Darius Defoe (born 30 October 1984) is a British
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player. Defoe is a
power forward
The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...
, who is able to play in the
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
. Since 2005, Defoe is a member of the
Newcastle Eagles
The Newcastle Eagles are a professional basketball team based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Playing in the top-tier British Basketball League and holding the franchise for Tyne & Wear, they are the most successful team in the League's histor ...
.
Early years
Defoe attended St. David & St. Katharine School (now known as
Greig City Academy
Greig City Academy is a mixed-sex secondary school in the London borough of Haringey. It has around 1,100 pupils on its roll.
As well as a busy main school, the Academy includes a thriving Sixth Form with links to Russell Group and other unive ...
) in Haringey, North London and is a graduate of the
Hackney Community College Basketball Academy
The Hackney Community College's Basketball Academy is a basketball programme located in the London Borough of Hackney in the United Kingdom. It was originally designed to engage young people vulnerable to exclusion from education to gain qualifica ...
Programme. He currently plays for the
Newcastle Eagles
The Newcastle Eagles are a professional basketball team based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Playing in the top-tier British Basketball League and holding the franchise for Tyne & Wear, they are the most successful team in the League's histor ...
in the
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
. Defoe has played with the Eagles since the
2004-2005 Season.
Professional career
Newcastle Eagles
As at 20 March 2011 the official
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
website shows that Defoe has made 217 appearances for
Newcastle Eagles
The Newcastle Eagles are a professional basketball team based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Playing in the top-tier British Basketball League and holding the franchise for Tyne & Wear, they are the most successful team in the League's histor ...
and has an 8.81 Points Per Game Average, a 5.24 Rebounds Per Game Average and a 0.62 Assists Per Game Average.
2004-2005
Defoe joined
Newcastle Eagles
The Newcastle Eagles are a professional basketball team based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Playing in the top-tier British Basketball League and holding the franchise for Tyne & Wear, they are the most successful team in the League's histor ...
in 2004 from
Hackney White Heat
Hackney White Heat was an English basketball team from the district of Hackney in London. The club were members of the top tier of the former National Basketball League before the competition was reformatted into the current English Basketbal ...
. He made his debut on 1 October 2004 against the
Scottish Rocks
The Caledonia Gladiators are a professional basketball club in Glasgow, Scotland. The Gladiators compete in the British Basketball League, the top tier of British basketball. Since 2012, the team have played their home games at the Emirates Ar ...
. In his debut season of
Professional Basketball
In professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, participants receive payment for their performance. Professionalism in sport has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larg ...
, Defoe played 40 games, playing 521 minutes, while recording averages of 4.80 Points Per Game and 3.33 Rebounds Per Game. In this season Defoe picked up a
BBL Trophy
The British Basketball League Trophy, often shortened to the BBL Trophy, is an annual cup competition for British basketball teams organised by the United Kingdom's top professional league, the British Basketball League. It is one of two peripher ...
winners medal and a
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Play-Off winners medal.
2005-2006
In the
2005-06 Season Defoe made 32 appearances and bettered his averages with 8.34 Points Per Game and 4.78 Rebounds Per Game while putting in some impressive performances for the team in their phenomenal Trophy "Clean Sweep" of
BBL Cup
The British Basketball League Cup, often shortened to the BBL Cup, is an annual cup competition for British basketball teams organised by the United Kingdom's top professional league, the British Basketball League. It is one of two peripheral c ...
,
BBL Trophy
The British Basketball League Trophy, often shortened to the BBL Trophy, is an annual cup competition for British basketball teams organised by the United Kingdom's top professional league, the British Basketball League. It is one of two peripher ...
,
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Championship and
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Play-Offs.
2006-2007
In the
2006-07 Season Defoe made 36 appearances with averages of 7.36 Points Per Game and 5.81 Rebounds Per Game. In this season Defoe picked up his third
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Play-Offs winner medal.
Defoe was also a winner of the 2006 Nike Midnight Madness Trophy.
2007-2008
In the
2007-08 Season Defoe made 33 appearances with averages of 9.52 Points Per Game and 5.09 Rebounds Per Game. In this season Defoe picked up his second
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Championship winner medal.
Defoe was also a winner of the 2007 Nike Midnight Madness Trophy. In the summer of 2007 he played as part of the British team called Midnight Madness which competed and won against an American team in Chicago.
2008-2009
In the
2008-09 Season Defoe made 31 appearances with averages of 10.71 Points Per Game and 6.13 Rebounds Per Game. In this season Defoe picked up his third
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Championship winner medal, his third
BBL Trophy
The British Basketball League Trophy, often shortened to the BBL Trophy, is an annual cup competition for British basketball teams organised by the United Kingdom's top professional league, the British Basketball League. It is one of two peripher ...
winner medal and his fourth
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Play-Offs winner medal.
2009-2010
In the
2009-10 Season Defoe made 35 appearances with averages of 11.94 Points Per Game and 6.34 Rebounds Per Game. Statistically this was Defoe's best season to date. In this season Defoe picked up his fourth
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs howeve ...
Championship winner medal and his fourth
BBL Trophy
The British Basketball League Trophy, often shortened to the BBL Trophy, is an annual cup competition for British basketball teams organised by the United Kingdom's top professional league, the British Basketball League. It is one of two peripher ...
winner medal.
2010-2011
In the
2010-011 Season after 10 appearances Defoe had averaged 12.3 Points Per Game and 6.2 Rebounds Per Game.
Honours and awards
* 2 Great Britain Caps
* 4-Time British Basketball League Championship Winner
* 1-Time British Basketball League Championship Runner Up
* 4-Time British Basketball League Play-Off Winner
* 1-Time British Basketball League Cup Winner
* 1-Time British Basketball League Cup Runner Up
* 4-Time British Basketball Trophy Winner
* 2-Time British Basketball Trophy Runner Up
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Defoe, Darius
1984 births
Living people
Black British sportsmen
Dominica emigrants to England
Dominica men's basketball players
English men's basketball players
English people of Dominica descent
Hackney White Heat players
Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom
Newcastle Eagles players
Power forwards (basketball)
Sportspeople from the London Borough of Haringey
Basketball players from Greater London