![]() Rautins in 2007 | ||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | March 20, 1960|||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||
Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) | |||||||||||
Career information | ||||||||||||
High school | St. Michael's (Toronto, Ontario) | |||||||||||
College | ||||||||||||
NBA draft | 1983: 1st round, 17th overall pick | |||||||||||
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | ||||||||||||
Playing career | 1983–1993 | |||||||||||
Position | Small forward | |||||||||||
Number | 11, 7 | |||||||||||
Career history | ||||||||||||
1983–1984 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||
1984 | Atlanta Hawks | |||||||||||
1985–1986 | Virtus Banco di Roma | |||||||||||
1986–1987 | Citrosil Verona | |||||||||||
1988–1989 | La Crosse Catbirds | |||||||||||
1989–1990 | Pau-Orthez | |||||||||||
1990–1991 | Sioux Falls Skyforce | |||||||||||
1991 | Mayoral Málaga | |||||||||||
1992 | Coren Ourense | |||||||||||
1992–1993 | Lyon | |||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | ||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | ||||||||||||
Medals
|
Leo Rytis Rautins (born March 20, 1960) is a Canadian broadcaster, former professional basketball player and the former head coach of the Canadian men's national basketball team. Rautins played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) drafted in the first round of the 1983 NBA draft, by the Philadelphia 76ers. Rautins' NBA career was waylaid by injury. After a brief retirement, Rautins returned to basketball and played in European professional leagues from 1985 until 1992. He has been a broadcaster for the Toronto Raptors since the team's inception in 1995.
Rautins was a star in high school for Toronto's St. Michael's College School. In 1977, at age 16, he was named to the Canadian senior national team, the youngest player in the team's history to that time. [1] He would be a member of the team until 1992. Rautins completed his national team playing career as Canada was eliminated in the 1992 Tournament of the Americas, the basketball qualifying tournament for the Barcelona Olympics.
Rautins attended the University of Minnesota for his freshman year of college, and Syracuse University for three seasons. At Minnesota, Rautins was named first-team All-Big Ten rookie, averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game. He left Minnesota for multiple reasons: at Minnesota, he was not required to attend classes, and at Syracuse he would have the opportunity to be the top player. [2] As a member of the Syracuse Orangemen, he averaged 12.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 6.2 rebounds. He is the first player ever to record a triple-double in Big East play, accomplishing the feat twice in the span of a month during his senior year. He was named All-Big East third team and Honorable Mention All-American that year.
In 1983, Rautins became the second Canadian ever drafted in the first round of the 1983 NBA draft. [3] The 6 ft 8 in, 215 lb Rautins was selected 17th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 draft, considered an excellent passer. [3] Unknown to Rautins, he reported to training camp with torn ligaments in his foot [3] which was not treated properly and deteriorated during the season. [2] Hampered by injuries, he played in 28 games as a rookie with the 76ers, averaging just seven minutes a game, 1.5 points, 1 assist, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 turnovers. In September 1984, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers for a third-round pick to make room for Charles Barkley under the salary cap [2] but eventually signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks. He played only four games for the Hawks, averaging a mere three minutes a contest and was waived in November 1984. [4] Rautins tried out for other NBA teams and the Continental Basketball Association but was unable to find a spot with another team. [3]
Rautins then left the NBA, returned to Syracuse and did radio and television work. [3] He was a commentator for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) at the 1984 Olympics. In 1985, Rautins returned to playing basketball, moving to Europe. Rautins played in Italy for Serie A1 team Banco Roma (1985–1986) and Serie A2 team Citrosil Verona (1986–1987), in France with Pau Orthez (1989–90 and 1992), and in Spain (1991–92). Rautins then retired from playing. By this time, he had undergone a total of 14 knee operations.
