Darrin Hancock

American basketball player (born 1971)

Darrin Hancock (born November 3, 1971) is a retired American professional basketball player. In high school and college he was known for his strong offense, while his quick and agile moves to the basket drew comparisons to the likes of Dominique Wilkins. A Parade Magazine and McDonald's All American standout at Griffin High School in Griffin, Georgia, Hancock was ranked among the country's best high school basketball players in the late 1980s. He played his first two college seasons at Garden City Community College, where he was considered one of the top junior college recruits in the nation before transferring to the University of Kansas. There he was the starting small forward on the Kansas Jayhawks' Final Four bound squad in the 1993 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Hancock left college after his junior year to play professional basketball and eventually found success in United States semi pro basketball leagues after several uneventful stints in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is considered to be among the best all time Georgia high school basketball players in the state's history.

Darrin Hancock relocated from his Georgia home to the Midwest and settled in rural Finney County, Kansas in 1990 to begin his enrollment at Garden City Community College. He joined Garden City's basketball squad as the team's star swingman and averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals during his freshman season. His continued athletic accomplishments earned him his third consecutive Parade Magazine All American recognition as well as being named to the JUCO All American Third Team. The Georgia transplant further expanded his prowess on the court during his college sophomore season and averaged 21.8 points per game and 11.7 rebounds per game. Hancock displayed his top single game college performance when he recorded a triple double against Barton County Community College, scoring a then collegiate career high of 37 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Many considered Hancock to be the nation's number one junior college basketball player, including the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), who named the sophomore star as the 1991–92 NJCCA Player of the Year. Several hoops analysts forecasted Kansas as a top ranked team and as a possible Final Four contender with the arrival of Hancock. The Jayhawks fulfilled those predictions, capturing the 1993 Big Eight Regular Season Championship and the second seed in the Midwest division of the 1993 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament with a 27–8 record. The Jayhawks marched through the NCAA tournament and arrived at the Final Four Regional Championships, their second appearance in three years. Though Kansas eventually lost to North Carolina in the Final Four, the team's outstanding performance earned the squad a top ten nationwide ranking during the regular season, including a brief time spent at number one. The dynamic backcourt duo of Rex Walters and Adonis Jordan provided the bulk of the Jayhawks' scoring. Hancock, on the other hand, was primarily a secondary offensive contributor with an average of 7.5 points per game in 33 starts. Hancock's failure to live up to pre season expectations

Darrin Hancock was signed by the Milwaukee Bucks on October 3, 1996 and as a result the newly acquired Buck saw scarce minutes on the floor, averaging 4.3 minutes per game as small forward reserve. The organization took interest in the native Georgian, who was looking to rebound back into the league after having recently been dropped by the Suns. Hancock averaged 14 points and 3.5 rebounds in his first two games with the Racers. Hancock was offered a 10 day contract in March to return to Atlanta, where he finished the remainder of season as a Hawk.