Bobby Dandridge

As the first player ever bought by the Washington Bullets, Bobby Dandridge proved himself an invaluable addition to the injury-plagued “Team Destiny” when the Bullets overcame a 29-28 record midway through the season to win the 1978 NBA championship.  At one point in the season, the Bullets only had seven players healthy enough to suit up for the games, but ultimately Dandridge was able to defend against Julius Erving to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers, clinching a playoff berth for Washington.  From there, the team went on to win its only NBA championship in franchise history.

Dandridge began playing basketball at Maggie Walker High School in his hometown of Richmond, VA.  He went on to Norfolk State University, where he set several school records.  Dandridge was selected as All Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) from 1967 to 1969 and was chosen as CIAA Tournament Most Valuable Player in 1968.  Sports announcers and color analysts used him as the model to measure the performances of other forwards.  With the Impression’s theme song “We’re A Winner” often playing in the background as the Spartans took the court, “Pick”, as he was often called by teammates, helped the Spartans finish the season as the nation’s number one scoring team.  In Dandridge’s senior year, the Spartans averaged 110 points per game and were 21-4 that season, marking Norfolk State’s first appearance in Sports Illustrated magazine. 

He was selected as a fourth-round draft choice by the Milwaukee Bucks and enjoyed an eight-year career with them.  Dandridge became a three-time NBA All Star with the Bucks and, together with teammates Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robinson, led the Bucks to victory in the 1972 NBA World Championship.  He later made a fourth appearance as an All Star with the Bullets.

After a 12-year NBA career, Dandridge continued to pursue his passion for basketball as an assistant coach at Hampton University from 1987 to 1992.  He maintains a home in Norfolk and currently develops youth programs whose emphasis lie in adult leadership. Dandridge also stresses the importance of receiving a good education to all youths. 

A renowned basketball camp facilitator and clinician, Dandridge often impressed aspiring hoop hopefuls by telling a defender where he would take him on the floor and where he would shoot from, all the while informing his incredulous opponent that there was absolutely nothing he could do short of fouling him to keep him from making his patented jump shot.