Johnson and Majerle would never get the chance to play in an NBA Finals again. He also added seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. On Aug. 13, the 1992 gold medal Dream Team will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. 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. -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 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. Still, in 1992, Christian Laettner won the Olympic Gold Medal Award. When he channels that energy to the next play in a positive manner, that puts him at a very high level. 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. Then again, theres only one trophy and Jordan was not about to let it slip away from his grasp. Barkley submitted averages of 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Three of the four coaches are also enshrined. However, injuries derailed his career in his later years, and he was never able to live up to his full potential. Mike Krzyzewski was in his 12th season as head coach at Duke in 1992. In 1997 he made a well-deserved All-Star appearance. 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. His Elite Eight buzzer beater against Kentucky that year remains iconic. But otherwise, he has largely avoided the limelight and has not been active in promoting his own Hall of Fame candidacy. That didnt stop them from wanting to kill you in the game that night, he said. He scored 23 points in the first half to stay within striking distance of the Jazz before halftime. Price, Nance, and Daugherty played great basketball and the series was tied 2-2 after four games. 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. It would come to be known as The Shot II, sending the Cavaliers home for the summer with another heartbreaker. He had only been in the league for two seasons at this point, but he was already establishing himself as a very good player. He played 23 out of 24 possible NCAA games during his 4-year tenure, winning 21 of them. 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. More importantly, he led the Heat to a 61-21 record and the third-best record in the league. International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Jordan shot 9-of-25 from the field but wound up with 28 points on hustle plays. They were the most successful one-two punch the league had ever seen. 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. His career average of 6.7 rebounds per game is solid, but not spectacular. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. He finished with career averages of 12.8 points and 6.7 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. Panhandle Basketball: The Place to Be for Hoops Fans, Brad Davis, NBA Player and Stamford Native. A name most sports fans know, it would be impossible to keep Christian Laettner off this list. He also had a long and successful college career, winning 2 NCAA Championships with Duke University. Very much so. I was jealous," O'Neal said in a radiointerviewduring the 2012 NBA Finals. Shoots: Christian Laettner won two titles at Duke. 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. 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. Laettner was also named ACC Player of the Year in 1992 and 1993, and was an All-American in 1992 and 1993. He also holds several NCAA records. He is a graduate of Indiana University. Duke had an out-of-bounds play with little time left on the shot clock when Laettner took a pass near the elbow. Ultimately, Christian Laettners legacy will be defined by his successes and failures both on and off the court. Many great players deserved to win the championship as much as he did. Laettner's Nichols High School (Buffalo, N.Y.) team won the tournament after Laettner had 18 points and 21 rebounds in the final game. He . 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. Five years later, Christian Laettner was the winner of the NBA All-Star title ward. You can watch the legendary ending of the 1992 Duke-Kentucky game below. He finished with 125 points for the entire tournament. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He's too good of a player. 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. 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. Laettner and the Dream Team went on to win the Olympics by bulldozing their way through the group stage and the knockouts, and the Duke star was the only college player on that team. 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. Christian Laettner won two national championships in college as he led Duke 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. There were 16 ties. 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.". Even with the addition of Jordan Stopper Gerald Wilkins, Jordan merely took it as a challenge, scoring 43 points in the opening game. It was in this first round series that Jordan made The Shot at the buzzer to advance to the next round. He led the Heat to the playoffs as a no-nonsense floor leader and gave the team its earliest taste of postseason success. I would've felt special if I had made the free throw, but I'm not sure it could've been any more special. Christian Laettner was the Blue Devils leading scoring in 1992 as a senior and was the unanimous national player of the year. It was the East Regional final between Duke and Kentucky. 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. He then finished them off in Game 5 with 39 points. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. After his playing career ended, Laettner became a successful businessman and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. In his three years at Duke University, Christian Laettner became one of the most decorated players in college basketball history. In the Elite Eight, they played a tough Kentucky team and the game went into overtime. And we havent even talked about Gary Payton who isnt on this list because he won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. It was just such a sudden thing. If his place on the 1992 U.S. roster seems curious to some who question why even one collegian was kept (while NBA stars including Isiah Thomas were left off), his teammates recognized his value. But he was part of it. As such, it is unlikely that he will ever be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The late Chuck Daly was head coach; Mike Krzyzewski and Lenny Wilkens are also in, leaving only assistant P.J. A versatile player, he was able to play both power forward and center. He hounded the superstar throughout the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. -Laettner only spent four years in the NBA compared to other Hall of famers who played their entire careers in the league which could be seen as indicative of his lack of dominance at the professional level. Im bringing my whole family to Springfield, for this is a wonderful honor.. Michael Jordan would have his revenge in the epic 1993 NBA Finals. The biggest adjustment was the speed. 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. Christian Laettner had a unique and dizzying career arc. "He's going to be great," Garfinkel said. Duke's Christian Laettner shoots the game-winning basket in overtime over Kentucky's Deron Feldhaus to win the NCAA East Finals in Philadelphia on March 28, 1992. All rights reserved (About Us). Almost 30 years ago, Laettner powered Duke past Kentucky with one of the most famous shots in basketball history. 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. School: DukePosition: CenterHeight: 6-11Weight: 235 poundsYears active: 1988-92NCAA tournament record: 21-2Career averages: 16.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 57.4% field goal shooting. But everything will be just fine. He was perfect. He is also the only player in NCAA history to have started in four consecutive Final Fours.
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