He was named to the All-Rookie team after averaging 18.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in his debut campaign. The Mailman shredded the Bulls defense on the way to a 39-point outing. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and shot an incredible 61.5% from the field. While he did last 13 years in the league and did make an All-Star team, to Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times. With his follow-through in perfect form, number 23 scored his 45th point of the ballgame to give them an 87-86 lead. What NBA Player Has the Most Followers on Instagram. 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. Laettner left the NBA in 2005. Sustaining excellence in men's college basketball is no easy task. Christian Laettner is one of the most accomplished college basketball players in the history of the sport. 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. The third time was on January 14, 1993, against the Los Angeles Clippers. Laettner's rookie year was also notable because he was the only player in the 1992 NBA draft to play in all 82 games. pic.twitter.com/Pwtvqx29oJ. 5 Surprising Things We Know About Christian Laettner In 12 NBA seasons, Laettner averaged 8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. inAngola,New York Every March Madness montage features his 15-foot turnaround jumper that capped off a historic game in NCAA Tournament history. He was then drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Christian Laettner still values high school titles as much as Duke's The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Christian Laettner/Image: usatodayhss.com . March is upon us: Here's what you need to know ahead of the NCAA men's I've gone to a lot of camps. -Laettner had a successful 13-year NBA career, averaging over 14 points per game during his time in the league. Arguments for induction: 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Christian Laettner upset with 'Fab Five' documentary - Detroit Free Press Here's everything you need to know about Christian Laettner's college career at Duke. The 15 greatest buzzer-beaters in NCAA tournament history 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. ESPN's Jalen Rose Makes an Idiot Of Himself With Kevin - Sportscasting Christian Laettner was born in Angola, New York. Most of all, Laettner provided was what every star-studded team needs a 12th man who knows his role. It is safe to say that his high expectations were not met and that he may have fallen short because of how highly people thought of him at the start of his career. PAYTON'S PLACE:These are Payton Pritchard's 5 favorite games from his senior season. ", Former Duke guard Phil Henderson: "He doesn't play like a freshman, but he still has that giddiness about him. Was Christian Laettner good in the NBA? Yep, that would be Jalen Rose and the Michigan Wolverines. 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. The time was ripe for them to make it to the NBA Finals. Christian Laettner still holds the following records - most points scored (407), most free throws made (142), most free throw attempts (167), and most games won (21). Ranking the 23 greatest moments in NCAA Tournament history Even after Jordan retired, Stockton and Malone were unable to carry the Jazz to another NBA Finals appearance. Laettners number 32 jersey was retired by the Duke Blue Devils in 1992. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Lenny Wilkens. 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. 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. Christian Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player. First and foremost, his career numbers simply dont stack up compared to other Hall of Famers. Mourning had 11 points and five rebounds. His father told him to take the lead and let everyone else follow. Laettner was a standout high school player at Nichols School in Buffalo who was being recruited by some of the best programs in the ACC by his sophomore year. Many great players deserved to win the championship as much as he did. He made the Final Four in all four years of college and playedin the national championship game three consecutive years. Still, in 1992, Christian Laettner won the Olympic Gold Medal Award. O'Neal and Mourning went on to become dominant NBA centers, and there's a strong case one of them should have been named the "Dream Team" youngster regardless of how well Laettner performed at Duke. MORE: Marquette's Markus Howard picks his five most memorable moments in college. He had an amazing National Basketball Association career. 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 was a prominent American basketball player of the 1990s and early 2000s who is best known for his game-winning shot against Kentucky in the 1992 tournament that helped lead Duke to the championship game, and for the hatred he received from opposing fans. He led the Heat to the playoffs as a no-nonsense floor leader and gave the team its earliest taste of postseason success. He was a tough matchup for any team with the ability to match MJs athleticism and knack for controlling a basketball game. In Game 7, His Airness was grounded by great defense from the Pacers who gave him different looks. As a freshman, he helped lead the Blue Devils to the NCAA championship game, where they lost to Danny Manning and Kansas. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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. When he channels that energy to the next play in a positive manner, that puts him at a very high level. More than any other franchise, Jordan owned the Cavaliers during his run towards a championship. Everybody checked their egos at the door, and everybody on our team played basketball the right way, he said. 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 . What does the future hold for Jordan Hall? NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons wants Philadelphia 76ers to pay for Doc Rivers' comments on the Australian. Malone and Stockton were their usual sensational selves, taking the middle games for the Jazz to tie the series at two games apiece. 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. He led the Bulls to a 4-2 series win, averaging a series-high 27.3 points per game to go along with 1.7 steals and taking home the Finals MVP trophy. Laettner's best season statistically was his rookie year when he averaged 16.0 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. Show More. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils from 1988 to 1992. 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 quickly became known for being a very undisciplined player, missing countless shots and not playing hard on defense. It was the perfect picture of Jordans competitive will to win that brought down the Hawks. Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer did it at Florida in 2006 and 2007 and Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill did it at Duke in 1991 and 1992. That placed him 11th, ahead of Stockton, the ultimate playmaker, who scored 2.3 per game. 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. He is the only individual. 