Rudy LaRusso
Rudolph A. LaRusso (November 11, 1937 – July 9, 2004)[1] was an American professional basketball player who was a five-time All-Star in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[2] He was nicknamed "Roughhouse Rudy."[3]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 11, 1937 Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | July 9, 2004 (aged 66) Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 218 lb (99 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | James Madison (Brooklyn, New York) |
| College | Dartmouth (1956–1959) |
| NBA draft | 1959 / Round: 2 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers | |
| Playing career | 1959–1969 |
| Position | Power forward / Center |
| Number | 35 |
| Career history | |
| 1959–1967 | Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1967–1969 | San Francisco Warriors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 11,507 (15.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,936 (9.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,556 (2.1 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Early life
LaRusso was Jewish, and was born in Brooklyn, New York.[1][4][5] He attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn.[6] LaRusso, whose mother was Jewish and father was Italian, won All-City honors and was later inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.[6] He attended and graduated from Dartmouth College.[3][7] In 1959, playing for Dartmouth, he grabbed 32 rebounds in a game against Columbia, tying an Ivy League record.[7] He also set Dartmouth records for rebounds in a season (503) and career (1,239), and was twice named All-Ivy League.[6]
Professional Career
Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1967)
He was taken by the Minneapolis Lakers in the second round of the 1959 NBA draft out of Dartmouth College, and played eight years with them and two for the San Francisco Warriors. On November 26, 1959, he scored 15 points and 20 rebounds in a 95-114 loss to the Cincinnati Royals.[8] He became the second Lakers rookie to have grabbed at least 20 rebounds in a single game, joining teammate Elgin Baylor. On February 24, 1960, he scored a season-high 27 points in a 110-131 loss to the Boston Celtics.[9]
In his second year, LaRusso slightly improved his statistics from his rookie season. In his second game of the season, LaRusso recorded a career-high 28 points in a 96-112 loss to the St. Louis Hawks.[10]
In 1962, he scored 50 points, at that point the most ever by a Jewish NBA basketball player, in a game for the Lakers against the St. Louis Hawks.[7] In 1967–68, he finished seventh in the league with a career-best average of 21.8 ppg.
San Francisco Warriors (1968-1969)
Player Profile
He was a five-time All-Star and was known for his rebounding, tight defense, toughness, and presence.[2][3]
Personal Life
LaRusso had a small cameo role in the Gilligan's Island third-season episode "Bang! Bang! Bang!" as 'Agent Michaels'.
He died of Parkinson's disease in 2004.
NBA Career Statistics
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959–60 | Minneapolis Lakers | 71 | - | 29.5 | .389 | - | .742 | 9.6 | 1.2 | - | - | 13.7 |
| 1960–61 | L.A. Lakers | 79 | - | 32.8 | .419 | - | .790 | 9.9 | 1.7 | - | - | 14.6 |
| 1961–62 | L.A. Lakers | 80 | - | 34.4 | .466 | - | .763 | 10.4 | 2.2 | - | - | 17.2 |
| 1962–63 | L.A. Lakers | 75 | - | 33.4 | .422 | - | .718 | 10.0 | 2.5 | - | - | 12.3 |
| 1963–64 | L.A. Lakers | 79 | - | 34.8 | .434 | - | .751 | 10.1 | 2.4 | - | - | 12.3 |
| 1964–65 | L.A. Lakers | 77 | - | 33.6 | .461 | - | .773 | 9.4 | 2.6 | - | - | 14.1 |
| 1965–66 | L.A. Lakers | 76 | - | 30.5 | .457 | - | .787 | 8.7 | 2.2 | - | - | 15.4 |
| 1966–67 | L.A. Lakers | 45 | - | 28.7 | .415 | - | .696 | 7.8 | 1.7 | - | - | 12.8 |
| 1967–68 | San Francisco Warriors | 79 | - | 35.7 | .433 | - | .790 | 9.4 | 2.3 | - | - | 21.8 |
| 1968–69 | San Francisco Warriors | 75 | - | 37.1 | .410 | - | .794 | 8.3 | 2.1 | - | - | 20.7 |
| Career | 736 | - | 33.3 | .431 | - | .767 | 9.4 | 2.1 | - | - | 15.6 | |
References
- Crowe, Jerry (July 10, 2004). "Rudy LaRusso, 66; Played on 1st L.A. Laker Team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- Springer, S.; Sharman, B. (2012). 100 Things Lakers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Triumph Books. p. 38. ISBN 9781617495847. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- Lazenby, R. (2010). Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon. Random House Publishing Group. p. 229. ISBN 9780345519269. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- "LaRusso, Rudy : Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum". jewsinsports.org. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- Horvitz, P.S. (2007). The Big Book of Jewish Sports Heroes: An Illustrated Compendium of Sports History and the 150 Greatest Jewish Sports Stars. SPI Books. p. 146. ISBN 9781561719075. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- The Los Angeles Lakers Encyclopedia - Richard J. Shmelter - Google Books
- Wechsler, B. (2008). Day by Day in Jewish Sports History. KTAV Publishing House. p. 74. ISBN 9781602800137. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- "Minneapolis Lakers at Cincinnati Royals Box Score, November 26, 1959". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- "Minneapolis Lakers vs Boston Celtics Box Score, February 24, 1960". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- "Los Angeles Lakers at St. Louis Hawks Box Score, October 22, 1960". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 18, 2019.