Leo Rautins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leo R. Rautins (born 20 March 1960 in Toronto) is a former professional basketball player, the current head coach of the Canadian national men's basketball team, and an NBA analyst for the Toronto Raptors.
Rautins was a star in high school for St. Michael's College School in Toronto, the University of Minnesota for his freshman year of college, and Syracuse University for three seasons, the autumn of 1980 through to the spring of 1983. As a Golden Gopher, Rautins was named first-team All Big-Ten rookie, averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game. As an 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.
The 6'8, 215lbs. Rautins was the first Canadian ever drafted in the first round of the NBA Entry Draft going number 17 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 NBA Draft. He was a disappointment however as an NBA player. Hampered by knee problems, he played in 28 games as a rookie with the Sixers, averaging just 7 minutes a game, 1.5 points, 1 assist, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 turnovers. He went on to play 4 games for the Atlanta Hawks the following season, averaging a mere 3 minutes a contest before leaving the NBA to play in Europe. Rautins played 1985 through 1987 in Italy's LEGA A, 1989-90 and 1992 in France, and 1991-92 in Spain. At the time of his retirement, he had undergone a total of 14 knee operations.
Rautins is the youngest player ever to be on the roster the Canadian senior national team, becoming a member at age 16. He completed his national team playing career in 1992 as Canada was eliminated in the Tournament of the Americas, the Basketball qualifying tournament for the Barcelona Olympics.
Upon retirement, Rautins became a basketball commentator, most notably with the Toronto Raptors television network and ESPN. A member of Canada's Basketball Hall of Fame, he was named head coach of the Canadian National Team in February, 2005. Rautins' son Andy is a graduate of Jamesville-Dewitt High School and currently a sophomore on the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team.
[edit] External links
- Orangehoops.org with a Rautins's profile
- FIBA.com with news of Rautins being hired as Canadian Head Coach
- Profile on Rautins and the other 17 Canadians to play in the NBA
- Leo Rautins Fan Site
Categories: 1960 births | Living people | ACB league players | Atlanta Hawks players | Canadian basketball coaches | Canadian basketball players | Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players | Ontario sportspeople | Philadelphia 76ers players | Syracuse Orange men's basketball players | People from Toronto | Canadian sports announcers | Lithuanian Canadians
