{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1967)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Byron Dinkins | image = | caption = | image_size = | height_m = 1.91 | weight_lb = 170 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|06|15}} | birth_place = Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. | high_school = East Mecklenburg<br/>(Charlotte, North Carolina) | college = Charlotte (1985–1989) | draft_year = 1989 | career_start = 1989 | career_end = 2005 | career_position = Point guard | career_number = 9, 4, 5 | years1 = {{nbay|1989|full=y}} | team1 = Houston Rockets | years2 = {{nbay|1990|start}} | team2 = San Antonio Spurs | years3 = 1990–1991 | team3 = Rapid City Thrillers | years4 = {{nbay|1990|end}} | team4 = Indiana Pacers | years5 = 1991–1992 | team5 = Columbus Horizon | years6 = 1992–1993 | team6 = Brandt Hagen | years7 = 1993–1995 | team7 = Rapid City Thrillers | years8 = 1995–1996 | team8 = Panionios | years9 = 1996–1997 | team9 = Panathinaikos | years10 = 1998–2000 | team10 = Iraklis | years11 = 2000–2002 | team11 = Peristeri | years12 = 2002–2003 | team12 = Apollon Limassol | years13 = 2004–2005 | team13 = Carolina Thunder | highlights = * FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion (1996) * 4× Greek League All-Star (1996 I, 1996 II, 1999, 2001) * 2× Greek League assists leader (1996, 2000) * Sun Belt Player of the Year (1988) * 2× First-team All-Sun Belt (1988, 1989) * No. 4 retired by Charlotte 49ers }} '''Byron Stewart Dinkins''' (born June 15, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player, who played two seasons in the NBA, from 1989 to 1991. He played college basketball for UNC Charlotte. After his stint in the NBA, Dinkins pursued a professional career in Greece.
==College career== Dinkins, a {{convert|6|ft|1|in|m|adj=on}} point guard, that was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended and graduated from East Mecklenburg, where he played high school basketball. After high school, Dinkins was recruited to play college basketball by UNC Charlotte.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncaknights.com/2012/12/27/demery-is-top-class/|title=Demery is Top Class!|publisher=Northside Christian Academy|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref> He stayed with the Charlotte 49ers for four seasons, as he averaged 15.5 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, 4.8 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game, in 107 games played.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men%27s%20Basketball_Men%27s_Division%20I_1986_458_University%20of%20North%20Carolina,%20Charlotte.pdf|title=Final 1986 Division I Men's basketball statistics report UNC Charlotte|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men%27s%20Basketball_Men%27s_Division%20I_1987_458_University%20of%20North%20Carolina,%20Charlotte.pdf|title=Final 1987 Division I Men's basketball statistics report UNC Charlotte|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref><ref name="1988season">{{cite web|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men%27s%20Basketball_Men%27s_Division%20I_1988_458_University%20of%20North%20Carolina,%20Charlotte.pdf|title=Final 1988 Division I Men's basketball statistics report UNC Charlotte|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men%27s%20Basketball_Men%27s_Division%20I_1989_458_University%20of%20North%20Carolina,%20Charlotte.pdf|title=Final 1989 Division I Men's basketball statistics report UNC Charlotte|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref>
Dinkins achieved a career-high in scoring, during his junior season, as he averaged 21.4 points per game.<ref name="1988season"/> Dinkins led his school to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament title. He was also honored as the Sun Belt Player of the Year.<ref name="2013guide">{{cite web|url=http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/96059-2012-13-charlotte-49ers-mens-basketball-guide/114|title=2012-13 Charlotte 49ers men's basketball guide|publisher=49ers Department of Athletics|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref> Dinkins was also named to the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team in his junior and senior seasons.<ref name="2013guide"/>
==Professional career== ===NBA=== Dinkins played in the NBA, with the Houston Rockets, during the 1989–90 NBA season. He split time with the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers, during the 1990–91 season. In his NBA career, Dinkins played in a total of 45 games played, and he scored a total of 151 points, for a soring average of 3.4 points per game.
===Greece=== Although Dinkins never played for an NBA team after 1991, he did have a prosperous professional club basketball career playing in the Greek League for Peristeri Athens, Panionios Athens, Panathinaikos Athens, and Iraklis Thessaloniki.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.basketpedya.com/Acc002InfJug.php?idjug=650&idioma=3 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-06-10 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080227131756/http://www.basketpedya.com/Acc002InfJug.php?idjug=650&idioma=3 |archive-date=2008-02-27 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Dinkins led the Greek League in assists per game, in the 1995–96 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sport24.gr/html/ent/926/ent.143926.asp|title=Ο Γκάλης και οι άλλοι ''(Galis and the others)''|publisher=Sport24.gr|language=Greek|date=October 9, 2006|accessdate=April 6, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811063034/http://www.sport24.gr/html/ent/926/ent.143926.asp|archivedate=August 11, 2007}}</ref> In the 1996–97 season, he played with Panathinaikos, and in September 1996, he helped them win the 1996 edition of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sansimera.gr/archive/articles/show.php?id%3D245%26sid%3D3%26feature%3DPAO_BC |title=Αφιερώματα - Η ιστορία του μπασκετικού Παναθηναϊκού - Η κατάκτηση του Διηπειρωτικού |accessdate=2008-06-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113060817/http://www.sansimera.gr/archive/articles/show.php?id=245&sid=3&feature=PAO_BC |archivedate=2009-01-13 }}</ref>
==Personal life== After his basketball playing career ended, Dinkins returned to his birthplace of Charlotte, North Carolina. He now serves as the head coach of the Carmel Christian School varsity boys basketball team, and the middle school's gym teacher. Professional basketball player K. C. Rivers, is his nephew.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dinkiby01.html Career stats at basketball-reference.com] *[http://basketball.usbasket.com/player/Byron_Dinkins/USA/Augusta_Groove/12138 Eurobasket.com profile]
{{Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}} {{Panathinaikos B.C. 1996 FIBA Intercontinental Cup Champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dinkins, Byron}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriate basketball people in Cyprus Category:American expatriate basketball people in Germany Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Charlotte, North Carolina Category:Charlotte 49ers men's basketball players Category:Columbus Horizon players Category:Greek Basket League players Category:High school basketball coaches in North Carolina Category:Houston Rockets players Category:Indiana Pacers players Category:Iraklis Thessaloniki B.C. players Category:Panathinaikos B.C. players Category:Panionios B.C. players Category:Peristeri B.C. players Category:Point guards Category:Rapid City Thrillers players Category:San Antonio Spurs players Category:Undrafted NBA players Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:20th-century American sportsmen