On Aug. 13, the 1992 gold medal "Dream Team" will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield . He made the Final Four in all four years of college and playedin the national championship game three consecutive years. Christian Laettner is on Twitter at laettnerbball. Laettner would go on to have a very successful career, but this game would always stand out as his best individual performance. Players who shine bright on the biggest stage of college basketball the NCAA Tournament often become household names. He scored 31 points (13-25 from the field), grabbed 18 rebounds and had an unbelievable 16 blocked shots. John Laettner was the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA mens basketball tournament in 1991 and 1992, leading Duke to back-to-back championships. That buzzer-beater shocked the Cavaliers, one that the team would never recover from. Christian Laettner is one of the most accomplished college basketball players in the history of the sport. The Phoenix Suns were Americas darlings during the 1992-93 season. The Pacers had Jackson, an excellent playmaker, there was the tough pair of Dale Davis and Antonio Davis, and then there was 7-foot-4 Smits who had become one of the premier centers of the late 90s. Overall, Christian Laettner was a very good rebounder during his NBA career. But some teams have active ongoing streaks that have lasted two decades. The bad news for this pair is that Michael Jordan and the Bulls have foiled their attempts to seize the championship trophy away. He made 2 All-Star game appearances, in 1997 and 1998, and won an Olympic gold medal as part of the famed "Dream Team" in 1992. He hounded the superstar throughout the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. He would go on to play for another four teams over the next seven years before ultimately retiring from the NBA in 2005. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. - CGAA. Chicago took the next three games to take a commanding 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5. This one, I just couldn't believe. Miller was tough to cover as he would run through so many screens all designed to set him free for his lethal jumpers. Twenty-seven years ago today, Duke's Christian Laettner swished perhaps the most famous shot in NCAA Tournament history. He would go on to have a successful 13-year NBA career, appearing in over 1,000 games and averaging double figures in points and rebounds numerous times. "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. Now, thanks to the. He was named to the All-Rookie team after averaging 18.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in his debut campaign. He played just three seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 1995. In Laettner's highest scoring game in the NBA, he scored 40 points against the Charlotte Hornets. 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. After college, Laettner was drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. 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. In fact, in 2015, ESPN produced a 30-for-30 documentary entitled I Hate Christian Laettner. Laettner also ran into trouble later in life with investments in Durham, NC, where he went to college. It was the perfect picture of Jordans competitive will to win that brought down the Hawks. He also played in 21 playoff games, starting in 12 of them. 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. '", 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. He was selected third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992; he remains one of only two college players (Manning being the other) to be drafted in the first round without having played in either the McDonalds All-American Game or the Nike Camps (the latter did not exist until 1987). What does the future hold for Jordan Hall? The accolades are endless, but more than anything, Laettner is known for "The Shot." In the. LaVale Laettner played four years at Duke. -Some argue that Laettners induction would be more about his accomplishments at Duke than anything he did as a professional player. MORE: Marquette's Markus Howard picks his five most memorable moments in college. Nichols School in Buffalo, New York, Draft: Christian Laettner averaged 12.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. As such, it is unlikely that he will ever be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons wants Philadelphia 76ers to pay for Doc Rivers' comments on the Australian. Jordan went to work once again. I was pissed off. Malone and Stockton were their usual sensational selves, taking the middle games for the Jazz to tie the series at two games apiece. With a little more than 2 seconds left and Duke down by one, Christian Laettner nailed a last-second shot in overtime to beat Kentucky 104-103 and send the Blue Devils to the Final Four for the . I loved every second of it, playing 1-on-1 against those guys in practice and trying to learn. Panhandle Basketball: The Place to Be for Hoops Fans, Brad Davis, NBA Player and Stamford Native. For two straight years, 1997 and 1998, the Bulls had their hands full containing the Stockton-to-Malone pick-and-roll in the NBA Finals. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. While he will be remembered as a college basketball superstar and the perfect villian for college basketball in the late 80s and early 90s, it would be interesting to see how Laettners career would have been different if he entered the league today. He knew when to score and when to pass the ball. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged 8.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Your login session has expired. 