 Tomjanovich in February 2009. | |
| No. 45 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Power Forward / Small Forward |
| League: | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | Rudolph Tomjanovich Jr November 24, 1948 Hamtramck, Michigan |
| Nationality: |  American
|
| Physical stats | |
| Listed height: | 6 ft 8 (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight: | 228 lbs (103 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Hamtramck High School (Hamtramck, Michigan) |
| College: | Michigan (1967–1970) |
| NBA Draft: | 1970 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd |
| Selected by the San Diego Rockets | |
| Playing career: | 1970–1981 (11 years) |
| Coaching career: | 1983–2005 (22 years) |
| Best record: | 58–24 (.707) (1993–94) |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1970–1981 | San Diego / Houston Rockets |
| As coach: | |
| 1983–1992] | Houston Rockets (Assistant coach) |
| 1992–2003 | Houston Rockets (Head coach) |
| 2004–2005 | Los Angeles Lakers (Head coach) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
| |
As coach:
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points: | 13,383 (17.4 PPG) |
| Rebounds: | 6,198 (8.1 RPG) |
| Assists: | 1,573 (2.0 APG) |
| Steals: | 374 (0.7 SPG) |
| Blocks: | 175 (0.3 BPG) |
| Career coaching record | |
| NBA: | 527–416 (.559) |
| Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted in 2012) | |
| Medals | |
| Men's basketball | |
| Head coach for the United States
| |
| Representing the United States | |
| FIBA World Cup | |
 Gold
|
1998 Athens |
| Olympic Games | |
| Gold
|
2000 Sydney |
Rudolph Tomjanovich Jr. (born November 24, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He won two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets (1994, 1995) and coached Team USA to the gold medal in men's basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
His professional playing career, which lasted between 1970 and 1981, was entirely spent with the San Diego / Houston Rockets. Tomjanovich was a 5-time NBA All-Star forward; four consecutive times between 1974 and 1977, and again in 1979. He also made the playoffs five times: in 1975, 1977, and consecutively between 1979 and 1981.
On December 9, 1977, during a game between the Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, Tomjanovich was the victim of a life-threatening punch to his face brought upon him by Lakers Power Forward Kermit Washington. This ended his season after 23 games; after fully recovering, Tomjanovich played in the NBA for three more seasons.
After about eight years of being an assistant coach, Tomjanovich served as head coach of the Rockets from 1992 to 2003. As head coach, he led the Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships, in 1994 and 1995. He also coached the Lakers during part of the 2004–05 season. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on May 16, 2021. In 2024, he was included in Croatian American Sports Hall of Fame.
He was a consultant for the Lakers for 14 years.
See also[]
- Magazine covers
- Photo gallery - Photos featuring Rudy Tomjanovic