Born: January 16, 1970 in Palo Alto, California
Simi Valley High School, 1988
University of California, Los Angeles, 1992
CAREER
Simi Valley High School:
Don was a 3-year basketball letterman at Simi Valley High School, 3-year All League and All C.I.F., where he led his high school to three Marmonte League Championships, and to the finals of the C.I.F. Tournament in 1987. In 1988 the Simi Valley Pioneers were Southern Section Basketball Champions.
He holds season and career records in point average (31.5 season and 26.3 career), most points scored season (1008) and career (2343); field goals season (379) and career (904), free throws – season (18), career (530) and career rebounds (1120).
University of Califomia, Los Angeles:
At UCLA, Don was a four-year starter on the basketball team (1989-1992). In his freshman year he scored a career high 41 points against North Texas and finished the season with freshman records in scoring average (18.6 ppg) and rebounds (7.5 rpg). In 1992 he was an All-American and helped lead the Bruins to a conference championship and appearance in the Elite Eight, as he broke the Pac-IO career scoring record.
In his Bruin career he was a three-time team MVP and three-time all conference selection. He led the team in scoring three times, twice in rebounds and twice in field goal percentage. He also led in free-throw percentage all four seasons, including 1991-1992 when he made 92.1% of his free throws and led the nation.
His UCLA records include most career points (2,608), career field goals scored (943 – tied with Lew Alcindor) career attempts (1 ,776), most career 20-point games (68) and career games scoring in double figures (123 including 68 straight). He also ranks second in career free throw percentage at 86.0%. He ended his college career averaging 20.5 points and 7.8 rebounds.
Professional:
Don was the 19th overall pick in the First Round of the NBA draft in 1992, where he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons traded to the Clippers and traded to Washington. In 1995 he went to Denver and in 1996 to Philadelphia. In 1997 he was with New Jersey, 1998 with Seattle, 1999 with Phoenix and 2000 with Miami.
His best season was in 1993-94 when he averaged 18.2 points and 6.2 rebounds for Washington.
In 1995-96 he averaged 22.4 points per game in five starts for the Nuggets.
Due to tendonitis of the knees he missed all but nine games in 1997-98.
Among his career highs: scored 38 points twice; attempted 27 and made 14 field goals against Golden State in 1995, attempted 16 and made 13 free throws against Minnesota in 1999, had eight offensive rebounds against Detroit in 1994, had 10 defensive rebounds three times, a total of 15 rebounds against Portland in 1993, 7 assists against Orlando in 1994, 3 steals against Golden State in 1995, at least 2 blocks in seven games.
COMMUNITY
Don lives in Westlake, and is presently an analyst for UCLA broadcasts.