Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2018
The Kansas City product was one of the most revered Tigers of the 2000s by becoming one of the most dependable and clutch scorers in Mizzou history. He ended his career ranked fifth on MU’s all-time scoring chart with 1,775 points, averaging 12.6 points over 141 career games. He averaged a career-best 17.7 points as a senior in 2011-12 and won consensus second-team all-America honors during a magical season when he led the Tigers to a 33-5 record and the Big 12 Conference Tournament championship in MU’s final year in the league. He ended his career ranked second on Mizzou’s three-point field goals made list (283), fifth in career steals (178) and sixth in free throw percentage (79.9%). He was twice a first-team all-Big 12 pick (2011-12) and joined a select Mizzou fraternity of all-time greats to be a two-time first-team all-conference player – joining Kareem Rush, Melvin Booker, Anthony Peeler, Doug Smith, Derrick Chievous, Steve Stipanovich, Jon Sundvold, Ricky Frazier, Willie Smith, John Brown, Charlie Henke, Norm Stewart and Bill Stauffer. He sank one of the most iconic shots in Mizzou basketball lore when he nailed a three-quarter court heave in a Sweet 16 game of the 2009 NCAA Tournament against Memphis to beat the halftime buzzer. His shot gave #3 seed MU a 49-36 halftime lead over #2 seed Memphis and helped propel the Tigers to the Elite Eight. Denmon might best be remembered for his nine-point outburst in the final moments to lead a furious comeback win over rival Kansas in 2012. Mizzou trailed at home by a 71-63 score with just 2:05 to play, when he scored a conventional three-point play to make it 71-66, then hit a heavily guarded pull-up three pointer with 1:30 left to make it 71-69. He gave Mizzou the lead at 72-71 with :56.3 seconds left with yet another step-back three-pointer from the corner. The fourth-ranked Tigers held on for a 74-71 win over the eighth-ranked Jayhawks as Denmon finished with 29 points and nine rebounds. He was a second-round draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs in the 2012 NBA Draft, and then had a successful professional career in Europe.
