Darrick Martin
A journeyman point guard whose relentless hustle and veteran savvy carved out a 13-year professional career across every level of basketball.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 6·Generation X
Biography
Darrick Martin's story is the blueprint for the basketball survivor. Undersized for the NBA, the UCLA graduate refused to let that define his career. Instead, he became a basketball nomad, shuttling between the NBA, the Continental Basketball Association, and even a stint with the Harlem Globetrotters. His value wasn't in stats but in his pesky defense, steady ball-handling, and a veteran's understanding of the game. He became the ultimate 'break glass in case of emergency' point guard for NBA teams, providing reliable minutes off the bench for a dozen franchises. His pinnacle came in the CBA, where he was a star, winning a championship and Playoff MVP honors. This gritty perseverance eventually led him to a second act as a coach in the NBA's developmental league.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Darrick was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Darrick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Darrick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
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 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named the CBA Playoffs MVP in 2003 after leading the Yakima Sun Kings to a championship.
- Played for 12 different NBA teams over parts of 13 seasons, a testament to his valued role as a backup point guard.
- Transitioned to coaching after retirement, being named head coach of the NBA G League's Reno Bighorns in 2016.
Did You Know?
He played for the Harlem Globetrotters during the 2003 offseason, showcasing his ball-handling skills in their exhibition tours.
He is one of a small group of players to have played for four different Los Angeles-based professional teams (Clippers, Lakers, Sparks as a coach, and the IBL's Lightning).
At UCLA, he was a teammate of future NBA players like Don MacLean and Tracy Murray.
“I proved you could last in this league at any size.”
