Utah Jazz Sensation

By Greg Shepard John Stockton, Dream Team Olympian, steals the ball and reverses the action for the Jazz. David Benoit approaching the net from the side. Stockton charges grade team but didn’t play and soon quit the team. down the middle, looks left and alley oops a pass to David just stopped playing and didn’t go out in the 8th Benoit to the right. David Benoit leaps twelve feet in grade. “My friends played football, so that’s what I the air and palms the ball viciously downward for a did,” remembered David. “So in the 9th grade I tried monstrous dunk. The crowd goes absolutely nuts! They out as a receiver and quarterback.”

However, he was begin to roar in unison, “Benwasome— Benwasomestill only five feet tall and 100 pounds. Again, he quit.

Benwasome!” Last year in July that was only a dream.

“Man, those guys were big. I was just going to try to get Today it is history! Benoit’s rise to stardom was indeed my high school diploma. It was hard for me to get chosen even in physical education class. They put me on the broken basket.”

David grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana with his By the time David got to the 10th grade, he was parents, sister and three younger brothers. His father, still small at 5-5 and 115 pounds. David didn’t play who died during this year during the Jazz playoff games, was 6-1 in height. happened. He started growing. The summer before his and he has an uncle who is 6-7. junior year David shot up to 6-1 and his friends started in the classroom.

However, for awhile it looked like nature was going to saying, “Hey Dave, man you're pretty tall. play a joke on David. you play.” However, the self confidence just wasn’t seventh grade he was less than five feet tall and there. David said, “No, I don’t want to play. I’ll just weighed less than 100 pounds. David made the 7th watch.”

P.E. encouraged him, “Coach Moore got on me the last part of my 10th grade year and then Butch Stockton the head basketball coach at Lafayette High School asked me to come out. He kept callin’ me. My friends said ‘Go they'd leave you alone.” Some scholarships to Division I school came out’.” the same. but David chose Tyler Junior College in Texas.

He began playing his junior year at 6-3 150 he wasn’t ready and played there for two years. Asa pounds. “I could stuff it,” beamed David. “I started freshman, David started at the end of the season and after the first ten games. I liked the rebounding part the averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds per game. At that best, especially offensive rebounds for a stuff.” point David decided to take charge, “I worked very David just kept growing and as a senior was 6-5 and hard to be the main guy. It was also my first real experience with weights. I did Parallel Squats, Power rebounds per game. Lafayette went to the finals for the Cleans, Inclines and Benches.

That sophomore year Louisiana State Championships. David was All-State, All-Parish, and All- District MVP. “My overall GPA was blocked shots per game at 6-7 200 pounds. He was a JC only a 2.5 but sports helped me to stay in class and go Benoit averaged 20 points, 13.7 rebounds and 3 team All-American.

“reasoned David. “But after I started playin”, responded modestly, “Larry Johnson is the only guy my grades shot up to 3.2 then a 3.5, so I really pulled who made the first two All-American teams and made them to average a 2.5.” it in the NBA.”

“As far as drugs and alcohol, it just wasn’t David asked his JC Coach if he thought that he around. We hung around with guys who didn’t, it was was good enough to play in the NBA. Well he looked at a neighborhood thing. If a guy was in sports and tryin’, me funny and said, “You gotta do good in the next two years at a major school. If it’s meant to be, it will happen.” David decided to go to Alabama because of Wimp Sanderson. “I liked his tough style,” said David.

As a junior, David averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds per game. He duplicated that as a senior. David lifted all the time at Alabama and became 6-8 and 230 pounds. “But I was too fat. I didn’t feel right. I began to really watch what I ate.” Dave majored in physical education and just might consider becoming a high weights are a lot better.” school basketball coach someday.

As a result of his great year with Spain, the Nothing happened in the 1990 draft but David Utah Jazz resumed their interest and invited David to was invited to the 1990 Utah Jazz Summer Camp. After again come to summer camp. He went to Miami Heat’s that, he went to the Laker’s summer camp. “I felt I camp first and they wanted to sign him but David held played well,” said David confidently. Then he got out. Good thing! At the Utah camp, he averaged 19 kicked in the ankle and sat out the last three games. points and snared 8 rebounds per game.

Life’s tough out there and David received no NBA summer league on fire. The Salt Lake papers headlined. contract so he signed with Spain. “It turned out that I “Benoit A Fantastic Surprise.” But, it was no surprise to was pretty lucky,” said David. He started and averaged David.

22 points with 11 rebounds per game. “When I was in “All I wanted to do was just stick around and Spain, they made me lift mostly on machines. You don’t work hard. If I ever got a chance, I’d really go. My get too much out of it. With free weights, you have to opportunity came quick. Whenever, I got the chance, | think technique and they’re challenging. I know free went full bore.” In his first starting role, David got 12 with Stockton, I get a real rush waitin’ for an “Alley points and 8 rebounds. “When I come down the floor Oop.” David Benoit may be the best leaper in the Greg Shepard- Jazz Strength Coach Continued on next page DAVID BENOIT: 6-8 225 NBA.

The middle photo on page 5 shows his jumping ability. His elbow is at 10 feet. When he takes a run, I know he could stuff a 12 foot basket. I don’t know if it’s all natural. He has done Parallel Squats and Power Cleans ever since Junior College. At Alabama, he did plyometrics.” I felt they were good. My strength coach had me start jumping on a 36-inch box but he said that was too easy. Then I did five reps at 40 inches, and then went to 45 inches.” David's goals are simple. “I just want to get better. I’ve got a lot to work on yet.” Frank Layden, former Utah Jazz Coach, has high praise for David’s athleticism and notes that he’s never seen a player get up and down the court with such ease.

As David’s strength coach, I can tell you his technique on anything he does is close to perfect. a David got married last year and has David Likes Both The Bench And Incline. Even With Those Long Arms He Can Bench 250 Pounds!

I GET A REAL RUSH WAITIN’ FOR AN ALLEY OOP his key chain with a picture of his little girl. “I'm seeing things a whole lot different now that I'ma father. If you are a father, you should stand up likea man and take care of them. Give them the best that you can. We all need to accept more responsibility. David had a chance to reflect on real life when the Jazz were in the middle of the playoffs with Portland. His father died of cancer. He was only forty-four years old. “My dad never got a chance to see me play but he was always braggin’ on me,” said David quietly. “I was pretty depressed.”

David would like our readers to know that he’s never done drugs and that he doesn’t even drink any alcohol now. He just says, “Why should I do it” David also says Vice Lombardi’s sayings have always been an inspiration to him. David says, “Never quit and work, work, work.” We thank David and his Upper Limit philosophy of life. I predict that David Benoit will have a bright future in the NBA and as a father and Coach Shepard And David Be: noit “Gettin’ Nasty” husband. Watch for him. He’s Benwasome!

From BFS Magazine — Fall 1992. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).