Rudy Tomjanovich

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Tomjanovich's coaching career began after he retired as a player in 1981, spending two years as a scout before becoming an assistant coach in 1983 under Bill Fitch. He was named interim head coach in February 1992 after Don Chaney's resignation and nearly led the Rockets to the playoffs, earning the job permanently. In his first full season (1992–93), he guided the Rockets to the Midwest Division title. He then led the Rockets to consecutive NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. On the floor of The Summit after the second title, Tomjanovich proclaimed, "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion!" He posted a 503–397 (.559) regular-season record and a 51–39 (.567) playoff mark, though neither is a franchise record. After the 1998–99 season, the Rockets missed the playoffs for the rest of his tenure, and he left after the 2002–03 season when diagnosed with bladder cancer, from which he made a full recovery.

In Their Own Story

The arena fell silent as Rudy Tomjanovich crumpled to the court on December 9, 1977, after being punched by Lakers forward Kermit Washington. The blow shattered his face and inflicted life-threatening head and spinal injuries, ending his season after just 23 games. But Tomjanovich made a full recovery and returned to the NBA, playing three more seasons and earning an All-Star selection in the 1978–79 season. Years later, as head coach, he led the Rockets to back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, his Rockets became the lowest seed (sixth) to ever win an NBA title, and the only team to defeat the four teams with the best regular-season records in a single playoff run. After his coaching tenure, Tomjanovich signed a five-year, $30 million contract to coach the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004, but resigned after 43 games citing exhaustion, later staying with the Lakers as a consultant for 14 years.

Reader's Guide

Rudy Tomjanovich's journey with the Rockets spans over three decades. As a player (1970–1981), he averaged 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, earning five All-Star selections (1974–1977, 1979). He is the fourth-leading scorer in Rockets history behind James Harden, Calvin Murphy, and Hakeem Olajuwon. His jersey number 45 was retired by the Rockets, and the University of Michigan also retired his collegiate #45 in 2003. As head coach (1992–2003), Tomjanovich led the Rockets to two NBA championships (1994, 1995). He coached Team USA to a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 1998 FIBA World Championship. He had only two losing seasons as a head coach. In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2024, he was scheduled to be included in the Croatian American Sports Hall of Fame.

Did You Know?

• Tomjanovich's jersey read 'RUDY T.' instead of his full 11-character last name.
• He was the second overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft by the San Diego Rockets.
• A federal jury awarded Tomjanovich $3.3 million in damages after the Kermit Washington punch.
• He is the only person in Rockets history to win an NBA title as both a player and head coach.
• Tomjanovich coached the Rockets to the 1995 title as a sixth seed, the lowest seed ever to win an NBA championship.