He averaged 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for his career. 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. Below we take a look at some of the arguments for and against his induction into the Hall. Mourning had 11 points and five rebounds. 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. His. Very much so. The Bulls finished off the Jazz at home in Game 6 when Jordan passed the ball to an open Steve Kerr for the title-clinching shot. He scored 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading Duke to a stunning upset victory. The Christian Laettner NBA career started brightly with Minnesota Timberwolves, as he averaged 18.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He also had a long and successful college career, winning 2 NCAA Championships with Duke University. He played on two NCAA champions and holds several tournament records. He finished with career averages of 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. But Michael Jordan was more than any man could handle. Related Read: Who is christian in after we fell? In Laettner's highest scoring game in the NBA, he scored 40 points against the Charlotte Hornets. Plus he stayed all four years and graduated. I have half a brain. 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. In his three years at Duke University, Christian Laettner became one of the most decorated players in college basketball history. Majerle made a living at the three-point line and was a tough, hard-nosed defender capable of shutting down opponents. As a junior, Laettners numbers dipped a bit as he shared the spotlight with fellow future NBA players Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley. 9. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? And once again, Duke made it to the NCAA title game; this time, they faced off against UNLV, who were heavily favored to win. 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. Laettner led Duke University to two NCAA titles, one runner-up finish and one final four appearances. 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. It seems that Laettner's high expectations may have gotten in his head and made him feel like he had to do more than what was required of him. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Christian Laettner was born in Angola, New York. New York employed plenty of roughhousing techniques to get under Chicagos skin much like Detroit. 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. He knew when to score and when to pass the ball. Most of all, Laettner provided was what every star-studded team needs a 12th man who knows his role. All rights reserved. This time, Starks was more prepared to take on the task of guarding Jordan. 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. 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. They were the most unfortunate of any franchise to have run into the Bulls during that stretch, facing them four times in six years. But which one has the most followers on Instagram? The Blue Devils lost in the Final Four and in the. Oakley provided the muscle underneath and fortified the Knicks interior defense. Led by one of the best defenders in NBA history in Mutombo, they had a scoring point guard in Blaylock who was an All-Defensive Team member as well. He averaged 12.8 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game over his NBA career. Laettner would go on to have a very successful career, but this game would always stand out as his best individual performance. Whatever the reason, Christian Laettners time in the NBA was relatively unsuccessful compared to his collegiate career. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Williams, the No. While he did last 13 years in the league and did make an All-Star team, he only averaged 12.8 points per game in his career and never averaged more than 8.8 rebounds per game. Miller was in top form and had another shooter on his squad with former All-Star Mullin. Laettner spent over three seasons in Minnesota before he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in 1995-96. But their championship windows, unfortunately, coincided with Jordans stranglehold on the Larry OBrien trophy. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 742 games. Christian Laettner enjoyed a successful college career with Duke, winning two National Championships. The Mailman shredded the Bulls defense on the way to a 39-point outing. Ultimately, Christian Laettners legacy will be defined by his successes and failures both on and off the court. First 2 men's NCAA tournament automatic bids, Tenn. Tech earns first auto bid into women's NCAA tournament. Their leader, Charles Barkley, was named MVP and many had predicted that the Bulls had finally met their match in the NBA Finals. Christian Laettner released the shot. The 1989 series was more of the same. John Laettner is not in the NBA Hall of Fame. We can not guarantee its completeness or reliability so please use caution. O'Neal said in a radiointerviewduring the 2012 NBA Finals. He also made what is arguably the most famous shot in NCAA history, the half-court buzzer-beater that sank Kentucky in the 1992 East Regional finals. The six-game series showed that Barkley was a star that belonged on the big stage. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Pandemonium ensued. He is particularly well-known for his game-winning shot against Kentucky in the 1992 regional final, as well as for the hatred he received from opposing fans. He appeared in 838 games, starting in 588 of them. All rights reserved (About Us). Although he never won an NBA Championship, Laettner was a very good rebounder throughout his career. He is the only player to be a starter in four Final Fours. Almost 30 years ago, Laettner powered Duke past Kentucky with one of the most famous shots in basketball history. Hindsight certainly makes the decision look strange. The lead changed 17 times. He made the Final Four in all four years of college and playedin the national championship game three consecutive years. There are very few players in the history of the game that can match his college career, said Bilas, an ESPN analyst who played at Dukeand was an assistant coach during Laettners time there. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged eight blocks per game. A versatile player, he was able to play both power forward and center. What are the fundamentals of christianity? He also played in all 82 games, starting in 71 of them. Christian won 21 games among 23 games played. 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. Long before he was dream-shaking, game-winning Duke legend Christian Laettner, he was just a skinny kid from Angola, New York, who loved to play basketball. This is not to say that collegiate success should be ignored when evaluating a players Hall of Fame case, but it is important to consider the totality of a players career when making such a decision. Christian Donald Laettner Twitter : laettnerbball Position: Power Forward and Center Shoots: Right 6-11 , 235lb (211cm, 106kg) Born: August 17 , 1969 in Angola, New York us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info 1x All Star 1992-93 All-Rookie 32 32 32 32 44 44 SUMMARY Career G 868 PTS 12.8 TRB 6.7 AST 2.6 FG% 48.0 FG3% 26.1 FT% 82.0 eFG% 48.6 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 However, Laettner's best season came in 1997-98, when he averaged a career-high 8.8 rebounds per game for the Atlanta Hawks. 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. But they have vanished since the 1980s, when Bill Bradley was one of the last. 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. This is a very good average, as it is higher than the career averages of block leaders like Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, and Dikembe Mutombo. He is also third all-time in total field goals made (2,759) and sixth all-time in assists (2,157). 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. Laettner won two NCAA national championships with Duke (1991, 1992) and was a two-time National Player of the Year (1991, 1992). Laettner was a very good shot blocker, and was especially adept at blocking shots in the post. Even with the addition of Jordan Stopper Gerald Wilkins, Jordan merely took it as a challenge, scoring 43 points in the opening game. Lenny Wilkens. Related Read: Are the duffer brothers christian? And we havent even talked about Gary Payton who isnt on this list because he won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. In the playoffs, he averaged 9.2 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. I've gone to a lot of camps. Many great players deserved to win the championship as much as he did. He then finished them off in Game 5 with 39 points. Being a top-notch shooting guard, Christian Laettner won a ton of awards. They lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers. ", Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski: "We recruited him for a long time. His role as the 12th man on the greatest team in basketball history has not diminished Christian Laettners appreciation of the experience. So why did Laettner never really find success in the NBA? The 1992 Olympics was the first year in which NBA players were allowed to compete, but Team USA reserved one spot on the team for a college player, so Laettner didn't take a place away from an NBA star. The Pacers would reach the NBA Finals two years later but that was the last time they would get there. So why isnt he in the Hall of Fame? After a successful college career, Laettner was drafted into the NBA by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992. He would go on to play for another four teams over the next seven years before ultimately retiring from the NBA in 2005. 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. 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 averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and shot an incredible 61.5% from the field. Laettner, 47, led Duke to national championships in 1991 and '92. The fo Christian Laettner is a retired professional basketball player who was a star player in the NBA for many years. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. First and foremost, his career numbers simply dont stack up compared to other Hall of Famers. He's really a basketball purist. Coach K's squad won the East Regional Final and beat Indiana in the Final Four. The Jazz took Game 1 on their home floor after they secured homecourt advantage with a better regular season record. Furthermore, his career was largely defined by his collegiate success rather than his professional accomplishments. As a result, the forward has downplayed his participation on. Karl Malone averaged 38.8 points per game in his NBA career. He owns the most number of assists with 15,806 and steals with 3,265. Christian Laettner is best remembered for his outstanding college career at Duke, where he helped lead the team to two NCAA Championships. After finishing as a two-time state champion for the Nichols School (Buffalo, N.Y.), he became one of the most well-known basketball . The next year, Ewing brought the Knicks back to the playoffs and was on a collision course with the Bulls again. Laettner was always willing to do the dirty work and his rebounding totals reflect that. Lets be clear about something here; Laettner wasnt necessarily a bust in the NBA, as he was a solid rotation player who was able to carve out a space for himself in the league for more than a decade. The game in which he really burst onto the national scene was in the Elite Eight his freshman year. An ESPN '30 for 30 documentary perfectly timed with Duke's run to the Final Four meant one thing for the Blue Devils' most famous alumni: Christian Laettner is back. He attended Duke University from 1988-1992, playing as a power forward and center for the Blue Devils. Meeting in the Eastern Conference Finals, Jordan gave the Heat everything they could handle, scoring 30.2 points, grabbing 8.0 rebounds, and stealing the ball 1.8 times each night. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. 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. He played 23 out of 24 possible NCAA games during his 4-year tenure, winning 21 of them. The 6-foot-10 Laettner was the dominating force that saw the upstaters win their second straight Association of Independent Schools championship with a 73-70 victory over Our Saviour. 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. ", More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. After his college career, Laettner enjoyed a successful 13-year NBA career with six different teams. 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. The Indiana Pacers of 1998 had the best chance of any team to dethrone the Bulls in the 1990s. They were the most successful one-two punch the league had ever seen. Here are the top matchups and tournaments to watch in the non-conference portion of the NCAA softball season. Laettner's final two seasons in the NBA were spent with the Pistons and the Washington Wizards, before he retired in 2005. It would be interesting to see him in an offense like that of todays Houston Rockets, where he could roam the three-point line and be the beneficiary of pick-and-pops with James Harden and Russell Westbrook. The ball went in the hoop. He played 23 out of 24 possible NCAA games during his 4-year tenure, winning 21 of them. The series was tied 3-3 when Jordan asked for advice from his dad. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Laettners NBA career does not carry a Hall of Fame resume, but a strong case could be made for him as a collegian. He was traded six times in his career and never spent more than three seasons with one franchise. He played at Nichols School in Buffalo, and then at Duke University from 1988 to 1992. Amy Sancetta/AP. Schrempf was a three-time All-Star, an All-NBA Third Team member, and was twice named Sixth Man of the Year. 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. Related Read: How old is christian nodal? 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. The Dream Team went to Barcelona to restore the pre-eminence of U.S. basketball. He is also the only player in NCAA history to have started in four consecutive Final Fours. Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone will enter this year, making it 10. Does he take the lead, or does he get everyone else involved first in the first few minutes of Game 7? They had a big opportunity in 1992 when the Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. In 1997, Hardaway finished fourth in the MVP voting, averaging 20.3, 8.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He won almost every national player of the year award during his college career and thus recorded the best college career in . Duke was led by Bobby Hurley, Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Phil Henderson. Of the 12 Dream Teamers, only Laettner (whose 13-year NBA career began immediately after the Barcelona Games) would have had a chance to be eligible under the old rules. Laettner, by the way, was no NBA scrub. However, the Christian Laettner NBA career failed to reach the same statistical heights after spending four seasons in Minnesota. In his NBA career, Laettner averaged 3.8 assists per game. 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. Here's everything you need to know about Christian Laettner's college career at Duke. For the 1992. Five years later, Christian Laettner was the winner of the NBA All-Star title ward. After being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 3rd pick in the 1992 draft, Laettner enjoyed a productive 13-year NBA career. Christian Laettner made at least $61,485,000 playing professional basketball. Many people believe that he should be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, given his impressive career stats and accomplishments. Kemp was so good in that series that even Dennis Rodman, the leagues best rebounder, and a premiere defender, couldnt stop him. His father told him to take the lead and let everyone else follow. He played 13 seasons in the NBA for 6 different teams. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I know, I've won a few and lost a few myself. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. The late Chuck Daly was head coach; Mike Krzyzewski and Lenny Wilkens are also in, leaving only assistant P.J. But Jordan thrived on adversity and the tide quickly changed with the Bulls capturing the next three games. This one, I just couldn't believe. 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. He was the teams best foul shooter at the Olympics (18 for 20). This was the first time that the tournament moved to 64 teams and it has stayed that way ever since. Scoring on a drive quickly to cut the lead to one, 86-85. He has since gone on to business success. Here are the members of the 1992 NBA Dream Team, and where they are today. - 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? ", Former Duke guard Phil Henderson: "He doesn't play like a freshman, but he still has that giddiness about him. Get this Asheville Citizen-Times page for free from Monday, April 1, 1991 ; Baseball5D Sports Fax251-0585 Monday, April 1, 1991 Dnke. 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.. Christian Laettner is not in the Hall of Fame. We started toward the end of his sophomore year. Laettner's clutch play against Alonzo Mourning, the Hoya's far-more-heralded freshman, pushed him from the category of 'good play' to the category of 'major star. Now, thanks to the. 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. Brad, Read More Brad Davis, NBA Player and Stamford NativeContinue, ContentsIntroductionWhat time is the game?What channel is the game on?Who is playing?Conclusion If youre a fan of the NBA, youre probably wondering if theres an NBA playoff game tonight. I've got to check out Duke. 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. 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. 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. Minnesota Timberwolves, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1992 NBA Draft, More Christian Laettner pages at Sports Reference. Laettner said the foregone conclusion of a U.S. gold medal did not dim the competitive fire of the players. Sadly, Barkley would never play in the NBA Finals again and continued to be ringless until he retired. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team that year. Overall, Christian Laettner was a very good rebounder during his NBA career. Laettner's scoring outburst was a big reason why the Atlanta Hawks were able to come away with a 112-102 victory. Twenty-seven years ago today, Duke's Christian Laettner swished perhaps the most famous shot in NCAA Tournament history. Like, he'll be running down the court, clapping because we're winning, and there's like 18 minutes left in the game or something. He was born and raised in Angola, New York (near Buffalo and Niagara Falls). He was then drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA Draft. Jordan scored at least 41 points in four straight games, topping it off with a 55-point performance in Game 4. Overall, Christian Laettner had a very successful NBA career. He was perfect. ", Former Nichols High School coach Jim Kramer (December 1987): "Christian is being called the heir-apparent to Danny Ferry at Duke. Laettner's time with the Hawks was marked by frequent injuries, and he never quite regained his previous level of play. However, it is worth noting that he is not a part of the Hall of Fame for his individual achievements as an NBA player, unlike other players of the aforementioned Olympics team. Throughout the game, he was visibly in pain but even at 50 percent capacity, Pippen was still better than any player the Bulls could replace him with. ", Laettner: "When Coach K grabbed me, I felt really special at that point. Except, even at his worst, Michael Jordan would find a way to win. Laettern was the only collegian chosen for the original US basketball Dream Team that dominated the opposition at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Christian Laettner hit the most famous shot in the history of college basketball. 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. Christian Laettner played for six NBA teams - the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, and Miami Heat. He was a tough matchup for any team with the ability to match MJs athleticism and knack for controlling a basketball game. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He is also part of the FIBA Hall of Fame and the US Olympic Hall of Fame and was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame for his achievements in college. Many people are surprised to learn that Christian Laettner didnt actually play in the NBA. He is the only individual. But perhaps those high expectations for Laettner got in his head and were just too lofty for him to live up to. 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). 2 pick in the 2002 draft by the Chicago Bulls, had a short NBA career. That said, his inclusion is somewhat defensible given that the 1992 Olympics was the first year in which NBA players were allowed to compete. 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. He is also known for his clutch performances in college, most notably the jumper he scored against Kentucky in the regional final. Johnson and Majerle would never get the chance to play in an NBA Finals again. 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. Moreover, they had Larry Bird as their coach. There are a few theories. Christian Laettner is 6-11 (211 cm) tall. 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. "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. 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).