After retiring from playing, Rautins became a basketball commentator, most notably with the Toronto Raptors since their inaugural season in 1995, serving as either their lead colour commentator (for games on Sportsnet) or studio analyst (for games on TSN). He also conducts basketball camps in the summer. [5]
In 1997, Rautins was inducted into the Canada Basketball Hall of Fame. [6]
In 2000, Rautins was inducted into the Ontario Basketball Hall of Fame. [7]
In February 2005, Rautins was named head coach of the Canadian national team. The team did not qualify for the 2008 Olympics, but did qualify for the 2010 World Championship. [8] He resigned from that position in September 2011, after Canada lost to Panama in the FIBA Americas tournament. [9]
In 2014, Rautins became involved in plans to launch a new Canadian basketball league. He was named as one of the principals in a proposed Ottawa professional team after the failure of the Ottawa SkyHawks minor professional team. [10] Rautins had been in consideration for the Commissioner position of the National Basketball League of Canada. [11]
On October 17, 2016, Rautins was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. [12]
Rautins was born in Toronto, Ontario to a Latvian father and Lithuanian mother. His parents met in a prison camp, from which they escaped with the help of Dutch soldiers, before emigrating to Canada, as it was the only country that would accept them. [13] [3] As a youth, he played for Toronto Aušra, a local sports club for children of Lithuanian descent. [14] Rautins and his first wife Maria had four sons: Michael, Andrew (Andy), Jay and Sammy. [15] Andy followed in his father's footsteps, playing for Syracuse and being drafted by the New York Knicks in 2010. Rautins married Jamie Lawson in 2005. [15] During the NBA offseason, Rautins resides in Jupiter, Florida. [16]
Adolph Schayes was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A top scorer and rebounder, he was a 12-time NBA All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA selection. Schayes won an NBA championship with the Syracuse Nationals in 1955. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973.
Moses Eugene Malone Sr. was an American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. A center, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA Team selection. Malone led the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA championship in 1983, winning both the league and Finals MVP. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2001. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport's history, Malone is also seen as one of the most underrated NBA players.
Morris Russell Peterson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who played eleven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Michigan State University, where in the 1999–2000 season he led the Spartans to the national title as Big Ten Player of the Year.
Samuel Davis Dalembert is a Haitian-Canadian former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Seton Hall University. During his active NBA career, Dalembert was known for his rebounding as well as his shot blocking ability.
John Rashall Salmons is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Miami.
Rodney King Thorn is an American basketball executive and a former professional player and coach, Olympic Committee Chairman, with a career spanning over 50 years. In 2018, Thorn was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Thaddeus Charles Young Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Georgia Tech, before being drafted 12th overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Andrew Jay Rautins is an American-born Canadian professional basketball executive and former player. He played for Syracuse University and was drafted by the NBA's New York Knicks in 2010, with the eighth pick of the second round.
Ahmad Naadir Nivins is an American professional basketball coach and former player who most recently coached for the Osceola Magic of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for Saint Joseph's.
Kristopher Carlos Joseph is a Canadian professional basketball player for Ottawa Blackjacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He played for the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team from 2008 to 2012. He was selected in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics with the 51st pick overall. He is the older cousin of Pistons point guard Cory Joseph.
Landry Addison Fields is an American professional basketball executive and former player. He is the general manager of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Fields played five seasons in the NBA for the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors from 2010 through 2015.
Kelly Tyler Olynyk is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, where he earned NCAA All-American honours in 2013.
Cory Ephram Joseph is a Canadian professional basketball player who last played for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the point guard position and was previously the captain of the Canadian national team.
The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA history in wins and playoff appearances.
Nerlens Noel is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His collegiate basketball career ended in his first season with a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the University of Kentucky. Noel was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. His rights were later traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He plays center and power forward, and was one of the top high school basketball players in the class of 2012.
Andrew Christian Wiggins is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers after one year of college basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks.
Houston Jerami Grant is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange and was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft. Grant has also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Detroit Pistons. He won a gold medal with the 2020 U.S. Olympic team.
Tyler Cameron Ennis McIntyre is a Canadian professional basketball player for Reyer Venezia of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange, where he was considered one of the top freshmen in 2013–14. He was drafted 18th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2014 NBA draft.
Alex "Superman" Johnson is a Canadian professional basketball player who is currently a member of the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies. A shooting guard, he was drafted 17th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 NBA draft but was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.