Houston Rockets • 2003-2004 Media Guide - NBA Media Central

SCOUTING
Rudy Tomjanovich
Personnel Consultant
BASKETBALL STAFF
Rudy Tomjanovich has reached the heights of success both on the
court and the sidelines with the Rockets over the last three decades.
After earning five All-Star selections as a player, “Rudy T” won the city
of Houston its first-ever championships by coaching the Rockets to
consecutive NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995.
Tomjanovich, who has spent the last 33 consecutive seasons with the
Rockets, enters his first season as personnel consultant after 12 years
as the team's head coach. He has been involved in all four Rockets
division championships — as leading scorer in 1976-77, assistant coach
in 1985-86 and as head coach in 1992-93 and 1993-94.
Tomjanovich posted a 503-397 regular season record and 51-39 playoff record as the Rockets head
coach, advancing to the playoffs seven times and winning two championships. Tomjanovich ranks
23rd in NBA history in career coaching wins. He holds franchise coaching records with 503 regular
season wins, 51 postseason wins, a regular season winning percentage of .559 and a postseason
winning percentage of .567.
Tomjanovich received many accolades as a head coach, including being named the head coach
of the Western Conference team for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game. His coaching peers voted him
The Sporting News NBA Coach of the Year in 1993. Additionally, he received NBA Coach of the
Month recognition for April 1993, November 1993 and November 1996.
Aside from his coaching success with the Rockets, Tomjanovich has coached the United States
Senior National Team on two occassions. He guided the United States Men’s Basketball Team to
an undefeated record and a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Prior to the Olympics,
Tomjanovich led a United States team of non-NBA players to a bronze medal at the 1998 World
Championship of Basketball.
In Rockets history, Tomjanovich ranks third with 13,383 points, third with 768 games and fourth with
6,198 rebounds. After joining the San Diego Rockets as the second overall pick in the 1970 NBA
Draft, he averaged 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds over 11 years with the Rockets. Tomjanovich has
been with the Rockets since the team’s move to Texas in 1971, playing for the team throughout its
first 10 seasons in Houston.
After the Rockets advanced to the NBA Finals in 1981, Tomjanovich retired having spent his entire
playing career with the Rockets. He retired as a player on Oct. 2, 1981, and his jersey was the first
retired in franchise history on Jan. 28, 1982. Only five numbers have been retired by the organization
— Tomjanovich (45), Calvin Murphy (23), Moses Malone (24), Clyde Drexler (22) and Hakeem
Olajuwon (34).
Beginning with the 1981-82 season, Tomjanovich spent two years as a Rockets scout. He became
an assistant coach in 1983 and served in that role until being named interim head coach on Feb.
18, 1992. Tomjanovich was officially named head coach of the Rockets on May 20, 1992. He
became the first coach ever to guide his team from the lottery to a division title in his first full
season.
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