Many people are surprised to learn that Christian Laettner didnt actually play in the NBA. 1969 That didnt stop them from wanting to kill you in the game that night, he said. ", Laettner, reflecting on watching the 1986 national championship game as a high-schooler: "They all looked at each other and they seemed to be having a lot of fun out there. He was a warrior of the first order, carrying the Knicks on his back every night even when the team wasnt going anywhere. Later that year in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Hawks tied the series against the Bulls at 1-1, showing them that they had the firepower to keep up with the NBAs best team. He is the only individual member of that team that is not currently in the Hall of Fame. The NBA playoffs wont start until April 18. All information published on this website is provided in good faith and for general use only. Laettner spent over three seasons in Minnesota before he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in 1995-96. I was recently thinking that since college achievements are considered when selecting people for the Basketball Hall of Fame it would make sense that a guy who arguably had the greatest college basketball career ever in the modern era gets in. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and shot an incredible 61.5% from the field. The man-child known as Kemp was one of the NBAs best dunkers and one of its most ferocious finishers on the fastbreak. They defeated Michigan's Fab 5 in the championship game to win the national title, becoming the first repeat champions since UCLA in 1972-73. Laettner's final two seasons in the NBA were spent with the Pistons and the Washington Wizards, before he retired in 2005. Christian Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Initial birdie during when it . Any action you take based on the information found on cgaa.org is strictly at your discretion. Do you have a blog? All rights reserved (About Us). O'Neal, on the other hand, put together a first ballot Hall of Fame career, winning NBA Championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006 while averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds on 58 percent shooting . As a result, the forward has downplayed his participation on. Laettner played fourteen NBA seasons for six NBA teams and is best known for his game-winning shot against Kentucky in the 1992 NBA tournament. In Laettner's highest scoring game in the NBA, he scored 40 points against the Charlotte Hornets. The Duke Blue Devils definitely fall into the villain camp in college basketball and the Darth Vader in Duke's history, at least according to opposing fans, is Christian Laettner. Jerry Tarkanian led the Rebels to his only championship win. Christian Laettner was a senior at Duke in 1991 and 1992. The Knicks took the first two games on their home floor. He also had a long and successful college career, winning 2 NCAA Championships with Duke University. He never averaged less than 6.0 rebounds per game in any season and his career-high of 8.8 rebounds per game is a testament to his ability on the glass. "The team has had one reunion, at the Olympic Hall of Fame last year, but only seven or eight of us made it," he said. Youre talking Walton, Alcindor, Elvin Hayes. Christian Laettner was the Blue Devils leading scoring in 1992 as a senior and was the unanimous national player of the year. Overall, Christian Laettner had a solid NBA career. ", Joe Frisaro of The Tampa Tribune (December 1987): "Imagine, a 6-foot-10 center who's a deadly shooter, has excellent athletic ability and is willing to dive all over the court for a loose ball. First, at 611, Laettner was considered undersized for a traditional center, which limited his role on most teams. None. When it comes to championships, the two are infamous for having played the most playoff games without winning a title. It was the East Regional final between Duke and Kentucky. He later played for the Atlanta Hawks (1996-99), Detroit Pistons (1999-2000), Dallas Mavericks (2000-01), Washington Wizards (2001-04), and Miami Heat (2004-05). He was a two-time NCAA national champion and the only player to ever start in four consecutive Final Fours. He's one of the best players in the that country when he does that. And once again, he led Duke to the NCAA championship game; this time they faced off against Michigans Fab Five team featuring future NBA stars Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. I was definitely on the lower end of the scale, he said. While he did last 13 years in the league and did make an All-Star team, to Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times. Christian Laettner released the shot. It's great, because he still has that kind of enthusiasm. Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA Draft. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 742 games. He even found time to add 8.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest. PAYTON'S PLACE:These are Payton Pritchard's 5 favorite games from his senior season. In context, though, his appearance on perhaps the greatest squadof all-time is somewhat defensible. Jay Williams. Minnesota Timberwolves, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1992 NBA Draft, More Christian Laettner pages at Sports Reference. Wise counsel indeed. He averaged 4.8 points per game. 32 jersey was retired by Duke and was also awarded the USA Male Basketball Athlete of the Year award in 1991. After vanquishing powerhouse UNLV in the national semifinal and topping Kansas for the 1991 championship, Duke entered the 1991-92 season with a roster full of future NBA players led by senior. Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA draft. -He is one of only 10 players in NCAA history to amass more than 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 blocks in their career. With his follow-through in perfect form, number 23 scored his 45th point of the ballgame to give them an 87-86 lead. After retiring from the NBA in 2005, it hasnt gotten much better for Laettner. A story published in The Post-Star noted how a week after Syracuse was eliminated from the 1986 NCAA tournament, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was on hand watching Laettner, then a sophomore in high school. He averaged 12.8 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game over his NBA career. A 6-11 (211 cm) power forward / center, Laettner played at Duke University, where he led them to the Final Four all four years of his college career. Data Provided By Although he never won an NBA Championship, Laettner was a very good rebounder throughout his career. Laettner's rookie year was also notable because he was the only player in the 1992 NBA draft to play in all 82 games. He was a prep All-American and Howard Garfinkel of Five-Star Camp said Laettner was the third-best center in the his high school class. As a sophomore, Laettner was even better. Pandemonium ensued. As a junior, Laettner averaged 21.4 points and 17 rebounds per game. History was made. He was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and managed to make the NBA All-Rookie first team in his debut season. Laettner ranks fifth all-time in Division I scoring at 24.3 points per game and fourth in rebounds at 10.0 rebounds per game. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. This was all about revenge for MJ who closed out the series with 45 points on 16-of-23 shooting. He is also the only player in NCAA history to have started in four consecutive Final Fours. Williams, the No. By 1993, the Bulls already knew what to expect from the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Jazz took Game 1 on their home floor after they secured homecourt advantage with a better regular season record. In Game 7, His Airness was grounded by great defense from the Pacers who gave him different looks. 1992: A moment burned into the heads of all college basketball fans: Christian Laettners turn-around buzzer-beater to lift @DukeMBB over Kentucky. Its almost unfathomable to think that a man who was seen as arguably the best college basketball player in the country disappoint in the NBA. The Pacers would reach the NBA Finals two years later but that was the last time they would get there. Over his 13 year NBA career, Laettner averaged 12.8 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged eight blocks per game. This was the first time that the tournament moved to 64 teams and it has stayed that way ever since. Christian Laettner weighed 235 lbs (106 kg) when playing. Very much so. I loved every second of it, playing 1-on-1 against those guys in practice and trying to learn. Schrempf was a three-time All-Star, an All-NBA Third Team member, and was twice named Sixth Man of the Year. He played at Nichols School in Buffalo, and then at Duke University from 1988 to 1992. In Game 5, Michael Jordan received a pass from Luc Longley from the baseline and dunked the ball over the outstretched arms of Mutombo. The lead changed 17 times. Christian Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player. More importantly, he led the Heat to a 61-21 record and the third-best record in the league. What impact has he, Read More Jordan Hall: The NBAs Rising StarContinue, ContentsHow much does an average NBA ring cost?How much does the most expensive NBA ring cost?How are NBA rings made?How much does it cost to make an NBA ring?How many diamonds are in an NBA ring?What is the value of an NBA ring?Where can I buy an NBA ring? Laettner said the foregone conclusion of a U.S. gold medal did not dim the competitive fire of the players. -Laettner was an incredibly successful college player, winning two national championships with Duke and being named National Player of the Year in 1992. After his junior year, Laettner decided to forego his senior season and declare for the NBA Draft. As a result of his onslaught, the Heat fell to the Bulls 4-1. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Miller was tough to cover as he would run through so many screens all designed to set him free for his lethal jumpers. They first met in the postseason in the 1990 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Players who shine bright on the biggest stage of college basketball the NCAA Tournament often become household names. However, Laettners time in the NBA was relatively short-lived. This time, Starks was more prepared to take on the task of guarding Jordan. Amy Sancetta/AP. Their leader, Charles Barkley, was named MVP and many had predicted that the Bulls had finally met their match in the NBA Finals. In the playoffs, he averaged 9.2 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Overall, Christian Laettner had a very successful NBA career. Ewing was as good as ever, averaging 25.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. Christian Laettner is on Twitter at laettnerbball. The Indiana Pacers of 1998 had the best chance of any team to dethrone the Bulls in the 1990s. ", Laettner on picking Duke: "You want to go to the best school you can go to, and one that you think has a good chance to do well all the time. Five years later, Christian Laettner was the winner of the NBA All-Star title ward. Laettner's scoring outburst was a big reason why the Atlanta Hawks were able to come away with a 112-102 victory. You didn't know you were going to win until the buzzer went off.". He is also third all-time in total field goals made (2,759) and sixth all-time in assists (2,157). Despite his accomplishments, Laettner is often considered one of the most polarizing figures in college basketball history. 2 pick in the 2002 draft by . Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. He also helped them win the NCAA title in both 1991-92, the first college team to repeat as champions since the 1970 heyday of the UCLA Bruins. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Christian Laettner's "The Shot". Laettner started off his career pretty well for the Minnesota Timberwolves, as he averages a promising 18.2 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game and was a member of the 1992-93 All-Rookie team. "It was someone else.". He said keeps his medal in a safe at home and almost never takes it out. "I remember my second year coaching at Northwestern, the same night he won his 1,000th game, we had a 13-point lead with four minutes to go vs. Maryland and lost on a tip-in buzzer-beater. Laettner led Duke University to two NCAA titles, one runner-up finish and one final four appearances. April 23, 1943 - Nov. 26, 2017 Bonnie Laettner, mother of basketball great Christian Laettner, became a celebrity in her own right during the height of her son's stellar career Laettner finished with 31 points and 7 rebounds, shooting a perfect 10-for-10 from both the field and charity stripe.. CBS' Verne Lundquist delivered the all-time call. The second time was on December 16, 1992, against the Indiana Pacers. Jordan went to work once again. I would've felt special if I had made the free throw, but I'm not sure it could've been any more special. Weve got all the latest news and information on the sport, as well, Read More Panhandle Basketball: The Place to Be for Hoops FansContinue, Contents Brad Davis, NBA Player Stamford Native NBA Career Early Life high school Career College Career Professional Career Personal Life RetirementLegacy Brad Davis, NBA player and Stamford native, is one of the best players in the league. Related Read: Why are christians so judgemental? I just have to post up on them. '", Former president Richard Nixon, after Laettner missed a one-and-one, trailing Arizona by two, with one second left: "I know you feel badly, young man. Keep reading to find out! Then there's the Kentucky game, when Laettner's iconic jumper lifted the Blue Devils past the Wildcats 104-103 in overtime and into the Final Four. The Bulls eliminated the Sixers easily in five games. He scored 23 points in the first half to stay within striking distance of the Jazz before halftime. Jay Williams, the former Duke sensation, won a national championship with the Blue Devils in 2001 and was a two-time player of the year. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. In four years with Christian Laettner, Duke went 123-26, including a 43-15 mark in ACC play. Christian Laettner had a unique and dizzying career arc. Christian Laettner made at least $61,485,000 playing professional basketball. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. You can watch the legendary ending of the 1992 Duke-Kentucky game below. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Christian Laettner is best remembered for his outstanding college career at Duke, where he helped lead the team to two NCAA Championships. On the Jazz next possession, Jordan knew Stockton would pass to Malone on the block, so he snuck up on him as soon as the pass was delivered. Except, even at his worst, Michael Jordan would find a way to win. John Laettner was the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA mens basketball tournament in 1991 and 1992, leading Duke to back-to-back championships. He was named the NCAA Tournaments Most Outstanding Player in 1992 and was a first-team All-American in both his junior and senior seasons. Related. But otherwise, he has largely avoided the limelight and has not been active in promoting his own Hall of Fame candidacy. The Bulls were tested and hardened by the Pacers in the previous series that went to a Game 7 (see number 6 of this list). Christian Laettner was born in Angola, New York. Christian Laettner was one of the most beloved and celebrated basketball players of his era. Duke was led by Bobby Hurley, Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Phil Henderson. In each of these games, Laettner had at least 3 blocks and 9 rebounds. Get viral NBA graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. Down 103-102 in overtime against Kentucky with a . Nance and Daugherty would play one more season before retiring without a ring. Christian Laettner is best remembered for his time at Duke, where he helped lead the Blue Devils to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. Join our linker program. Michael Jordan would have his revenge in the epic 1993 NBA Finals. Barkley was deserving of the award as he posted some of the best numbers of his career on a winning team, leading the Suns to the leagues best record at 62-20. In the Final Four, he went for 19 and 14 against Arkansas. As a junior, Laettners numbers dipped a bit as he shared the spotlight with fellow future NBA players Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley. He led the Heat to the playoffs as a no-nonsense floor leader and gave the team its earliest taste of postseason success. Laettner has admitted it was a "stupid move." Kentucky fans still wish he had been ejected so he wouldn't have been in the game to attempt the winning shot. MORE: Marquette's Markus Howard picks his five most memorable moments in college. Christian Laettner attended Nichols School in Buffalo, New York and Duke. Jay Williams, the former Duke sensation, won a national championship with the Blue Devils in 2001 and was a two-time player of the year. Their pick-and-roll is nearly impossible to stop. Barkley submitted averages of 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. I just think it helped me grow as a player.. Laettner was also named ACC Player of the Year in 1992 and 1993, and was an All-American in 1992 and 1993. The highlight of his buzzer-beating shot to beat Kentucky in the 1992 East Regional final remains an annual staple of NCAA . The combined 370 points scored in the Pistons 186-184 triple-overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 13, 1983, has to be pretty high on the list. Christian Laettner is not in the Hall of Fame. He also played in all 82 games, starting in 71 of them. The biggest adjustment was the speed. ", Larry Felser of the Buffalo News (March 1989): "His performance in Duke's victory over Georgetown Easter Sunday makes it fairly clear that Christian Laettner could end up ranking with Bob Lanier as the greatest basketball player ever to come out of Buffalo. In Laettner's senior year, the Blue Devils went 34-2 and 14-2 in conference play. Duke called time-out, however, and on the inbounds play, Grant Hill threw a near court-length pass to Laettner, who caught it at the top of the key, dribbled twice, turned, and hit an 18-foot turn-around jumper as time expired, giving the Blue Devils the victory, 103-102. Malone at 193 games and Stockton at 182. ", Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski: "We recruited him for a long time. He played 23 out of 24 possible NCAA games during his 4-year tenure, winning 21 of them. ", Laettner: "When Coach K grabbed me, I felt really special at that point. He also helped them win the NCAA title in both 1991-92, the first college team to repeat as champions since the 1970 heyday of the UCLA Bruins. Laettners NBA career does not carry a Hall of Fame resume, but a strong case could be made for him as a collegian. Although he was close to filing for bankruptcy in 2016, he seemed at peace with how his basketball career had went in the 2015 documentary of his life, perfectly titled I Hate Christian Laettner. But Jordan thrived on adversity and the tide quickly changed with the Bulls capturing the next three games. Once again Laettner came up big in the title game, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds as Duke won their second straight national championship. The ball went in the hoop. He . Laettner couldnt quite capture the high potential from his rookie season until he made the All-Star as an Atlanta Hawk in the 1996-97 season on his way to averaging 18.2 ppg and 8.8 rpg on the season. - GetAnyAnswer, Exactly what went wrong with Christian Laettners NBA career, Christian Laettner Wisely Knew to 'Keep Your Mouth Shut, Was christian laettner good in the nba? Duke was led by no other than Coach K. This game famously ended with UNLV giving Duke the largest loss in NCAA Tournament history, 103-73. But once he had overcome those teams, Jordan never let anyone else take the title from him except for the time he had just returned from baseball prior to the Bulls second three-peat. Hardaway would never come close to another finals appearance as injuries took their toll on his body later in his career. John Laettner is not in the NBA Hall of Fame. He had one of the greatest college careers in the history of the game.. Barkley could have joined Johnson and Majerle at this spot, but he ranks much higher on this list because he faced Jordan two other times in the Eastern Conference. That, his college success, and his clutch shots, led one basketball writer to dub him one of the two luckiest people to ever live, along with Ringo Starr.. One of the most controversial and productive college basketball players ever, Laettner laced up for . Further, his team came third in the 1990 Argentina World Championship, where his team won the gold medal from the FIBA Americas Championships at 1992 Portland. He teamed up with Shaquille ONeal to eliminate the Bulls in the 1995 Easter Conference Semifinals at a time when Jordan had just returned from his short-lived baseball career. But MJ elevated his game beyond All-Star levels in the NBA Finals such that he was able to carry the Bulls on his back en route to a 4-2 series win (more on this later). Laettner also had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Let it decide an NCAA championship, as did the 1979 Magic-versus-Bird NCAA final between Michigan State and Indiana State, or Texas Western's 1966 title-game victory over Kentucky, the sport's Brown v. Board of Education. He is best known for his time with the Duke Blue Devils, where he won two national championships and was a part of the famed "Fab Five" recruiting class of 1991. The famous dynamic duo of the NBA was Malone and Stockton. But their championship windows, unfortunately, coincided with Jordans stranglehold on the Larry OBrien trophy. Laettner was always willing to do the dirty work and his rebounding totals reflect that. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. After a successful college career, Laettner was drafted into the NBA by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992. Lenny Wilkens. But Jordan had more to give as he nearly had a triple-double with nine rebounds and eight assists. He also racked up an All-Star appearance in 1997 but failed to do anything else of note during his NBA career. A member of the 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team, Laettner is one of only two players to have started all eight games during the teams dominant run to the gold medal. He made headlines in 2016 when he pledged to donate his entire Olympic gold medal winnings ($108,000) to charity. Only 5.2 seconds remained, but that wasnt enough time for the Jazz to make a basket. Ultimately, Christian Laettners legacy will be defined by his successes and failures both on and off the court. In 1989, Olympic officials removed the rules barring professionals. After winning the 1991 NCAA title, Duke was favored to repeat in 1992 and was ranked #1 most of the year. His father told him to take the lead and let everyone else follow. However, he is eligible for induction starting in 2020. After finishing as a two-time state champion for the Nichols School (Buffalo, N.Y.), he became one of the most well-known basketball . And we havent even talked about Gary Payton who isnt on this list because he won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. He was born and raised in Angola, New York (near Buffalo and Niagara Falls). The Los Angeles Lakers finished the 2000-2001 season with a 56-26 record and went on the win the NBA Finals over the 76'ers. ", More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Christian Laettner Position: Center 6-11 , 235lb (211cm, 106kg) School: Duke (Men) Draft: Minnesota Timberwolves, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1992 NBA draft 2x NCAA Champion 2x NCAA All-Tourney 4x NCAA All-Region NCAA Tourney MOP HS Parade AA 1991-92 AP POY 2x Consensus AA Wooden Award Naismith Award Rupp Trophy SUMMARY Career G 148 PTS 16.6 He dribbles behind his back and hustles more than a shopping clerk at Christmas. There is no definitive answer, as opinions will vary. Laettner scored at least 18 points in all six of Duke's NCAA tournament games in 1991, including 28 against UNLV in the Final Four. Christian Laettner, Duke v. Kentucky, 1992 Elite Eight Arguably the most memorable play in the history of the tournament, Laettner's shot sunk Kentucky and allowed Duke to go on and win its . In his career, Laettner had 14 assists in a game four times. His Elite Eight buzzer beater against Kentucky that year remains iconic. Christian Laettner played for the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 13 seasons from 1992 to 2005. As a result, the forward has downplayed his participation on the historic team. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In the clinching Game 5 win, Jordan had 38 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 assists. 3) How many titles did Christian Laettner win at Duke? 2 pick in the 2002 draft by the Chicago Bulls, had a short NBA career. In the first round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs, Jordan lit them up for 50 and 55 points in the first two games. In 23 NCAA tournament games first off just, think about that; Laettner played in 23 out of a maximum 24 possible tournament games in college Laettner scored in double figures 20 times. He enjoyed a lengthy NBA career, appearing in 868 games, scoring over 11,000 points and grabbing nearly 6,000 rebounds.
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