Christian Laettner Biography
Christian Laettner, born Christian Donald Laettner, is a retired professional basketball player from the United States. He is lauded as being the star player on the back-to-back National Championship teams of 1991 and 1992.
His Hall of Fame career for the Duke Blue Devils is arguably regarded as one of the best in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history. He is best known for his game-winning shot against Kentucky in the 1992 tournament and for the hatred he got from opposing fans.
As the NCAA player of the year, he 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. The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him third overall. For 13 seasons, he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six different teams. He was part of an All-Star Game selection in 1997 while with the Atlanta Hawks.
Christian Laettner Career
He attended Duke University and played for the basketball team from 1988–92. He was instrumental in leading the Blue Devils to the first two national titles in school history. He was the star player in his last two seasons. He was a four-year starter.
In addition, he contributed to their runner-up finish his sophomore year and Final Four appearance in his freshman year. He holds the record for playing in about 23 out of a maximum possible 24 NCAA tournament games and winning 21 of said tournament games.
He averaged 16.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while making almost half of his three-pointers. He recorded 21.5 points per game his senior season. He managed to win every major national player of the year award. Later that year, Duke retired his No. 32 jersey. His career is widely and arguably regarded as among the best in college history. He is enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
He was the third overall draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NFL Draft. He played 13 years in the NBA, from 1992–2005, registering 11,121 points and grabbing 5,806 rebounds. Christian best seasons were his first six where he was averaging 16.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while starting almost all of them. In addition.
In 1993, he was selected to the All-Rookie First Team. In 1997 during his time with the Atlanta Hawks, he was selected to the All-Star Game. His stint with the Hawks was his most successful NBA team experience, twice reaching the second round of the playoffs.
Despite his achievements, his NBA career was characterized by briefness. In his 13-year NBA career, he played for six different teams, was traded six times, and never spent more than three full seasons anywhere. He was suspended for several games for marijuana use in 2004.
Christian Laettner 1992 Olympics
He was the only collegian selected for the “Dream Team” in the 1992 Olympics. This was as a result of his the national player of the year award. The team went on to win Olympic gold in dominant fashion. He recorded 4.8 points per game. The team is considered one of the greatest in sports history. The team was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, FIBA Hall of Fame, and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Christian Laettner Age
He was born on the 17th of August in 1969. He was 49 years old as of 2018.
Christian Laettner Family
Christian Laettner was born and raised in Angola, New York to a blue-collar Roman Catholic family. He was born to George and Bonnie Laettner. His father was of Polish descent and his grandparents spoke Polish as their first language. His older brother Christopher was a strong influence, often bullying young Christian. This helped instill a stern competitive drive. In addition, both boys frequently worked as farm laborers in a bid to supplement their allowance.
He married his former wife, Lisa Thibault in 1996. Christian and his wife Lisa have three children, two girls, and a boy. Their children’s names are Sophie, Summer, and Tor Laettner.
The couple is since divorced. Christian lives in Ponte Verda Beach in Florida. He is an avid fisherman of the muskellunge fish.
Christian Laettner Measurements
He stands at 6 feet and 11 inches. This is the equivalent of 2.11 meters.
He weighs in at 235 pounds. This is the equivalent of 107 kilograms.
Christian Laettner Awards
- 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 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)
- 2009 class United States Olympic Hall of Fame (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”)
- FIBA Hall of Fame (class of 2017 as a member of the “Dream Team”)
Christian Laettner 1992 Tournament vs Kentucky
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