Daniel Gibson

American former profession basketball player
the basketball player

Daniel Hiram Gibson (born February 27, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player who is an assistant coach and scout for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the 2006 NBA draft and played seven seasons for them.

Gibson averaged 25.5 points per game and 9.3 assists per game while leading Jones High School in Houston, Texas to a 31–4 record and the Texas Class 4A state title as a senior. It marked the school's first state championship since 1965. Gibson graduated sixth out of 212 students in his high school class, and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Gibson starred as a guard in college basketball the University of Texas at Austin. In his two seasons with the Longhorns, he scored 935 points, including 175 three point field goals. Gibson made 101 threes during the 2005–2006 season, including 9 of 12 against the Baylor Bears on January 21, 2006. It was one short of the Texas record of 10 set by Al Coleman against Kansas State in January 1997. He scored a personal high 37 points in that same game. He joined a Cavaliers backcourt that was the worst in the league in scoring the previous season. In his rookie season, Gibson averaged 4.6 points per game and led all rookies in three point field goal percentage, shooting 41.9%. Daniel contributed in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers reach the NBA playoffs. Cavs coach Mike Brown gave Gibson his first place in the starting line up on December 6, 2006, against the Toronto Raptors. He finished the game with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Overall, Gibson started 16 games and averaged 8.8 points on 53.9% shooting in his starts. Gibson had his first big playoff opportunity in game 3 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. He scored 9 points, including two three pointers. He also grabbed 2 rebounds, blocked 1 shot, and had an important steal from Tayshaun Prince late in the fourth quarter. He followed this in game 4, scoring 21 points, which came from only 6 field goal attempts. Gibson was also 12 of 12 from the free throw line. In Game 6, Gibson scored a career high 31 points, sending the Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals. Gibson was mentored in defensive skills by veteran teammate Eric Snow in the 2006–07 season. In game one of the 2007 NBA Finals against the Spurs, Gibson shined off the bench, leading the team in scoring with Gibson scoring 16 points efficiently, on 7 of 9 shooting. The Cavs would go on to lose game one, however, 76–85. In game two of the NBA Finals, Gibson had another solid game adding 15 points and overall being the second leading scorer behind LeBron James at this point while coming off the bench to Larry Hughes. Gibson played great basketball, being a great three point shooter, not turning the ball over and being effective overall. His first start in the playoffs came in the third game of the 2007 NBA Finals, after an injury to Larry Hughes. Game 3 was one of the worst games of the entire playoffs for Gibson. He shot an atrocious 1 for 10, and 0 for 5 from three. Shots could not fall, and the Cavaliers lost game 3 too 0–3. He started the following game as well. In the final game, game 4 of the 2007 NBA Finals, Daniel Gibson had a decent game, dropping 10 points to an eventual loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The series would be a sweep. He shot 4–10 from the field, and 2 for 6 from three. Daniel Gibson averaged 0 turnovers for the entire finals, and was the third leading scorer for the Cavaliers at 10.8 points per game behind Drew Gooden at 12.8 points a game. However, Daniel Gibson struggled defensively guarding Tony Parker who averaged 24.5 points a game and a finals MVP Trophy.

Gibson played in 58 games, starting 26 of those. He averaged 10.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. He scored a season high 26 points on November 20, 2007 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Gibson had a career high six three pointers against the New York Knicks on November 2, 2007, and a career high eight assists against the Washington Wizards on December 5, 2007. Gibson ranked fifth in the NBA in three point shooting percentage, making 44.0% of his three point attempts. Gibson missed 18 games in February and March due to an ankle injury suffered when he and the Indiana Pacers' Travis Diener dove in the lane for a loose ball in the second quarter of a Cavs win over the Pacers. He returned to action on March 29, 2008 against the Detroit Pistons, scoring only 1 point in 18 minutes. In game 5 against the Boston Celtics, in the Eastern Conference Semi Finals, Gibson separated his shoulder and missed the final two games; the Cavaliers lost 4–3 in the series. Gibson said missing game 7 of the Boston series still haunts him: "I've had a lot of sleepless nights just wondering where I could have helped the team." and the Three point Shootout during the 2008 NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. During the first half of the Rookie Challenge, Gibson tied the record for total three pointers made, despite not being a starter in the game. He later set the record in the second half with eleven total three pointers, finishing the game shooting 11–20 from beyond the arc. Gibson was named MVP of the game, finishing with 33 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Gibson finished in second place in the Three point Shootout. He advanced to the final round by scoring 17 points in the first round, which tied him with Dirk Nowitzki for second place. In the final round, Gibson again scored 17 points, but it was not enough. Defending champion Jason Kapono tied the 22 year shootout record of 25 points for the victory.

On June 10, 2008, Gibson had surgery on his ankle in Houston. On July 16, 2008, the Cavaliers signed Gibson to a five year, $21 million contract. On November 26, 2008, Gibson scored his 1,000th career point in the Cavs' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Gibson is the son of Byron and Cheryl Gibson. His father played basketball for the University of Houston. The couple later separated in 2014. On July 29, 2013, Gibson turned himself in to New Orleans police to face a charge of second degree battery related to an incident that took place earlier that month. His attorney declined to comment on the matter, but police said Gibson struck a man, breaking his jaw, in an altercation at a local night club. After the 2012–2013 season, injuries to his foot and ankle, grieving his grandmother's death, and a lengthy divorce, Gibson began suffering from depression and anxiety, and began writing music to cope with the issues, contrary to rumors that he intentionally was starting a rap career. In 2017, he toured internationally with other retired NBA players as a part of the Champions Basketball League and he and Cole were featured in the VH1 reality TV show Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood. In 2018, Gibson was on the MTV television show The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars.