Here are our 10 reasons to love Christian Laettner, because he was absolutely better for the game of basketball than we remember, and there's ( almost ) no reason to hate him at all. Moreover, they had Larry Bird as their coach. He also racked up an All-Star appearance in 1997 but failed to do anything else of note during his NBA career. As of right now, Christian Laettner is not in the NBA Hall of Fame. Wise counsel indeed. Laettner didn't play much as the "Dream Team" rolled to a gold medal finish, averaging 4.8 points per game in his eight appearances. Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Laettner's Nichols High School (Buffalo, N.Y.) team won the tournament after Laettner had 18 points and 21 rebounds in the final game. 7th in NCAA tournament history in career rebounds: 13th all-time in NCAA history in single-season 3-point percentage: 55.7 percent, 1992, T-17th all-time in NCAA history in career games played: 148 games, T-18th all-time in NCAA history in career free throws made: 713 free throws, 25th all-time in NCAA history in scoring: 2,460 points. The Supersonics were loaded with enough talent to present enough of a challenge to the Bulls in the championship round. He played 13 seasons in the NBA for 6 different teams. One of the all-time great centers, Ewing eventually found success in the playoffs with bruising power forward Oakley, (a former Bull), and fiery shooting guard Starks. Why is he considered one of the best college basketball players of all time? I've gone to a lot of camps. MJ was so drained afterward, he collapsed in the arms of teammate Scottie Pippen who assisted him to the bench. Unfortunately, the answer is no. 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. He and college teammate Brian Davis started Blue Devil Ventures (BDV), which attempted to revitalize downtown Durham. Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA Draft. Laettner would go on to have a very successful career, but this game would always stand out as his best individual performance. Minnesota Timberwolves, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1992 NBA Draft, More Christian Laettner pages at Sports Reference. But everything will be just fine. He played for 6 teams total, winning an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. The following year, Jordan once again used his superhuman abilities to post insane averages in the semifinals, crushing the Sixers, 4-1. It was in this first round series that Jordan made The Shot at the buzzer to advance to the next round. He said keeps his medal in a safe at home and almost never takes it out. Mar 28, 2019. Karl Malone averaged 38.8 points per game in his NBA career. Barkley was the NBAs best power forward during the early 90s. More importantly, he led the Heat to a 61-21 record and the third-best record in the league. 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 Meanwhile, Alonzo Mourning (who won a championship with the Heat in 2006) was the man in the middle, the All-Star center who patrolled the paint and was the cornerstone of the franchise. Of the 12 Dream Teamers, eight are individual Hall of Famers Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, David Robinson and John Stockton. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Carlesimo out. He led the Seattle SuperSonics to their only NBA Championship in 1979. He averaged 16.0 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game as a rookie and 15.1 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game in his second season. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Olympic Channel original series features Olympic legends who have just one week to turn around a struggling youth team. He's really a basketball purist. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils from 1988 to 1992. -He was never named an All-Star during his time in the NBA. As such, it is unlikely that he will ever be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Roughly, because the Bronx Falcons and the Nichols (Buffalo) Vikings were involved in one of the most physical high school games in years, a game that saw bodies flying all over the Adelphi Academy gym while the referees swallowed their whistles. He also played in all 82 games, starting in 71 of them. 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. CGAA will not be liable for any losses and/or damages incurred with the use of the information provided. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski once told reporters that Laettner was so good, they had to get in contact with him early in the process, near the end of his sophomore year. The era of pace-and-space would help Laettner avoid the physicality that he couldnt quite overcome in the NBA, and his decent mid-range stroke could translate well in todays league. Christian Laettner is widely regarded as one of the best college basketball players to ever play. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team that year. But Michael Jordan was more than any man could handle. And once again, Duke made it to the NCAA title game; this time, they faced off against UNLV, who were heavily favored to win. Christian Laettner was selected third overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is the only player to be a starter in four Final Fours. After retiring from the NBA in 2005, it hasnt gotten much better for Laettner. Even the big guys were hauling," the 6-foot-11 Laettner said. The physicality of the 1992 Knicks team was like the second coming of the Pistons Bad Boys. This time, it came with a soon-to-be Hall-of-Fame center in Ewing. He was a member of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"), which won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. They were the most successful one-two punch the league had ever seen. As a thrill in my career, the Olympics rank right up there with my two NCAA championships at Duke, said Laettner, who turns 41 four days after Enshrinement. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. As a sophomore, Laettner was even better. Laettner didn't play much as the "Dream Team" rolled to a gold medal finish, averaging 4.8 points per game in his eight appearances. Four NBA championships and three Finals MVP's later, O'Neal was enshrined in the basketball Hall of Fame. Christian Laettner is considered to be one of the greatest college basketball players of all time, and his exploits with the Duke Blue Devils led to him being a part of the 1992 Olympics 'Dream Team'. 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). Overall, Christian Laettner had a very successful NBA career. However, he is eligible for induction starting in 2020. However, Christian Laettner's NBA career was a bit underwhelming in comparison. Its been over 20 years since Christian Laettner donned a NBA uniform, yet the 46-year-old former player remains a controversial figure in the basketball world. Schrempf was no pushover as well as he scored 16.3 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent from the three-point line. 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. Laettner shot an extremely efficient 17-23 from the field, including 3-5 from three-point range. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). ", Krzyzewski: "Christian is very intelligent. Related Read: Why are christians so judgemental? He's too good of a player. Christian Laettner had a unique and dizzying career arc. Christian Laettner hit the most famous shot in the history of college basketball. The lucky passenger on the most dominant basketball team ever was Christian Laettner, and Shaq acknowledges it was the right choice to make, despite the fact he had just been selected no.1 in the Draft. Amy Sancetta/AP. He was a warrior of the first order, carrying the Knicks on his back every night even when the team wasnt going anywhere. In Laettner's highest scoring game in the NBA, he scored 40 points against the Charlotte Hornets. He had just won the Wooden Award and back-to-back national championships at Duke. He also added seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. 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. Everyone expected the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals to be mere formalities for the 67-15 Bulls to advance to the next round. It was the perfect picture of Jordans competitive will to win that brought down the Hawks. Laettner was one of the leagues toughest and best power forwards. It was the East Regional final between Duke and 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. 1. He will become the first basketball figure (and possibly the first individual of any sport) to enter the Hall of Fame three times for three different roles. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. In the clinching Game 5 win, Jordan had 38 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 assists. He made headlines in 2016 when he pledged to donate his entire Olympic gold medal winnings ($108,000) to charity. He found time to talk trash to the leagues MVP and dunked on him in the waning moments of Game 2, one that has been replayed over and over again on classic NBA games and highlights. Laettner, Hill, Bobby Hurley, Thomas Hill, Antonio Lang, Cherokee Parks, Brian Davis, and Erik Meek were drafted into the NBA, with Laettner, Hill, Hurley, and Parks ending up as lottery picks. Then again, theres only one trophy and Jordan was not about to let it slip away from his grasp. Game 6 was back in Utah and the Bulls ran into early problems when Pippen aggravated a back injury after dunking the ball on a play. Laettner had a solid if not spectacular 13-year NBA career that gets underrated. Being a top-notch shooting guard, Christian Laettner won a ton of awards. The All-American ended one of the greatest college basketball games ever with a turnaround jumper at the overtime. He scored 31 points in the game the most of his NCAA tournament career on 10-of-10 shooting from the field and 10-of-10 free-throw shooting. Once against the Charlotte Hornets, once against the Boston Celtics, once against the Indiana Pacers, and once against the Portland Trail Blazers. In the 1992 NBA draft, Christian Laettner was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Christian Laettner is a retired professional basketball player who was a star player in the NBA for many years. As soon as his game developed beyond dunking to becoming a complete player, the Seattle Supersonics power forward showcased how far he had come in the 1996 NBA Finals. 