1. Rudy Tomjanovich won two NBA Championships with the Houston Rockets and coached Team USA to the gold medal in men's basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
25 Facts About Rudy Tomjanovich
1. 2.
Rudy Tomjanovich made the playoffs five times: in 1975,1977, and consecutively between 1979 and 1981.
3.
On December 9,1977, during a game between the Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, Rudy Tomjanovich was the victim of a life-threatening punch to his face brought upon him by Lakers power forward Kermit Washington.
4.
Rudy Tomjanovich was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on May 16,2021.
5.
Rudy Tomjanovich was a consultant for the Los Angeles Lakers for 14 years.
6.
Rudy Tomjanovich was born in Hamtramck, Michigan, the son of Catherine and Rudolph Rudy Tomjanovich Sr.
7.
Rudy Tomjanovich attended high school in Hamtramck and later the University of Michigan.
8.
Rudy Tomjanovich was a high school teammate of ABA player John Brisker.
9.
In college, Rudy Tomjanovich set Michigan Wolverines men's basketball career rebounding records that continue to stand.
10.
Rudy Tomjanovich was selected in the 1970 NBA draft as the second overall pick by the San Diego Rockets, for whom he would play the entirety of his NBA career.
11.
Rudy Tomjanovich was drafted in both 1970 and 1974 by the Utah Stars of the ABA.
12.
Rudy Tomjanovich is the fourth-leading scorer in Rockets history behind James Harden and Hall of Famers Calvin Murphy and Hakeem Olajuwon.
13.
Rudy Tomjanovich was well known for his instinctive managerial style and intensity on the bench.
14.
In 1998, Rudy Tomjanovich volunteered to coach the US men's senior basketball team at the FIBA World Championship in Greece.
15.
In light of his outstanding service in coaching at the 1998 Worlds and his stellar professional resume, Rudy Tomjanovich was tabbed to coach the US men's senior team at the Games of the XXVII Olympiad in Sydney, Australia.
16.
On February 15,2006, Rudy Tomjanovich was named director of scouting for USA Men's Basketball.
17.
Rudy Tomjanovich retired in 1981 and became a scout for two years before being named an assistant coach in 1983.
18.
Rudy Tomjanovich served as an assistant under Bill Fitch and Don Chaney.
19.
Rudy Tomjanovich was named the Rockets' interim head coach in February 1992 after Chaney's resignation.
20.
In 2004, Rudy Tomjanovich signed a five-year, $30 million contract to replace Phil Jackson as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
21.
Rudy Tomjanovich resigned after 43 games, citing mental and physical exhaustion unrelated to his past bout with bladder cancer.
22.
Rudy Tomjanovich has two daughters and one son with his ex-wife Sophie.
23.
Rudy Tomjanovich has participated with the Texas Children's Cancer Center to help raise funds for cancer research.
24.
Rudy Tomjanovich had a scholarship program with the Tomjanovich foundation, that helped put 100s of students in college.
25.
Rudy Tomjanovich is an avid supporter for the Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, Houston Astros, University of Houston, University of Michigan and Naismith Hall of Fame.