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. He also chipped in with eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the game. His father told him to take the lead and let everyone else follow. He was born and raised in Angola, New York (near Buffalo and Niagara Falls). It took him seven years to get there as the Chicago Bulls had to face many obstacles along the way that blocked his path to achieving the ultimate prize. But it wasnt until the 1992-1993 season that Barkley had his best opportunity to win the championship when he was traded to the Suns. Christian Laettner played for six NBA teams - the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, and Miami Heat. 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. Laettner's best season statistically was his rookie year when he averaged 16.0 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. Related Read: Why do christians eat pork? Wilkens is already enshrined as a player and coach. Get viral NBA graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. He continued to be a productive player for the Timberwolves over the next few seasons, but was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 1996.Laettner's time with the Hawks was marked by frequent injuries, and he never quite regained his previous level of play. First, at 611, Laettner was considered undersized for a traditional center, which limited his role on most teams. Most of all, Laettner provided was what every star-studded team needs a 12th man who knows his role. The Indiana Pacers of 1998 had the best chance of any team to dethrone the Bulls in the 1990s. He was a two-time NCAA national champion and the only player to ever start in four consecutive Final Fours. 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. But he still averaged 17.1 points per game and shot over 50% from the field. As a result, the forward has downplayed his participation on. Laettner's scoring outburst was a big reason why the Atlanta Hawks were able to come away with a 112-102 victory. The time was ripe for them to make it to the NBA Finals. Christian Laettner won two national championships in college as he led Duke to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. Laettner left the NBA in 2005. 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 1989, Olympic officials removed the rules barring professionals. Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's great, because he still has that kind of enthusiasm. I just have to post up on them. MJ stole the ball and raced back to the other end of the court. The Round Mound of Rebound was named the MVP to the chagrin of Jordan who wanted to win it for the third straight season. 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. Overall, Laettner's career was disappointing, as he never amounted to anything more than a below-average player. A story published in The Tampa Tribune in December 1987 noted how Laettner's Nichols School team competed in the Kingdom of the Sun Holiday Classic in Ocala, Florida, and Laettner scored 39 points, capped off by a jumper at the buzzer that give his team a 70-69 win. 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). The game is usually considered the greatest ever in college basketball, and Laettners shot has been re-run on television numerous times since 1992. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged 3.8 assists per game. I was at Five Star. He was then drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Second, his skillset was better suited for a more up-tempo style of play, which was not as common in the NBA during his career. -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. -He was never named an All-Star during his time in the NBA. If there ever was a more balanced NBA team . But their championship windows, unfortunately, coincided with Jordans stranglehold on the Larry OBrien trophy. While he did last 13 years in the league and did make an All-Star team, to Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times. After retiring from the NBA in 2005, it hasnt gotten much better for Laettner. Christian Donald Laettner ( / letnr /, LAYT-nr; born August 17, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. "He's going to be great," Garfinkel said. 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. 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. John Laettner is not in the NBA Hall of Fame. 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. He averaged at least 16 points and seven rebounds in each of his first five years in the league. But the Bulls would bounce back to win the next four games to take the series by the horns. The next year he averaged 27.8 points and 17.5 rebounds per game. He made 2 All-Star game appearances, in 1997 and 1998, and won an Olympic gold medal as part of the famed Dream Team in 1992. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Full game: Duke beats Kentucky on Christian Laettner's shot, advances to 1992 Final Four, Marquette's Markus Howard picks his five most memorable moments in college, These are Payton Pritchard's 5 favorite games from his senior season, College basketball dictionary: 51 terms defined, No. He had only been in the league for two seasons at this point, but he was already establishing himself as a very good player. Introduction The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North, Read More Is There an NBA Playoff Game Tonight?Continue, ContentsRussell WestbrookLeBron JamesKevin DurantKyrie IrvingStephen Curry We all know that NBA players are some of the most popular athletes in the world. The All-American ended one of the greatest college basketball games ever with a turnaround jumper at the overtime. As a junior, Laettner averaged 21.4 points and 17 rebounds per game. Laettner's final two seasons in the NBA were spent with the Pistons and the Washington Wizards, before he retired in 2005. After his college career, Laettner enjoyed a successful 13-year NBA career with six different teams. He was perfect. 