Overview
Vernon Leon Macklin (born September 25, 1986) is an American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. He is an assistant coach of the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis in the Korean Basketball League (KBL). Macklin played college basketball for the University of Florida before being drafted was by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft.
Early years
Macklin was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He attended I. C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, where he played for the Norcom Greyhounds high school basketball team for three years. Macklin finished his prep career at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, while helping the Hargrave Tigers to a 28–2 season and averaging twenty points and fifteen rebounds per game. Following his senior season, he was named a McDonald's All-American. At six feet, ten inches tall, and 210 pounds, Macklin was a five-star recruit at the power forward position. Rivals.com ranked him as the twelfth best overall player and the third best forward in the high school class of 2006. In addition, Macklin was one of only ten players selected for the 2006 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team, which participated in the Nike Hoop Summit.
College career
Macklin first attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and began his college career as a member of the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team. During his two seasons with the Hoyas, he played behind future NBA players Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert. After his sophomore season, he transferred to the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Billy Donovan's Florida Gators men's basketball team. After sitting out the 2008–09 season as required by NCAA transfer rules, he played for the Gators during the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons, and started 71 consecutive games. During his senior season, Macklin led the Gators in field goal completion percentage and blocks, and averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game; the Gators won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season championship and advanced to NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
Macklin graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2011.
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