Yesterday I made a quick stop at the thrift store and right when I walked in I spotted a jersey from about 20ft away. I could tell it was a Syracuse jersey right off the bat and went over and grabbed it. The jersey is #44 which was Derrick Coleman's number and is made by DeLong. Coleman attended college at Syracuse University and was selected first overall in the 1990 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Throughout his career, the left-handed Coleman has been an effective low post scorer with a reliable perimeter shooting touch, averaging 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds through his career. He enjoyed his best years as a member of the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 19.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. However, despite those impressive numbers, Coleman is often regarded as a poster boy for unrealized potential. When Coleman entered the NBA, he was compared to elite power forwards such as Karl Malone and Charles Barkley, and expected to put up similar numbers, only with the added ability to shoot from three-point range. Instead, his career was overshadowed by his questionable attitude (lack of work ethic resulting in excessive weight gain, plus alcohol abuse and general disruptive behavior), and his penchant for injury which saw him play 70 or more games in only four of his 15 NBA seasons. Sports Illustrated once remarked that "Coleman could have been the best power forward ever; instead he played just well enough to ensure his next paycheck." His Syracuse jersey number, 44, was retired on March 5, 2006.
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