Christian Laettner, who enjoyed one of the most storied careers in the history of college basketball and was a member of the original Dream Team, has proven himself to be a solid scorer and rebounder in the NBA, achieving All-Star recognition in 1997. He was traded to Atlanta a year later but missed most of the 1998-99 season because of a torn right Achilles tendon and later a fractured rib. He started all 82 games for the Pistons in 1999-2000 and was the team's second-leading rebonder. At Duke, the 6-11 forward led the Blue Devils to consecutive NBA titles in 1991 and 1992. The first collegian ever to start in four Final Fours, he holds the NCAA Tournament scoring record with 407 career points. As a senior, Laettner won the Wooden, Kodak and Naismith Awards, was The Sporting News College Player of the Year and a consensus First Team All-American as well as the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. He played in an NCAA-record 148 games in his career, and his buzzer-beating basket against Kentucky in the 1992 tournament is one of the most fabled shots in college basketball history. The only collegian on the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal at Barcelona, Laettner was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992 and had a fine rookie campaign, averaging 18.2 points and 8.7 rebounds and setting franchise records for rebounds, defensive rebounds and free throws made. He was chosen to the All-Rookie First Team. Injuries kept Laettner out of 12 games the following season, but he still managed to lead Minnesota in scoring, rebounding and blocks. His average of 4.4 assists per game ranked fifth among NBA forwards and set a new club record for the position. He also tied his own team record with 28 double-doubles in points and rebounds. The team, however, failed to show much of an improvement, finishing at 20-62. Laettner became Minnesota's all-time leader in rebounding and free throws during the 1994-95 season, which was another disappointing campaign for the Wolves (21-61). With Minnesota failing to make progress in the standings, Laettner, who was starting for the Wolves at center, was traded midway through the 1995-96 season to Atlanta in a deal that brought Andrew Lang and Spud Webb to the Timberwolves. He helped the Hawks to a berth in the 1996 NBA Playoffs. Following the season the Hawks signed center Dikembe Mutombo as a free agent, which freed Laettner to move to the forward position where he could better use his agility and multiple skills without having to take as much of a physical pounding. The result was an All-Star season in which he averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Laettner's productivity dipped in 1997-98, when his averages dropped to 13.8 ppg and 6.6 rpg. He was replaced in the starting lineup after 49 games by Alan Henderson and spent the final 33 games as a backup at both forward and center. Prior to the 1998-99 season, Laettner was traded by the Hawks to the Detroit Pistons for Scot Pollard and a conditional first-round pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. He played just 16 games in 1998-99, missing the first 22 games of the season while recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon and then spending more than three weeks in April on the injured list because of a fractured rib. He bounced back to start all 82 games in 1999-2000 and averaged 12.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, ranking second on the team in rebounding. He also was third on the team in blocked shots and was one of five Detroit players to come up with at least one steals per game.

2000-2001 SEASON

Averaged 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game overall...posted 13.2 points and 6.1 rebounds with the Wizards in 25 games...led the team in rebounding six times...tallied a season-high 26 points twice, last vs. Orlando (4/13)...posted his fourth double-double of the season with a season-high 26 points and 11 rebounds vs. New Jersey (3/10)...scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds vs. Toronto (2/24)...scored in double figures 19 times while with the Wizards 1999-2000 SEASON

Laettner started all 82 games for the Pistons, averaging 12.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.01 steals and 0.55 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game. He was second on the team in rebounding, third in bnlocks, fourth in scoring and minutes and fifth in steals. He shot .473 from the field, .292 on three-pointers and .812 from the free throw line. He reached double figures in points 53 times and rebounds 15 times, leading the team in scoring twice and rebounding 17 times. He tallied a season-high 28 points, with eight rebounds, at New Jersey on Jan. 20, and grabbed a season-high 17 boards, scoring 22 points, against Orlando on March 15. He posted a total of 12 double-doubles, third-most on the team, including 15 points and 16 rebounds against Philadelphia on Jan. 29 and 22 points and 12 rebounds at Atlanta on Jan. 5. Laettner started all three playoff losses to Miami, averaging 6.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 25.0 minutes per game. He shot .412 from the field and .750 from the line.

