Brad Daugherty, Indian in the City

Retained at No. 1 in the 1986 draft. Brad Daughertythis grandson of the Cherokee Indian chief was among the best pivots in the League. Unfortunately for him, the injuries are certain Michael Jordan will prevent him from having a better record and a longer career.

Deer hunting, car racing, gun shooting, snake trapping, Clint Eastwood, country singer Hank Williams Jr., western style clothing, chewing tobacco… These are some of Bradley Lee Doherty’s passions. “I’m a cowboy, I like simple things.”

Michael Jordan Kooptik in North Carolina

A bit paradoxical for the grandson of the Cherokee Indian chief… What can stop an Indian dressed as a cowboy? An arrow through the heart? No. The only thing stopping Cavalier in 1992 was his arch. The inflammation forced him to miss six games in January. Even the best NBA players couldn’t dominate him. The first clash of the season with David Robinson passed without comment: 31 points for Brad, 14 for “Admiral” with a mediocre 3/9 shooting. The streak spanned from December 27, 1991 to January 3, 1992, during which he faced successively Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajiwon, David Robinson and Robert Parish.

Run output: Averaged 23 points, 10.2 rebounds and 61.7% shooting compared to 16.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 47.1% shooting for his four straight opponents. Are you tired of numbers? Here is the opinion of Michael Jordan, his former teammate in North Carolina. “Brad may be the best center in the league. He doesn’t have the reputation of Pat, Hakeem or David, but he has the stats of the best pivot.”

A brief return to the numbers. Midway through the season, Dougherty averaged 22.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 blocks and 57.4% shooting. Effective, right? But the most impressive fact remains the course of the Cavaliers, who are the only ones keeping pace with the Bulls in the Central Division.

“Brad has reached his true dimension”comments Lenny Wilkens, Cleveland coach. “I haven’t seen a center as strong as him this year.”

An impartial opinion to close the verdict? It’s Pete Newell, the former coach, who organized the very famous training camps for pivots back then. One of the few American basketball gurus whose opinion is authoritative.

“Brad has improved his low game. That’s all he was missing. He became a father, he is more mature. Today he is able to concentrate on his profession. He is not yet part of the elite group, but at the end of this season the experts will have to reconsider their rankings. He is one of the three best players in the world.”

And he was only 26 years old, which is still young for a center (2m16, 120 kg). Hailing from a wealthy family in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Brad Dougherty was drafted #1 overall by Cleveland in 1986.

It took him that long to mature physically and mentally. In college (with the Tar Heels, that is), he was the centerpiece of a team that ran a motion offense. As a result, he masters several positions on the field. He was eagerly awaited in the NBA. His lack of consistency led to him being quickly described as a “soft player”.

“Brad just realized how important basketball is to him. He’s really enjoying the court now.”specifies Lenny Wilkens.

Brad Daugherty sees things differently. “I was a big kid, I just became an adult. I work hard and I want to win. I don’t care if I’m a hero or a villain. I’ve been a young player for a long time. My experience makes the difference now.”

Brad Dougherty hides from his future wife that he is a basketball star

It is said that a dominant pivot must be proud. That’s not Daugherty’s style. Life is too short for that. Brad wasted no time trying to get attention. At North Carolina, he played with Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Sam Perkins, all happy to remain in the shadows. In the NBA, after the game, he prefers to go out the back door, casually dressed – jeans and cowboy boots –, get into his 4×4 and listen to country tunes.

The first time he went out on a date with his future wife Heidi, he showed up in dirty tracksuits and barefoot… It was in Florida, where he messed with the car. He went straight from the garage to the meeting. The two doves go to the beach and stay in the car to talk. From time to time, Brad rolls down the window to spit out tobacco juice. Heidi asks him what he does for a living. He answers that he does a little work on the mechanism. When she, intrigued by his height, asks him if he plays basketball, he says that sometimes he does. As for what his parents do… “They raise cows and pigs.”

Heidi doesn’t learn the truth until much later, when she goes to visit Brad’s mother in North Carolina. His first surprise was getting a first class ticket. Another, the cry uttered by her neighbor on the plane when she confessed the purpose of her journey.

“What? You want to see Brad Daugherty?”

She replied that “her” Daugherty was into racing cars. Heidi remembers.

“When we were leaving the airport, my neighbor ran up to Brad to get him to give me an autograph. Brad came up to me, a little embarrassed. “I wanted to tell you everything…” he told me.

“Big Dukie” (his nickname) explains.

“I never considered basketball a passport. Being known as an NBA player is not one of my priorities.”

However, Brad Daugherty leaves a gigantic footprint. Peacefully. It looks like nothing. Personally, it’s a real revival. He eliminated red meat from his eating habits and adopted his wife’s menus. This diet made him lighter, faster, more powerful. His game has evolved. Now he doesn’t hesitate to get in touch. As evidenced by the titanic duel against Pat “The Beast” Ewing.

“What a match of men!” »exclaims his teammate Mark Price. “In a match, many pivots can be better than me”comments no. 43. “I don’t care who I play against, I respect my opponents. I don’t have the reputation of some of them, but I know what I’m capable of: to run, to play all day, every day.”

Only eight years of career…

Sixty years old this October 19, 2025, Brad Dougherty could have been nicknamed “The Marathon Man” if injuries had spared him. Fate stubbornly refused to smile at him. Cleveland gets the first pick in the 1986 draft by trading Roy Hinson and cash to the Sixers. It’s an understatement to say that the Cavs had a lucky hand that year… The arrival of Brad Daugherty was joined by those of winger Ron Harper (8th pick) and leader Mark Price (25th). Late John Hot Rod Williamsdrafted a year earlier (45th), gets the right to join the team after trouble with the law.

In 1987, the trio of Harper-Williams-Doherty was selected to the All-Rookie team (there was only one at the time compared to two today). Brad will spend his entire career in Ohio, eight years. When he retired, he finished as the leading scorer (10,389 points) and rebounder (5,227 rebounds) in franchise history. LeBron James dethroned him on March 21, 2008 against Toronto by scoring his 10,390th point. On December 9 of the same year, Zidrunas Ilgauskas recorded his 5,228th rebound for the Cavs, still against the Raptors. Brad Dougherty “disappears” from the record books, but leaves an indelible mark.

With more than 20 points and 10 rebounds in three seasons, he was a five-time All-Star. Between 1986 and ’94, Cleveland qualified for the playoffs six times. Unfortunately for them, the Ohio franchise crossed paths with neighboring Chicago five times. Best record: 1992 conference finals (2-4) behind Mark Price-Larry Nance-Brad Daugherty. A herniated disc limited the Cavs center to 50 games during the 1993-94 season. In February, he was absent from the field and did not have to endure the “sweep” caused by the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. “Trifle” in relation to the premature termination of his professional career, at the age of 29.

A victim of recurring back pain, “Big Dukie” is no longer able to play basketball at the highest level. He remained completely inactive for two years. On the floors, at least since he appears in the Whoopi Goldberg movie “Eddie” with some of his accomplices (“Hot Rod” Williams, Terrell BrandonBobby Phils…). In the spring of 1996, he retired from basketball life forever. His number 43 jersey was retired by Cleveland in March of the following year. The number he chose to honor Richard Petty, the legendary NASCAR driver.

Brad Daugherty also remained addicted to auto racing, where he can finally beat Michael Jordan. A barn owner, he regularly appears on cable channels as a consultant. He also comments on NCAA matches.

Award list

All-Star: 1988, 89, 91, 92, 93

All-NBA Third Team: 1992

First All-Rookie Team: 1987

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=Si34lCbIRVM

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.