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. There are a number of factors that could have contributed to Laettner not living up to expectations, whether it be said expectations being too high, the Dream Team experience shattering his confidence, and his lanky frame not quite translating with the grit-and-grind that was ever so prevalent in the 90s era of the NBA. 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. MJ was so drained afterward, he collapsed in the arms of teammate Scottie Pippen who assisted him to the bench. Over his 13 year NBA career, Laettner averaged 12.8 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game. Does Christian Laettner have an HOF argument? The Shot. Overall, Christian Laettner had a solid NBA career. Why Christian Laettner made the 'Dream Team' over Shaquille O - NBA Johnson and Majerle would never get the chance to play in an NBA Finals again. After winning the 1991 NCAA title, Duke was favored to repeat in 1992 and was ranked #1 most of the year. Once against the Charlotte Hornets, once against the Boston Celtics, once against the Indiana Pacers, and once against the Portland Trail Blazers. Shaq: Laettner deserved Dream Team over O'Neal in 1992 - The Devils Den ", More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. None. By 1993, the Bulls already knew what to expect from the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Im bringing my whole family to Springfield, for this is a wonderful honor.. As a result, the forward has downplayed his participation on. He bagged the Finals MVP after averaging the highest points in a championship series in NBA history at 41.0 points per game. The series was 2-0 in Chicagos favor days later. Hes a great scorer and an even better defender. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. From 1991-93 and 1996-98, His Airness took on all challengers to the throne and vanquished them all. After a successful college career, Laettner was drafted into the NBA by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992. The first time was on November 11, 1992, against the Charlotte Hornets. 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. 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. 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. These are solid but unspectacular numbers, especially for a player who was never named an All-Star or selected to an All-NBA team. In the Elite Eight, they played a tough Kentucky team and the game went into overtime. The Knicks took the first two games on their home floor. Carlesimo out. Everyone should love Christian Laettner - FanSided 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. He also played in all 82 games, starting in 71 of them. Former Duke star Christian Laettner will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next week as part of the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team. Considering that the average NBA game today features about half that many points, this record is simply astounding. But among the stars, it was Jordan who shined the brightest. He was named First Team All-ACC and First Team All-American. He is also a four-time All-American, two-time National Player of the Year, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. Or write about sports? There are a few reasons why Laettners Hall of Fame case has been met with resistance. 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 . Christian Laettner: Center (1998-92). Trailing 101-100, Kentucky forward Sean Woods hit a shot in the lane to put Kentucky ahead 102-101 and seemingly win the game for the Wildcats, as only 2.1 seconds remained. He's one of the best players in the that country when he does that. This was the first time that the tournament moved to 64 teams and it has stayed that way ever since. Barkley submitted averages of 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Williams, the No. He played for six teams during his NBA career: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards and Miami Heat. Christian Laettner had a unique and dizzying career arc. I would've felt special if I had made the free throw, but I'm not sure it could've been any more special. He had just won the Wooden Award and back-to-back national championships at 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. However, the Christian Laettner NBA career failed to reach the same statistical heights after spending four seasons in Minnesota. But which one has the most followers on Instagram? Laettners NBA career ended in 2005, and he has not played professionally since. As of February 2023, Christian Laettner has an estimated net worth of $12 million. While he enjoyed a decorated career at Duke University and was a key member of the 1992 USA Olympic team, his NBA career failed to live up to expectations. Related Read: Who is christian in after we fell? As Laettner's skills and reputation grew -- Nichols won state titles in 1985 and 1986 and reached the state semifinals in 1987 -- so did the recruiting efforts. Christian Laettner was one of the most beloved and celebrated basketball players of his era. Happy 52nd birthday to Christian Laettner! 868 GP, 12.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.6 APG 48.0 FG%, 82.0 FT% 1x (1997)A four-year starter at Duke, Laettner played in 23 out of a maximum possible 24 NCAA tournament games, winning 21. Miller was in top form and had another shooter on his squad with former All-Star Mullin. The next year he averaged 27.8 points and 17.5 rebounds per game. 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. The Blue Devils lost in the Final Four and in the national championship game in Laettner's freshman and sophomore years, respectively. Chicago took the next three games to take a commanding 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5. Laettner was named to the 1992 Dream Team as the only collegiate player on the squad and went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA with one All-Star appearance. If there ever was a more balanced NBA team . College Basketball Stars Who Missed The Mark In The NBA Stockton, meanwhile, is the best pure point guard in league history. Whatever the reason, Christian Laettners time in the NBA was relatively unsuccessful compared to his collegiate career. Christian Laettner won two national championships in college as he led Duke to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. The Cleveland Cavaliers had a championship window between 1988 and 1993. Where Is Christian Laettner Today In 2022? - Show Biz Cast Also Read: NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons wants Philadelphia 76ers to pay for Doc Rivers' comments on the Australian, Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. 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 fo Even the big guys were hauling," the 6-foot-11 Laettner said. 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. Christian D. LAETTNER Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Laettner's final two seasons in the NBA were spent with the Pistons and the Washington Wizards, before he retired in 2005. 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.
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