1998-99 SEASON

Laettner never got untracked in his first season in Detroit, missing the first 22 games of the season while recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon suffered during the offseason, then was on the injured list April 3-27 because of a fractured rib. He missed more games in 1998-99 (34) than in his six previous seasons combined (30). He played in 16 games for the Pistons, all in a reserve role, and averaged career-lows of 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game. It's the first time in his NBA career that he failed to average in double figures in scoring, grab at least six rebounds a game or play at least 30 minutes per game. A career .476 shooter from the field, he managed just .358, by far the lowest mark of his career. Laettner posted season-highs of 17 point and nine rebounds against Milwaukee on March 22. He also had three assists and three steals in that game. He had a season-high four blocks shots against Philadelphia on May 2. Laettner averaged 10.2 points in 24.6 minutes per game off the bench in the Pistons' five-game playoff loss to Atlanta, tying for third on the team in scoring. He also contributed 2.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8. steals per game.

1997-98 SEASON

Laettner had a disappointing season, averaging career-lows of 13.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 2.6 apg, although he did rank third on the team in scoring and assists and second in rebounding and blocked shots (0.99 bpg). He did post a career-high .864 free throw percentage to rank ninth in the NBA. After 49 games he was replaced in Atlantas starting lineup by Alan Henderson and he played the remainder of the season off the bench, appearing at both forward and center. The change seemed to do him good as he averaged 14.8 ppg after moving to the bench as compared with 10.9 ppg as a starter. Laettner scored a season-high 25 points against Detroit on Nov. 22, one of 15 games in which he tallied at least 20 points. He notched double figures in scoring 36 times and rebounding 12 times. He missed eight games during the second half of the season due to a sprained ankle and the flu. In the playoffs, Laettner averaged 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in just 21.8 minutes off the bench as the Hawks were eliminated by Charlotte in four games in the First Round.

1996-97 NOTES

Laettner enjoyed a breakout season in 1996-97. Freed from having to play center thanks to the arrival of Dikembe Mutombo, he used his height and all-around skills to give opponents fits at power forward and earned a berth on the Eastern Conference All-Star team, getting seven points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes at the midwinter contest in Cleveland. Laettner posted 31 points-rebounds double-doubles (including 27 of Atlanta's last 60 games), leading the Hawks in scoring 25 times and rebounding 22 times. He seemed to benefit from not being the focus of his team's offense, as he was at Minnesota, and having Mutombo to help him on defense and under the boards. The only Atlanta player to start all 82 games, Laettner averaged 18.1 points and a career-high 8.8 rebounds per game, shooting .486 from the field and .818 from the line. He scored a career-high 37 points in leading the Hawks to a 108-103 win over the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 26. He reached double figures in scoring in 78 of 82 games, had 20 or more 33 times and 30 or more three times. In the playoffs he averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds, getting 25 points in Game 3 of the First Round series against Detroit and twice scoring 23 points, in the decisive Game 5 win over Detroit and the season-ending Game 5 loss to Chicago.

1995-96 NOTES

Laettner came to the Hawks along with Sean Rooks in a major deal on Feb. 22, coming from Minnesota in exchange for Andrew Lang and Spud Webb. He played in 74 games overall, all but three of them starts, and averaged 16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 33.7 minutes per game, shooting .487 from the field and .818 from the line. He missed six games in November with a sprained left ankle, when he was placed on the injured list for the first time in his career. He made 39 of his 44 starts for Minnesota at the center position and averaged 18.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, shooting .489 from the field and .823 from the line. He led the Timberwolves in scoring 18 times and rebounding 13 times, posting 12 double-doubles. He twice scored a season-high 29 points, against Orlando on Dec. 20 and the Lakers on Jan. 18. With Atlanta, Laettner averaged 14.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, shooting .489 from the field and .823 from the line. He ranked second on the team in both scoring and rebounding, with highs of 28 points against Washington on April 4 and 14 rebounds at Miami in the regular season finale on April 21. Laettner was a major factor in the Hawks' first round playoff upset of Indiana, averaging 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in the series and getting a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in the deciding Game 5. He previously scored 24 points in Game 3. He also had two big games in the Orlando series, notching 26 points in Game 3 after getting 20 in Game 2. Overall his playoff averages were 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game.

