Rusty LaRue

Former NBA player and 1998 NBA Champion[11]

What is Rusty LaRue known for?

Born on December 10, 1973, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Rusty LaRue is a remarkable American multi-sport athlete. He is an alumnus of Northwest Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was not just an excellent athlete but also an honors student, gaining All-State honors in baseball, basketball, and football during his high school years. Rusty was named the North Carolina Athlete of the Year in 1991, an acknowledgment that attests to his significant talents.

His college years at Wake Forest University were impressive as well, where he showcased his athletic prowess by playing basketball, baseball, and football. LaRue was only the second player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to play all three sports in the same year. In basketball, he was one of only four players to beat Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium every year of his career, joining the esteemed company of Tim Duncan, Tyler Hansbrough, and Danny Green.

Rusty LaRue's professional path in the NBA is also quite notable. Despite being undrafted in the 1996 NBA draft, he had an illustrious playing career from 1996 to 2004. He played for various teams, including the Carolina Cardinals, Paris Basket Racing, Connecticut Pride, and Idaho Stampede. His NBA career included stints with the Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, and the Golden State Warriors. One of his career highlights was winning the NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1998.

Beyond his playing career, LaRue exhibited his love for the sport by transitioning into coaching. Since his retirement from professional play in 2004, he has been an assistant coach for Wake Forest Demon Deacons basketball team from 2009 to 2014, under head coaches Dino Gaudio and Jeff Bzdelik. He took the reins as the head coach of the West Forsyth High School basketball team from 2015. He retired from coaching in 2019 and has since been serving as the Chief Operations Officer of Dairi-O Restaurants. His achievements also include being named to the All-CBA Second Team in 2000 as well as leading the CBA in assists that same year.

For more insights on Rusty's basketball career, his stats can be found at NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com.