Former Maverick Roy Tarpley has died at the age of 50. The 6’11 center/forward came to Dallas as the 7th overall pick in the 1986 draft. Some say that draft was cursed with Len Bias, Chris Washburn, William Bedford and Tarpley all going in the top ten. Three of those either washed out or had substance abuse issues that led to their ouster from the league. Of course, Len Bias didn’t play any due to his premature death from a drug overdose just a few days after the draft was held that year.
Tarpley made an immediate impact on the Mavericks. A high energy, rebounding machine that gave head coach Dick Motta exactly what he has been lacking in his time as the coach in Dallas. The first year Roy was getting used to the league which has a brutal travel schedule compared to college basketball. “Tarp” made the adjustments and was becoming a player Motta could turn to for an energy boost and to clean the glass. With Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman and Derek Harper, Tarpley didn’t have to be the star like he was at Michigan and it was a perfect fit.
In his second year, Roy was the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year scoring 13.5 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game and averaging 28.5 minutes per game. Tarpley helped the Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals where they would fall to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7. In that playoff run of 1988, Tarpley averaged 17.9 points per game and 12.9 rebounds per game. A star was born.
The next year, the year we all expected Tarpley to assert himself as the next Maverick star, it all fell apart. DWI arrests, drug suspensions and it just went downhill from there. His fall from grace is well documented and painful for Maverick fans to remember.
Make no mistake, there is no hyperbole when I say he was going to be a superstar. There were nights when he dominated Olajuwon or Ewing. There were not many nights in that ‘87-’88 season when Roy Tarpley was not the best player on the floor. Roy afforded the Mavericks the ability to take chances in the draft with selections like Jim Farmer and Steve Alford. Tarpley made the draft picks of Bill Wennington and Uwe Blab inconsequential. In those early days with Harper, Blackman, Aguirre, James Donaldson and Sam Perkins, Roy Tarpley got significant playing time. In those same years Detlef Schrempf was a pretty decent player that could not find his role. Tarpley immediately found his and he was on his way to a Hall of Fame career. Detlef turned out to be a monster player for many, many years. Roy Tarpley was so much better than Schrempf.
I’m sad. Roy Tarpley, who gave me two of the greatest basketball years of my life has passed away. I’m sad. Roy Tarpley, who as a kid I loved and pulled for and had me out of chair when he filled the lane for a thunderous dunk, never fulfilled what we thought he would. When I think back on Tarpley, I’ll think of his greatest moments on the court. You were an important part of that team for a small period Roy. I’ll always remember that fondly.
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