1994-95 NOTES

Laettner assembled his third solid season in 1994-95, becoming the Minnesota Timberwolves's all-time rebounding and free-throw leader in the process. He paced the Timberwolves in several categories during the year, including rebounding (7.6 rpg), double-doubles (21), total minutes (2,770), blocks (87), and steals (101). In games in which he tallied at least 10 points and 10 rebounds, his club went a respectable 9-12. The Wolves finished at 21-61 overall. Laettner was particularly effective in the second half of the season, shooting .544 from the floor, including .584 in the final 12 games. He averaged 18.7 points in his last 24 outings, boosting his season average to 16.3 points per contest. The cagey forward ranked 12th in the NBA with 500 free-throw attempts and shot .818 from the free-throw line. He also shot a career-high .489 from the floor and .325 from three-point range. After only three seasons, Laettner's name is all over Minnesota's list of all-time leaders. On December 16 he passed Sam Mitchell to become the club's career rebounding leader. Six weeks later, on February 3, Laettner passed Tony Campbell to become the Wolves' all-time free-throw leader. At season's end Laettner needed only 11 more rejections to become Minnesota's career leader in blocked shots.

1993-94 NOTES

Injuries slowed Laettner somewhat in his second season, but he still finished as Minnesota's leader in scoring (16.8 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg), and minutes played (34.7 per game). The Timberwolves struggled to a 20-62 record, but a promising campaign from rookie Isaiah Rider portended a brighter future. Among Laettner's more impressive accomplishments in 1993-94 was his average of 4.4 assists per game, which ranked him fourth among NBA forwards behind Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, and Chris Mullin. As a testament to his rugged playing style, Laettner also placed 11th in the league in free throws attempted with 479.

1992-93 NOTES

Laettner found the NBA experience a bit more challenging than his fairy-tale career at Duke, where he had become the first player ever to start in four NCAA Final Fours. With the Blue Devils he had won NCAA titles in 1991 and 1992, and he had become the all-time NCAA Tournament career scoring leader with 407 points. It was no surprise that he was voted the National Player of the Year by several groups in 1992. Then came his rookie season with the expansion Timberwolves, and suddenly Laettner's path was marked with potholes. After a 4-7 November in which Laettner averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 rebounds, the Timberwolves swooned to 1-12 in December and 3-11 in January. They were no better in April, going 1-12, but Laettner concluded a fine rookie season with a new club single-season rebounding mark of 708, an average of 8.7 boards per game. He also averaged 18.2 points per game, earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team at season's end. Laettner led Minnesota in games played and in starts (81) and also broke club single-season records for defensive rebounds (537), free throws made (462), and, unfortunately, turnovers. His total of 275 miscues was an NBA high for the season.

*Ranked 9th in the NBA in 1997-98 in free-throw percentage (.864)

* Recorded a 1997-98 season-high 25 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists against the Detroit Pistons on 11/22/97

*Finished second on the Hawks in scoring (18.1 ppg) and rebounding (a career-high 8.8 rpg) in 1996-97 for the second consecutive season

*Made his All-Star debut, posting 7 points and 11 rebounds, in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland

*Scored a career-high 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls on 12/26/96

*Led the Timberwolves in 1993-94 in scoring (16.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.6 rpg)

*Named to the 1992-93 NBA All-Rookie Team after averaging 18.2 ppg and 8.7 rpg

*Established a Timberwolves' franchise record for most free throws made in a game, hitting 18-of-20 attempts against the Sacramento Kings on 2/18/93

*The highest draft pick in Timberwolves history (third overall in 1992)

*A member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic Basketball Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona

*Winner of the Naismith and Wooden Awards in 1991-92 as the college player of the year

*A member of the 1991 and 1992 back-to-back NCAA Champion Duke Blue Devils

2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 1 S E A S O N H I G H S - C A R E E R H I G H S

