The curious case of Christian Laettner: Is the famed Dream Team member in the NBA Hall Of Fame?
Christian Laettner is considered to be one of the greatest college basketball players of all time, and his exploits with the Duke Blue Devils led to him being a part of the 1992 Olympics 'Dream Team'. Laettner and the Dream Team went on to win the Olympics by bulldozing their way through the group stage and the knockouts, and the Duke star was the only college player on that team.
Is Christian Laettner a part of the NBA hall of fame?
Christian Laettner is enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as a member of the fabled 'Dream Team' which also includes the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. However, it is worth noting that he is not a part of the Hall of Fame for his individual achievements as an NBA player, unlike other players of the aforementioned Olympics team.
He is also part of the FIBA Hall of Fame and the US Olympic Hall of Fame and was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame for his achievements in college. He attended Duke University from 1988-1992, playing as a power forward and center for the Blue Devils.
Laettner led Duke University to two NCAA titles, one runner-up finish and one final four appearances. He played 23 out of 24 possible NCAA games during his 4-year tenure, winning 21 of them. His no. 32 jersey was retired by Duke and was also awarded the USA Male Basketball Athlete of the Year award in 1991.
Christian Laettner still holds the following records - most points scored (407), most free throws made (142), most free throw attempts (167), and most games won (21). He is also known for his clutch performances in college, most notably the jumper he scored against Kentucky in the regional final.
However, Christian Laettner's NBA career was a bit underwhelming in comparison. He was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and managed to make the NBA All-Rookie first team in his debut season. He also racked up an All-Star appearance in 1997 but failed to do anything else of note during his NBA career.
Christian Laettner played for six NBA teams - the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, and Miami Heat. He was traded six times in his career and never spent more than three seasons with one franchise.
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