Did Christian Laettner Play In The Nba?
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Many people are surprised to learn that Christian Laettner didn’t actually play in the NBA. Though he was a very successful college basketball player, Laettner’s NBA career was relatively short-lived.
Who is Christian Laettner?
Christian Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1992 to 2005. Laettner was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils from 1988 to 1992. He is the only player in NCAA Division I history to have won both the Naismith College Player of the Year Award and the John R. Wooden Award in the same season (1992). Laettner won two NCAA national championships with Duke (1991, 1992) and was a two-time National Player of the Year (1991, 1992).
What is his connection to the NBA?
Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA Draft. He played 13 seasons in the NBA for 6 different teams. 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. Laettner’s NBA career ended in 2005, and he has not played professionally since.
Why is he considered one of the best college basketball players of all time?
In his three years at Duke University, Christian Laettner became one of the most decorated players in college basketball history. He was a two-time NCAA national champion and the only player to ever start in four consecutive Final Fours. He was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 1992 and was a first-team All-American in both his junior and senior seasons.
What was his professional career like?
Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA draft. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, for the Wolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat. He averaged 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for his career.
Why did he never play in the NBA?
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. After a successful college career, Laettner was drafted into the NBA by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992.
However, Laettner’s time in the NBA was relatively short-lived. He played just three seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 1995. He would go on to play for another four teams over the next seven years before ultimately retiring from the NBA in 2005.
So why did Laettner never really find success in the NBA? There are a few theories. First, at 6’11”, Laettner was considered undersized for a traditional center, which limited his role on most teams. Second, his skillset was better suited for a more up-tempo style of play, which was not as common in the NBA during his career. Finally, Laettner was known to be arrogant and aloof, which rubbed some people the wrong way.
Whatever the reason, Christian Laettner’s time in the NBA was relatively unsuccessful compared to his collegiate career.