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. First, at 611, Laettner was considered undersized for a traditional center, which limited his role on most teams. It was an adjustment for about one minute of the first practice, said Laettner, whose career had been spent as a first option, not the 12th. Laettners NBA career ended in 2005, and he has not played professionally since. laettnerbball, Position: He was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and managed to make the NBA All-Rookie first team in his debut season. Christian Laettner was born in Angola, New York. He is the only individual member of that team that is not currently in the Hall of Fame. Though they were the best of friends, MJ would cut his friends heart out during the playoffs three times in four years. In 1996, with last seasons loss still fresh on his mind, Jordan and the Bulls never let go of the gas pedal as they swept the Magic 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. You can watch the legendary ending of the 1992 Duke-Kentucky game below. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged eight blocks per game. Christian Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player. To appease that part of the basketball community, a decision was made to save one spot on the team. In context, though, his appearance on perhaps the greatest squadof all-time is somewhat defensible. 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. 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. Hindsight certainly makes the decision look strange. The easiest was by 68. A versatile player, he was able to play both power forward and center. 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. He had only been in the league for two seasons at this point, but he was already establishing himself as a very good player. Panhandle Basketball: The Place to Be for Hoops Fans, Brad Davis, NBA Player and Stamford Native. 2 pick in the 2002 draft by . 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. The game in which he really burst onto the national scene was in the Elite Eight his freshman year. August 17, You didn't know you were going to win until the buzzer went off.". He was traded again in 1999, this time to the Detroit Pistons. 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. Duke beat Kentucky 104-103 . Nichols School in Buffalo, New York, Draft: The second time was on December 16, 1992, against the Indiana Pacers. Michael Jordan had a long and grueling road to get to the top of the NBA. Americas Olympic team had lost to the Soviet Union in 1988. This led to him being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he continued to struggle. Arguments for induction: It has been almost 30 years since Duke standout Christian Laettner was picked over to Isiah Thomas to represent America in the Olympics with the 1992 Dream Team. Hence he won many titles and awards throughout his career. Very much so. Christian Laettner was drafted by Minnesota Timberwolves, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1992 NBA Draft. Their leader, Charles Barkley, was named MVP and many had predicted that the Bulls had finally met their match in the NBA Finals. 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. Will the Golden State Warriors repeat as champions, or will the Cleveland Cavaliers take home, Read More Who Is Up In The Nba Finals?Continue, Why some people think he should be in the Hall of Fame, NBA Valentines Day Cards: The perfect way to show your love for the game. Former Duke star Grant Hill tells story of famous pass to Christian Laettner in 1992 NCAA Tournament win vs. Kentucky Thomas O'Toole USA TODAY 0:00 1:42 When Duke's Grant Hill took the ball. Contents The Steve with 8 NBA championships The Journey to 8 NBA Championships The Legacy of Steve with 8 NBA Championships The Impact of Steve with 8 NBA Championships The Influence of Steve with 8 NBA Championships The Significance of Steve with 8 NBA championships The Significance of 8 NBA championships The Importance of Steve, Read More Steve with 8 NBA ChampionshipsContinue, Contents Why NBA Valentines Day cards are the perfect way to show your love for the game How to choose the perfect NBA Valentines Day card for your loved one The top 10 NBA Valentines Day cards to give your loved one The history of NBA Valentines Day cards How to make your own NBA, Read More NBA Valentines Day Cards: The perfect way to show your love for the gameContinue, Contents82 Games in an NBA Season Why the NBA Season is 82 Games What Happens if Theres a Tie in the NBA Season How the NBA Season is Structured How the NBA Season Ends An NBA season consists of 82 games. However, if a team makes the playoffs, they could play up to 28 additional, Read More How Many Games Are In an NBA Season?Continue, Contents Who is Jordan Hall? Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. March 13, 2015 Christian Laettner is not a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as an individual. Here are the top matchups and tournaments to watch in the non-conference portion of the NCAA softball season. He was a two-time NCAA national champion and the only player to ever start in four consecutive Final Fours. In 1989, Olympic officials removed the rules barring professionals. Laettner led Duke University to two NCAA titles, one runner-up finish and one final four appearances. Jay Williams. 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.