury.
He and teammate Evan Mobley were both selected to the 2022 All-Star Game, the first Cavs duo to do so since 1993.
“I'm a point guard. My job is to make the game easier for everybody.”
