Dampier Swats, Slams Way Into Hall
July 30, 2021 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Bulldog center let his play on the court do his talking.
Erick Dampier has always been a man of few words. The former Mississippi State and NBA center has always seemingly preferred to let his play on the court do his talking.
Turns out, folks must've heard Dampier loud and clear. He's about to be enshrined in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.
Dampier will take his place among the Magnolia State's greats on Saturday night. The big man from Monticello has long been an MSU legend, where he was such a force for the Bulldogs from 1994 through 1996. But now, he can be officially recognized as an icon far outside of Starkville.
Dampier was special. Just ask his former coach at State, and fellow Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer, Richard Williams.
"[Dampier] was such an integral part of, not just the [1996] Final Four team, but all three years he was there," Williams said. "He was the guy that gave us a chance every time because of his defensive presence. And he improved offensively as his career went on, but he was always good defensively. He could block shots. He had great anticipation. He was long. He was a force to be reckoned with in the paint on the defensive end. As he got better offensively, he started commanding double teams. When he started commanding double teams, he was a really, really good passer out of the double teams. He made everyone else better because he was commanding those double teams a lot, and he didn't turn the ball over in the double teams. He'd always find the open player. Offensively and defensively, he was just such a force for us for three years."
The Bulldogs reaped the benefits of Dampier's dominance. Mississippi State won 66 total games and reached the postseason in all three years of Dampier's career at MSU, highlighted by the 1996 Final Four run and a trip to the 1995 Sweet Sixteen.
On an individual level, Dampier was a two-time Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection and a two-time All Southeastern Conference pick during his junior and senior seasons. He ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in total blocks (249), blocks per game (2.68), field goal percentage (58.7), rebounds (859) and rebounds per game (9.2).
Dampier scored 1,231 career points and scored at least 10 points in 74 of his 93 career games. He had 33 career double-doubles.
With numbers like that, there was never much need for Dampier to raise his voice. His performances always seemed to scream, 'Follow me'.
"I don't know that Erick was a vocal leader," Williams said. "He doesn't say a lot. But as far as being a leader on the court and players following his example and how hard he played and things like that and how competitive he was, certainly those leadership qualities were there…Erick led by example more than anything else. There were games during that Final Four run, he played the entire 40 minutes. Now, you see guys play 28, 30 or 32 minutes and guys act like they're tired. They have to come out of the game. He was in great physical condition, and still is. If you've seen him lately, he looks like he could go out there and play right now."
Perhaps Dampier could. It's been less than a decade since Dampier's professional career ended. He played 16 NBA seasons.
After being a lottery pick and chosen 10th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 1996 NBA Draft, Dampier went on to also play for Golden State, Dallas, Miami and Atlanta over the next decade and a half. He scored 7,309 career points in the NBA to go along with 7,005 rebounds and 1,398 blocks over 987 games.
Inside the state lines of Mississippi though, Dampier will always likely be best remembered as a cornerstone of one of the greatest eras of Bulldog basketball.
"He very obviously had a tremendous impact on the success we had the three years he was there," Williams said.
At MSU and beyond, Dampier did it all with his own style – the strong and silent way. All those swats and slams through the years said enough.
Turns out, folks must've heard Dampier loud and clear. He's about to be enshrined in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.
Dampier will take his place among the Magnolia State's greats on Saturday night. The big man from Monticello has long been an MSU legend, where he was such a force for the Bulldogs from 1994 through 1996. But now, he can be officially recognized as an icon far outside of Starkville.
Dampier was special. Just ask his former coach at State, and fellow Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer, Richard Williams.
"[Dampier] was such an integral part of, not just the [1996] Final Four team, but all three years he was there," Williams said. "He was the guy that gave us a chance every time because of his defensive presence. And he improved offensively as his career went on, but he was always good defensively. He could block shots. He had great anticipation. He was long. He was a force to be reckoned with in the paint on the defensive end. As he got better offensively, he started commanding double teams. When he started commanding double teams, he was a really, really good passer out of the double teams. He made everyone else better because he was commanding those double teams a lot, and he didn't turn the ball over in the double teams. He'd always find the open player. Offensively and defensively, he was just such a force for us for three years."
The Bulldogs reaped the benefits of Dampier's dominance. Mississippi State won 66 total games and reached the postseason in all three years of Dampier's career at MSU, highlighted by the 1996 Final Four run and a trip to the 1995 Sweet Sixteen.
On an individual level, Dampier was a two-time Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection and a two-time All Southeastern Conference pick during his junior and senior seasons. He ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in total blocks (249), blocks per game (2.68), field goal percentage (58.7), rebounds (859) and rebounds per game (9.2).
Dampier scored 1,231 career points and scored at least 10 points in 74 of his 93 career games. He had 33 career double-doubles.
With numbers like that, there was never much need for Dampier to raise his voice. His performances always seemed to scream, 'Follow me'.
"I don't know that Erick was a vocal leader," Williams said. "He doesn't say a lot. But as far as being a leader on the court and players following his example and how hard he played and things like that and how competitive he was, certainly those leadership qualities were there…Erick led by example more than anything else. There were games during that Final Four run, he played the entire 40 minutes. Now, you see guys play 28, 30 or 32 minutes and guys act like they're tired. They have to come out of the game. He was in great physical condition, and still is. If you've seen him lately, he looks like he could go out there and play right now."
Perhaps Dampier could. It's been less than a decade since Dampier's professional career ended. He played 16 NBA seasons.
After being a lottery pick and chosen 10th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 1996 NBA Draft, Dampier went on to also play for Golden State, Dallas, Miami and Atlanta over the next decade and a half. He scored 7,309 career points in the NBA to go along with 7,005 rebounds and 1,398 blocks over 987 games.
Inside the state lines of Mississippi though, Dampier will always likely be best remembered as a cornerstone of one of the greatest eras of Bulldog basketball.
"He very obviously had a tremendous impact on the success we had the three years he was there," Williams said.
At MSU and beyond, Dampier did it all with his own style – the strong and silent way. All those swats and slams through the years said enough.
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