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). Initial birdie during when it . 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. There are a few theories. Yep, that would be Jalen Rose and the Michigan Wolverines. Laettner was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Of the rest of the players, Chris Mullin has been nominated several times, and remains a strong candidate. He had five offensive rebounds, grabbing some of them during the most crucial plays of the game. But even when His Airness couldnt take flight because of stomach flu in Game 5, he still managed to score 38 points, including the deciding three-pointer with about 25 seconds to go. Then again, theres only one trophy and Jordan was not about to let it slip away from his grasp. Laettner, of course, went on to hit famous NCAA tournament buzzer-beaters against UConn and Kentucky, the latter later named the best moment in NCAA tournament history during the 75 Years of March Madness celebration. He played 23 out of 24 possible NCAA games during his 4-year tenure, winning 21 of them. Carlesimo out. He was also a very good rebounder, and was often able to tip in missed shots or grab offensive rebounds and put them back in for easy baskets. None. He shot 49.1% from the field and 73.6% from the free throw line. Christian Laettner made at least $61,485,000 playing professional basketball. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. He was a key player on some good teams, and was named to the All-Rookie First Team. In that series, the 10-time scoring champion averaged video-game-like numbers of 43.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 4.0 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. In 1997, Hardaway finished fourth in the MVP voting, averaging 20.3, 8.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. In context, though, his appearance on perhaps the greatest squadof all-time is somewhat defensible. But Jordan had more to give as he nearly had a triple-double with nine rebounds and eight assists. There were 16 ties. We started toward the end of his sophomore year. He enjoyed a lengthy NBA career, appearing in 868 games, scoring over 11,000 points and grabbing nearly 6,000 rebounds. Price, Nance, and Daugherty played great basketball and the series was tied 2-2 after four games. A versatile player, he was able to play both power forward and center. After his playing career ended, Laettner became a successful businessman and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. Being a top-notch shooting guard, Christian Laettner won a ton of awards. And who did Duke beat that year? Everybody checked their egos at the door, and everybody on our team played basketball the right way, he said. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. He is a graduate of Indiana University. The Shot. If I took 20 shots in the whole tournament, no one acted like (it wasnt his place). He finished with career averages of 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Laettner was one of the leagues toughest and best power forwards. Laettern was the only collegian chosen for the original US basketball Dream Team that dominated the opposition at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. What are some of his most impressive accomplishments? First, it must be a significant game. He led the Heat to the playoffs as a no-nonsense floor leader and gave the team its earliest taste of postseason success. Christian Laettner was drafted by Minnesota Timberwolves, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1992 NBA Draft. The third time was on January 14, 1993, against the Los Angeles Clippers. us, High School: However, injuries derailed his career in his later years, and he was never able to live up to his full potential. He even found time to add 8.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest. With his follow-through in perfect form, number 23 scored his 45th point of the ballgame to give them an 87-86 lead. ", 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. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and shot an incredible 61.5% from the field. Duke had an out-of-bounds play with little time left on the shot clock when Laettner took a pass near the elbow. The Cleveland Cavaliers had a championship window between 1988 and 1993. In the Final Four, he went for 19 and 14 against Arkansas. Laettner was a key player on some very good teams, including the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks, and he helped those teams to a lot of success. ", 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. I wanted to face it again, I wanted to challenge it again. So while Shaquille O'Neal (LSU) and Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) were probably better players at the time, Laettner did have star power of his own. Michael Jordan would have his revenge in the epic 1993 NBA Finals. Laettner's best years statistically were his first two years in the NBA. 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. Christian Laettner is best remembered for his outstanding college career at Duke, where he helped lead the team to two NCAA Championships. 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. Jordan scored at least 41 points in four straight games, topping it off with a 55-point performance in Game 4. So why isnt he in the Hall of Fame? 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.