Rudy Tomjanovich

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Rudy Tomjanovich

Position	Forward
Nickname	Rudy T.
Height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg)
Nationality	United States
Born	November 24, 1948 Hamtramck, Michigan
College	University of Michigan
Draft	2nd overall, 1970 San Diego Rockets
Pro career	1970 – 1981
Former teams	San Diego Rockets/Houston Rockets 1970 – 1981

Rudolph (Rudy) Tomjanovich (born November 24, 1948, in Hamtramck, Michigan), nicknamed "Rudy T.", is best known as a basketball player and coach.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Basketball 2.1 Playing career 2.2 Coaching career 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Early life

Tomjanovich was born to a Serbian-American family. He went to high school in Hamtramck and then to the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1970.

[edit] Basketball

[edit] Playing career

Tomjanovich was selected in the 1970 NBA Draft as the second pick by the San Diego Rockets (after 1971 the franchise relocated to Houston), for whom he would play the entirety of his NBA playing career.

Despite Tomjanovich's noteworthy career as a player, it is perhaps best remembered for an unfortunate incident not of his own making. In a game on December 9, 1977, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kermit Washington threw a brutal punch which broke Tomjanovich's jaw and face and inflicted life-threatening head injuries, leaving him sidelined for five months. He eventually made a full recovery. In his eleven years in the NBA, Tomjanovich had a scoring average of 17.4 points and a rebounding average of 8.1, earning five NBA All-Star Game selections in the process (1974-1977, 1979).

The Rockets retired Tomjanovich's #45 jersey upon the conclusion of his playing career. (His collegiate jersey, also #45, was retired by the University of Michigan in 2003).

[edit] Coaching career

He would later become the Rockets' head coach, leading them to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. It was on the floor after they captured their second title that he proclaimed "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion!" Tomjanovich left the team after the 2002-03 season as he was recovering from bladder cancer.

In 2004, Tomjanovich took over as the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, replacing Phil Jackson. After just 41 games, he resigned due to health issues unrelated to his past bout with bladder cancer. Tomjanovich stayed with the Lakers as a consultant.On February 15, 2006, Tomjanovich was named director of scouting for USA Men's Basketball.

[edit] References

Feinstein, John. The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the Fight That Changed Basketball Forever. Publisher: Back Bay Books. ISBN 0-316-73563-9

[edit] External links

• ClutchFans.net Profile - Houston Rocket Fan Site

Preceded by: Don Chaney	Houston Rockets Head Coach 1992–2003	Succeeded by: Jeff Van Gundy
Preceded by: Phil Jackson	Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach 2004–2005	Succeeded by: Frank Hamblen