2000-2001 HIGHS CAREER HIGHS

Points 28 @ Nets, 1/20/00 37 vs. Bulls, 12/26/96

Field Goals Made 10 3 Times 12 3 Times

Field Goals Attempted 19 2 Times 25 3 Times

Three point Field Goals Made 1 7 Times 3 @ Celtics, 11/13/96 Three point Field Goals Attempted 2 3 Times 5 @ Celtics, 11/13/96 Free Throws Made 11 @ Pacers, 11/25/99 18 vs. Kings, 2/18/93 Free Throws Attempted 13 @ Pacers, 11/25/99 21 vs. Mavericks, 11/12/93 Offensive Rebounds 10 @ Magic, 1/3/00 10 @ Magic, 1/3/00 Defensive Rebounds 15 vs. Sixers, 1/29/00 17 vs. Hornets, 3/21/93 Total Rebounds 17 vs. Magic, 3/15/00 19 @ Jazz, 3/9/93 Assists 6 3 Times 9 2 Times Steals 4 2 Times 6 2 Times Blocks 4 @ Nuggets, 12/1/99 5 3 Times Minutes Played 44 @ Nets, 1/20/00 51 4 Times C A R E E R A V E R A G E S REBOUNDS YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF TOT APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG 92-93 Min 81 81 34.9 .474 .100 .835 2.1 6.6 8.7 2.8 1.30 1.02 3.4 3.6 18.2 93-94 Min 70 67 34.7 .448 .240 .783 2.3 6.3 8.6 4.4 1.24 1.23 3.7 3.8 16.8 94-95 Min 81 80 34.2 .489 .325 .818 2.0 5.5 7.6 2.9 1.25 1.07 2.8 3.7 16.3 95-96 Atl-Min 74 71 33.7 .487 .231 .818 2.5 4.8 7.3 2.7 0.96 0.96 2.5 3.7 16.4 96-97 Atl 82 82 38.3 .486 .352 .816 2.6 6.2 8.8 2.7 1.24 0.78 2.7 3.4 18.1 97-98 Atl 74 49 30.8 .485 .222 .864 1.9 4.7 6.6 2.6 0.96 0.99 2.5 3.3 13.8 98-99 Det 16 0 21.1 .358 .333 .772 1.3 2.1 3.4 1.5 0.94 0.75 1.2 1.9 7.6 99-00 Det 82 82 29.8 .473 .292 .812 2.1 4.6 6.7 2.3 1.01 0.55 2.3 4.0 12.2 Career 560 512 33.4 .476 .269 .819 2.2 5.4 7.6 2.8 1.13 0.93 2.8 3.6 15.7 Playoff 39 26 30.4 .420 .167 .799 1.6 4.0 5.6 1.8 0.97 0.59 2.0 3.8 12.9 All-Star 1 0 24.0 .600 -- 1.000 4.0 7.0 11.0 2.0 1.00 1.00 2.0 4.0 7.0 C A R E E R T O T A L S REBOUNDS YEAR TEAM G GS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF DEF TOT AST STL BLK TO PF PTS 92-93 Min 81 81 2823 503-1061 4-40 462-553 171 537 708 223 105 83 275 290 1472 93-94 Min 70 67 2428 396-883 6-25 375-479 160 442 602 307 87 86 259 264 1173 94-95 Min 81 80 2770 450-920 13-40 409-500 164 449 613 234 101 87 225 302 1322 95-96 Atl-Min 74 71 2495 442-907 9-39 324-396 184 354 538 197 71 71 187 276 1217 96-97 Atl 82 82 3140 548-1128 31-88 359-440 212 508 720 223 102 64 218 277 1486 97-98 Atl 74 49 2282 354-730 6-27 306-354 142 345 487 190 71 73 183 246 1020 98-99 Det 16 0 337 38-106 1-3 44-57 21 33 54 24 15 12 19 30 121 99-00 Det 82 82 2443 379-801 7-24 237-292 175 378 553 186 83 45 186 326 1002 Career 560 512 18718 3110-6536 77-286 2516-3071 1229 3046 4275 1584 635 521 1552 2011 8813 Playoff 39 26 1184 179-426 5-30 139-174 62 157 219 72 38 23 77 147 502 All-Star 1 0 24 3-5 0-0 1-1 4 7 11 2 1 1 2 4 7

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