NATIONAL BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION PRESENTS 2024 CHUCK DALY LIFESTYLE AWARD TO NBA HALL OF FAME COACH RUDY TOMJANOVICH

Boston, MA, June 9, 2024—Rudy Tomjanovich, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach and one of nine coaches in NBA history to win back-to-back NBA championships, is the recipient of the 2024 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the NBA announced today. National Basketball Coaches Association.

“Chuck Daly and Rudy Tomjanovich have many of the same amazing accomplishments and traits – both won back-to-back NBA titles, both coached the United States to Olympic gold and both are absolutely beloved in the basketball community. coaches because of their great relationship with people,” said Indiana Pacers head coach and National Basketball Coaches Association President Rick Carlisle. “Congratulations to Rudy T on this prestigious recognition.”

“I am honored to receive the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Rudy Tomjanovich.

“I have to admit I was surprised because I didn’t know I was in the running. I was with my son Trey when I received the call from Rick Carlisle informing me of receiving this grand prize. Trey saw the expression on my face and the emotion in my eyes. As Rick spoke to me about some of the past winners of this award, all coaches I admired and respected, then explained to me the principles that this award stood for: the level of integrity of a coach, competitive excellence and the tireless promotion of basketball, I choked and humiliated. I did not know what to say. Rick continued and said, “This is one of the highest honors a coach can receive, voted on by your peers. You have touched a lot of people. You have been innovative and made a positive difference. You deserve this award. » It took everything I had not to burst into tears in front of my son, not that I wouldn’t, I didn’t want to scare him because he didn’t know what he was going through. acted. He kept asking what’s wrong. I explained to him as I hung up.

“Afterwards, I cried. They were tears of gratitude for the many people who have helped me throughout my coaching career. I want to thank owners Charlie Thomas, Leslie Alexander and Jerry Buss for hiring me to coach their teams. I would like to thank coaches Del Harris, Bill Fitch and Don Chaney for the opportunity to be an assistant on their team and learn from them. I would like to thank all of my assistant coaches for their hard work and loyalty. They had my complete trust and I still consider them family today. I want to thank Carroll Dawson, who was my right hand man, a great basketball coach and teacher, he gave me everything he had, especially the feeling that my big brother was sitting right next to me on this bench. And I want to thank all the players I had the privilege of working with. You are what the NBA is. Thank you for your hard work and cooperation. You made this award possible for me.”

Rudy Tomjanovich coached in the NBA for 22 years, with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his 12-year head coaching career, he accumulated a career record of 527-416 (.559). He has led his teams, known for his instinctive management style and intensity off the bench, to the playoffs seven times, the conference finals three times and back-to-back NBA championships (he is one of nine coaches in the the story of having achieved this feat). ).

Tomjanovich played collegiately at the University of Michigan, where he was named a two-time All-American and two-time First-Team All-Big Ten and had his number 45 retired by the Wolverines. Drafted 2nd overall by the San Diego Rockets (Houston) in the 1970 NBA Draft, Tomjanovich played 11 seasons in the NBA, where he was named to five NBA All-Star teams. His number 45 was also retired by the Rockets following his playing career.

In 1983, Tomjanovich began his coaching career in Houston, first as a scout and then as an assistant coach under head coaches Bill Fitch and Don Chaney. In 1992, Tomjanovich was named interim and then full-time head coach of the Houston Rockets.

During the 1992–93 season, Tomjanovich guided the Rockets to a Midwest Division title, making him the only coach in NBA history to take a team from the lottery to a division title in its first full season. During the 1993–94 and 1994–95 campaigns, Coach Tomjanovich led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships, making them the only franchise, outside of the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, to win multiple championships in the 1990s.

Tomjanovich finished his 11-year Rockets coaching tenure with a 503-397 (.559) regular season record and a 51-39 (.567) playoff record – both marks continue to be franchise records today. In 2004, Tomjanovich became the successor to NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson in Los Angeles. However, due to health issues, Tomjanovich only coached 43 games with the Lakers before stepping away from the bench.

Today, Tomjanovich ranks tied for 5th all-time in NBA championship wins (2 wins), 6th all-time in conference championship wins (2 wins), 25th on the list all-time playoff wins record (51 wins) and ranks 29th all-time. -time winning percentage in the regular season (55.5%).

Additionally, highlighting his success during the 1990s, Tomjanovich ranks 4th in playoff games coached (90), 4th in playoff wins (51), as well as 5th in playoff winning percentage (of coaches leader with 20 or more playoff games coached (.556)) during one of basketball’s most competitive and exciting decades.

In addition to his tremendous success in the NBA coaching ranks, Coach Tomjanovich also coached the 1988 United States senior men’s basketball team to a bronze medal at the FIBA ​​World Championship.

I would like to thank Rick Carlisle, David Fogel and the National Basketball Coaches Association for presenting me with the 2024 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Championship in Greece without any NBA players. In 2000, Tomjanovich coached the U.S. Summer Olympics men’s basketball team, consisting of Ray Allen, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton, to an unbeaten record (8 -0) and the gold medal.

Tomjanovich was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2021 (honored as part of the 2020 class of inductees). He was also inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, the Houston Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the University of Michigan Hall of Fame, becoming the first basketball player in the history of the school to do so.

“Rudy Tomjanovich is widely respected for his ability to communicate with, teach and get the most out of his superstar talents,” said David Fogel, executive director and general counsel of the National Basketball Coaches Association. “His commitment to the game and his 32 years with the Rockets franchise are a testament to his work ethic and infectious personality. Congratulations to Rudy for this most deserved recognition.

The National Basketball Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award honors the memory of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly, who, during an outstanding NBA coaching career, set a standard of integrity , competitive excellence and tireless promotion of NBA basketball. The award is determined annually by a selection committee comprised of some of the sport’s most respected basketball coaches and executives, including Bernie Bickerstaff, Billy Cunningham, Joe Dumars, Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, Donnie Walsh and Lenny Wilkens.

Previous recipients include Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), KC Jones. and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010), and Tommy Heinsohn (2009 ).

About NBCA: The National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) is the union association representing basketball coaches in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Founded in 1976 by legendary Boston Celtics player and coach Tommy Heinsohn, the NBCA is comprised of all NBA head coaches, assistant coaches and alumni, and works closely with the NBA on all matters related to the NBA. coaching profession.