Christian Laettner is a former professional basketball player, best known for his time as a star at Duke University and his iconic moments in NCAA and NBA history. From Angola, NY, Laettner honed his skills on the courts of Nichols School where he won two state championships and was the all-time leading scorer with 2006 points. Along the way, he appeared in the Empire State Games three years, was All-Western New York Player of the Year his junior and senior years, named Gatorade Player of the Year in New York State, voted a member of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association All American Team, and participated in the McDonald’s All American Games in New Mexico and Washington DC, two prestigious all-star games for graduating seniors.
After committing to play collegiately for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski and Duke University, Laettner would go on to become one of the most decorated student-athletes in NCAA history guiding the Blue Devils to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. His list of honors includes three-time All-America (1990, 1991 & 1992), National Player of the Year (1992), two-time ACC Athlete of the Year (1991 & 1992), ACC Player of the Year (1992), three-time All-ACC (1990, 1991 & 1992), ACC Tournament MVP (1992), four-time ACC All-Tournament (1989, 1990,
1991 & 1992), NCAA Final Four MVP (1991), two-time NCAA All-Final Four (1991 & 1992), four-time NCAA Tournament All-Regional (1989, 1990, 1991 & 1992), two-time NCAA Tournament Regional MVP (1990 & 1991) and three-time Swett-Baylin Award winner as Duke's team MVP (1990, 1991 & 1992). Laettner is the NCAA Tournament's all-time leader in points (407), free throws made (142), free throws attempted (167) and games played (23), and, on Duke's career charts, ranks first in games played (148), three-point field goal percentage (.485), free throws made (713) and free throws attempted (885), third in points (2,460), rebounds (1,149) and field goals made (834), fourth in field goal percentage (.574), and fifth in blocked shots (145).
In addition to all of his accomplishments, he is probably best known for one of the most iconic moments in sports history. In the 1992 East Regional Final against Kentucky, Laettner put together an all-time performance going a perfect 10 for 10 from the field and 10 for 10 from the free throw line, capping it off with a game-winning last second buzzer beater to send the Blue Devils to the Final Four and keep their hopes for back-to-back championships alive. The game, which the Blue Devils won 103-102, is considered by many as the greatest college basketball game ever played, earned Laettner the 1993 ESPY Award for College Basketball Play of the Year and Outstanding College Basketball Performer of the Year.
His jersey number 32 was retired by the school on February 26, 1992, and, after being the third player chosen in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Laettner enjoyed a 13-year professional career that included a spot on the league's All-Rookie team in 1993 and All-Star squad in 1997. Over his NBA career, Laettner was a solid contributor, known for his basketball IQ, scoring ability, and leadership on the court. He finished his NBA tenure with career totals of 868 games played, 11,121 points and 5,806 rebounds. Named one of the ACC's top 50 male athletes for the first 50 years of the conference in 2003, Laettner also was a member of the United States team that captured the gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
After retiring from the NBA, Laettner has been involved in various business ventures, including real estate, and is also active in community and charity work, particularly supporting basketball and youth development programs. He has consistently given back here in Hampton Roads as an ambassador of PingPongGIVES Charity Foundation and its mission to improve mental wellness. Laettner remains a beloved figure in college basketball. His pivotal role in Duke’s success during his time with the program, and his Olympic achievements have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players in American sports history.
