Christian Donald Laettner (, LAYT-n?r; born August 17, 1969) is a retired American basketball player whose Hall of Fame career for the Duke Blue Devils is widely regarded as one of the best in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history. He was the star player on the back-to-back National Championship teams of 1991 and 1992. He is particularly famous for his game-winning shot against Kentucky in the 1992 regional final and for the hatred he received from opposing fans.
As the NCAA player of the year, Laettner was the only collegian selected for the elite "Dream Team" that dominated the 1992 Olympics; the team is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, then played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six different teams; the highlight was an All-Star Game selection in 1997 while with the Atlanta Hawks.
Video Christian Laettner
Early life
Christian Laettner was born and raised in Angola, New York (near Buffalo and Niagara Falls) to a blue-collar Roman Catholic family. His father George was of Polish descent and his grandparents spoke Polish as their first language. Christian's older brother Christopher was a strong influence, often bullying young Christian, which helped instill a stern competitive drive. Both boys also frequently worked as farm laborers to supplement their allowance.
Laettner attended the private Nichols School; although he received a financial aid package that paid a substantial part of his tuition, his family had to sacrifice to send him there, and he also did janitorial work at the school to defray some of the cost. During his career he scored over 2,000 points, setting the school record, and the team won two state titles and reached another semifinal. He was a much sought-after college recruit.
Maps Christian Laettner
College basketball
Laettner attended Duke University and played for the basketball team under coach Mike Krzyzewski from 1988-92. As the team's star player his final two seasons, he led them to the first two national titles in school history. A four-year starter, he also contributed to their runner-up finish his sophomore year and final four appearance his freshman year. Thus, in total, he played 23 out of a maximum possible 24 NCAA tournament games, winning 21; both are records.
For his career, Laettner averaged 16.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while making almost half of his three-pointers. He scored 21.5 points per game his senior season, garnering every major national player of the year award; Duke retired his No. 32 jersey later that year. His career is widely regarded among the best in college history, and he is enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
NCAA tournament records
- Most points scored: 407
- Most free throws made: 142
- Most free throw attempts: 167
- Most games won: 21
- Most games played: 23
Clutch performances
Laettner had several clutch performances in the NCAA tournament. His most famous was the 1992 regional final against Kentucky, which was foreshadowed by the 1990 regional final against UConn; in both games Duke trailed by one point with two seconds remaining in overtime before Laettner swished a jumper as time expired. He also swished the game-winning free throws against undefeated and heavily-favored UNLV in the 1991 semifinal, which avenged UNLV's 30 point victory in the 1990 final. He then led Duke to its first championship, defeating Kansas in the final, and was honored as the tournament's most outstanding player.
Laettner is especially known for his back-to-the-basket, turn-around jumper that ended the intensely competitive 1992 regional final, a game many critics rate among the greatest in college basketball history. He was in rarefied form throughout, shooting a perfect ten of ten field goals and ten of ten free throws for 31 points. He then finished his college career by leading Duke to its second consecutive national title. The following year ESPN awarded him both "Outstanding Performance Under Pressure" and "College Basketball Play of the Year" for the Kentucky game, also awarding him "Outstanding College Basketball Performer of the Year".
The game-winning shot against Kentucky became a cultural icon, having been frequently televised in college basketball montages. Several companies have also featured it in their commercials. In 2006 The Best Damn Sports Show Period ranked it the fifth most memorable moment in sports history.
Widely reviled
Laettner was widely reviled by opposing fans throughout his career, to the extent that more than 20 years after graduating from Duke, he was voted the most hated college basketball player in history in an ESPN online poll. This led to ESPN's creation of the 30 for 30 documentary I Hate Christian Laettner that explored five factors for this widespread and persistent hatred: privilege, race, bullying, greatness, and physical appearance. He was particularly resented for stepping on the chest of Kentucky player Aminu Timberlake during the 1992 regional final, which the referees deemed a technical foul; Laettner expressed regret for his misconduct but believed that ejection would have been too harsh a consequence.
Olympics, NBA, and post-NBA basketball
As the national player of the year, Laettner was the only collegian selected for the prestigious "Dream Team" that won the 1992 Olympic gold medal in dominant fashion. He averaged 4.8 points per game. The team is considered one of the greatest in sports history and was inducted into both the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, FIBA Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Laettner played 13 years in the NBA, from 1992-2005, scoring 11,121 points and grabbing 5,806 rebounds. His first six seasons were his best, averaging 16.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while starting almost all of them. He also was selected to the All-Rookie First Team in 1993 and the All-Star Game in 1997 while with the Atlanta Hawks. His time on the Hawks was his most successful NBA team experience, twice reaching the second round of the playoffs.
Despite his achievements, Laettner's NBA career was characterized by transience. He played for six different teams, was traded six times, and never spent more than three full seasons anywhere. In 2004, he was suspended several games for using marijuana.
Since 2011 he has operated numerous youth training camps. He also played some semi-pro games and briefly served as an assistant coach in the NBA Development League.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Personal life
Laettner lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and is an avid muskellunge fisherman. He has also donated to his alma maters.
He maintains a close relationship with Duke teammate Brian Davis. They have pursued several business ventures together, including real-estate development in Durham, a Major League Soccer team, and an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Memphis Grizzlies. Some legal problems have also occurred. Because of his relationship with Davis,as of March 2016, Laettner and wife Lisa are divorced.
Awards and honors
- 1990 All-ACC Second Team
- 1990 ACC All-Tournament Second Team
- 1990-91 Consensus All-America (1990)
- Two-time NCAA Champion (1991, 1992)
- 1991 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
- 1991 NABC All-American Second Team
- 1991 AP All-American Second Team
- 1991 USBWA All-American Second Team
- 1991 All-ACC First Team (Media)
- 1991 ACC All-Tournament First Team
- 1991 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Teams (AP)
- 1991 UPI All-American Second Team
- 1991 UPI All-American Second Team. *1992 Biggest A-hole in the world
- 1992 AP All-American First Team
- 1992 Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA Player of the Year)
- 1992 USBWA All-American First Team
- 1992 UPI All-American First Team
- 1992 ACC Player of the Year (Media)
- 1992 ACC Tournament MVP
- 1992 ACC All-Tournament First Team
- 1992 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Teams (AP)
- 1992 AP Player of the Year
- 1992 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year
- 1992 Consensus All-America
- 1992 NABC Player of the Year
- 1992 Naismith Award
- 1992 Rupp Trophy
- 1992 Sporting News Player of the Year
- 1992 USBWA Player of the Year
- 1992 Wooden Award
- 1992 National College Basketball Player of the Year
- No. 32 jersey retired by Duke in 1992
- 1992 Olympic Gold Medal winner
- 1997 NBA All-Star
- National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame (class of 2008)
- U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame (class of 2009 as a member of the "Dream Team")
- College Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2010)
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team")
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 145 games played
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career free throw scoring leaders
Notes
References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com
Source of article : Wikipedia
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