Talton Named Dallas College Athletics Lifetime Legacy Award Winner

GARLAND, Texas – Former Dallas College Mountain View and professional men's basketball player Gary Talton was honored with the Dallas College Athletics Lifetime Legacy Award.

Dallas College Athletics' Lifetime Legacy Award honors former student-athletes and coaches who distinguished themselves through exceptional athletic and academic performances at their respective campuses, and who have continued to excel in their professional and personal lives long after their playing days. These individuals represent the highest standards of leadership, excellence and impact – both within Dallas College and in the communities they serve.

"It means everything to me," Talton said. "I'm somebody that takes big pride being from Dallas. To have my name forever ringing in Dallas, that's a huge honor to me. Thank you to Mountain View College. Thank you to Coach (LeRoi) Phillips, thank you to my parents, thank you to God, first and foremost." 

Talton was a member of Mountain View's 2011 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship team.

Talton was a First Team NJCAA Division III All-American in 2010-11. He earned NJCAA All-Tournament Team honors in the Lions' championship run after averaging 14.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game that season. Mountain View went 26-8 overall, beating Rochester Community & Technical College, 71-64, in the national championship game in Loch Sheldrake, New York. The Lions also won the 2010-11 Metro Athletic Conference and NJCAA Region V titles that season.

"Truthfully, Coach Phillips gave me the most pivotal advice of my career," Talton said. "I was about to walk on at UTSA ... and he told me, 'Don't step on the floor. If you step on the floor, we lose your eligibility. We want you here.' That was the best thing that ever happened to me. Just coming to Mountain View was life-changing."

Talton went on to play for the University of Illinois at Chicago for two seasons from 2011-13. He averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists, and shot 86.7 percent from the free throw line as a junior. The following year, he averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 assists, four rebounds and 1.4 steals with the Flames.

Talton became the 16th pick in the 2013 NBA Development League Draft by the Rio Grande Vipers. He played with the Vipers from 2013-15, becoming the franchise's leader in assists, while competing on a team that reached the NBA G-League Finals. He also played professionally for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in 2014-15, with his team reaching the G-League semifinals.

He played for Rethymno Cretan Kings Basketball Club in Greece in 2016-17. The team put together the highest finish in club history in the Greek league. The following season, he played for Lietkabelis Basketball Club in Lithuania, competing in the prestigious EuroCup Championship League. Talton moved on to play for Holargos Basketball Club in Greece in 2018-19, helping lead his team to the Greek Championship League semifinals.

In 2019-20, he played with Aris Basketball Club in Greece, where he also collaborated with players and coaches on game planning. In 2020-21, Talton played with FC Arges Pitesti Basketball in Romania. His team won a bronze medal in the Romanian Championship League. He also took on some coaching responsibilities with FC Arges Pitesti, helping the team qualify for FIBA World Cup competition.

Talton's career remained in Romania in 2021-22 when he began playing for Baschet Club Timisoara. His team won another bronze medal in the Romanian Championship League. He continued his game planning and strategy roles with the team, and also conducted training sessions for students within the club. In 2022-23, he played with BK Ogre Basketball in Latvia. His team advanced to the Latvian Championship League semifinals. Talton played with Anorthosis Basketball Club in Cyprus, where he remained involved in game planning and strategy. He spent the 2024-25 season with Wydad Athletic Club in Morocco. His team advanced to the Moroccan Basketball Association quarterfinals.

Talton earned an Associate of Arts in liberal arts and general studies from Mountain View in 2011. He earned a Bachelor of Science in criminology, law and justice from Illinois at Chicago in 2013.

"My words of encouragement are, 'Don't stop,'" Talton said. "Your story stops when you stop. I've got to see great things in life. It's a beautiful world. Keep working, keep striving for your goals, and you'll reach 'em."