Leo Rautins
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Leo R. Rautins (born 20 March 1960 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian former professional basketball player, the current head coach of the Canadian national men's basketball team, and an NBA analyst for the Toronto Raptors.
Rautins was a star in high school for St. Michael's College School in Toronto, the University of Minnesota for his freshman year of college, and Syracuse University for three seasons, the autumn of 1980 through to the spring of 1983. As a Golden Gopher, Rautins was named first-team All Big-Ten rookie, averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game. As a member of the Orangemen, he averaged 12.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 6.2 rebounds. He is the first player ever to record a triple-double in Big East play, accomplishing the feat twice in the span of a month during his senior year. He was named All Big East third team and Honorable Mention All American that year.
The 6 ft 8 in, 215 lb Rautins was the first Canadian ever drafted in the first round of the NBA Entry Draft going 17th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 Draft. He was a disappointment however as an NBA player. Hampered by knee problems, he played in 28 games as a rookie with the Sixers, averaging just 7 minutes a game, 1.5 points, 1 assist, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 turnovers. He went on to play 4 games for the Atlanta Hawks the following season, averaging a mere 3 minutes a contest before leaving the NBA to play in Europe. Rautins played in Italy for Serie A1 team Banco Roma (1985-1986) and Serie A2 team Citrosil Verona (1986-1987), in France with Orthez (1989-90 and 1992), and in Spain (1991-92). At the time of his retirement, he had undergone a total of 14 knee operations.
Rautins is the youngest player ever to be on the roster the Canadian senior national team, becoming a member at age 16. He completed his national team playing career in 1992 as Canada was eliminated in the Tournament of the Americas, the Basketball qualifying tournament for the Barcelona Olympics.
Upon retirement, Rautins became a basketball commentator, most notably with the Toronto Raptors television network and ESPN. A member of Canada's Basketball Hall of Fame, he was named head coach of the Canadian National Team in February, 2005. Rautins' son Andy is a graduate of Jamesville-Dewitt High School and currently a junior on the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team.
[edit] External links
- Orangehoops.org with a Rautins's profile
- FIBA.com with news of Rautins being hired as Canadian Head Coach
- Profile on Rautins and the other 17 Canadians to play in the NBA
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