Liam Rush facts for kids
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Rush in May 2011
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| Forward | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 January 1982 Broome, Western Australia, Australia |
| Listed weight | 95 kg (209 lb) |
| Career information | |
| Pro career | 2000–2015 |
| Career history | |
| 2000–2001 | Lakeside Lightning |
| 2002–2004 | Cockburn Cougars |
| 2003–2006 | Perth Wildcats |
| 2006 | Willetton Tigers |
| 2006–2008 | West Sydney Razorbacks / Sydney Spirit |
| 2008 | Lakeside Lightning |
| 2008–2009 | Sundsvall Dragons |
| 2009–2010 | Gothia Basket |
| 2010–2011 | Sundsvall Dragons |
| 2011–2013 | Melbourne Tigers |
| 2013–2015 | Uppsala Basket |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Liam Rush, born on January 29, 1982, is a former professional basketball player from Australia. He played basketball for 15 years. Most of his career was spent in Australia's top league, the NBL, and in Sweden's Basketligan. In Sweden, he helped his team, the Sundsvall Dragons, win championships in 2009 and 2011.
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Early Life and First Steps in Basketball
Liam was born in Broome, Western Australia. He started playing in a league called the State Basketball League (SBL) in 2000. He played for the Lakeside Lightning in 2000 and 2001. Then, he joined the Cockburn Cougars from 2002 to 2004.
Liam Rush's Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the Perth Wildcats (2003–2006)
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Liam began his professional career in 2003. He joined the Perth Wildcats, a team in Australia's NBL. In his first season (2003/04), he played 19 games. He scored about 3.4 points per game.
His scoring improved in the next seasons. He averaged 5.3 points in 2004/05 and 5.8 points in 2005/06. After the 2005/06 NBL season, Liam also played for the Willetton Tigers in the SBL for a short time.
Time with West Sydney Razorbacks and Sydney Spirit (2006–2008)
In 2006, Liam joined the West Sydney Razorbacks. In February 2007, he won the NBL Most Improved Player Award. This award goes to the player who has shown the most improvement.
Liam's average score jumped from 6.0 points per game in 2005/06 to 14.7 points in 2006/07. His rebounds also doubled, from 2.9 to 5.6 per game. He also became much better at shooting. His field goal accuracy went from 42% to 58%. His three-point shooting improved from 28% to 47%. He was one of the best three-point shooters in the league.
In the 2007/08 season, Liam averaged 13.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He also made 1.4 steals per game. After this season, he played for the Lakeside Lightning in the SBL again.
In 2008, the Razorbacks team changed its name to the Sydney Spirit. This was to try and get more fans. However, the team had money problems. Liam left the Spirit in December 2008 after playing 15 games.
Adventures in Sweden: Sundsvall Dragons and Gothia Basket (2008–2011)
On December 12, 2008, Liam moved to Sweden. He signed with the Sundsvall Dragons for the rest of the 2008/09 Basketligan season. When Liam joined, the Dragons were struggling. They had lost nine games in a row.
But Liam's arrival changed everything! The Dragons started winning and made it to the championship final. They beat the Solna Vikings, who were the champions from the year before. This win brought Sundsvall their first-ever championship title. Liam was the top scorer in the final game with 23 points.
In November 2009, Liam signed with another Swedish team, Gothia Basket. In March 2010, he got a wrist injury and couldn't play for the rest of the season. In 16 games for Gothia, he averaged 19.0 points and 8.4 rebounds.
In April 2010, the Sundsvall Dragons wanted Liam back. Three months later, he signed a two-year deal to return to Sundsvall. In 2011, Liam was chosen to play in the Basketligan All-Star Game. He also helped Sundsvall win their second championship in three years.
Back to Australia: Melbourne Tigers (2011–2013)
In May 2011, Liam signed a three-year deal with the Melbourne Tigers. This meant he was returning to Australia and the NBL. In the 2011/12 season, he averaged 8.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 26 games.
The next season (2012/13), his scoring dropped to 5.6 points per game. This was his lowest score since 2004/05. He also missed most of December due to an injury.
Final Years with Uppsala Basket (2013–2015)
In July 2013, Liam left the Tigers. He signed a two-year contract with Uppsala Basket in Sweden. In September 2013, Liam helped Uppsala win the Nordic Cup. In the 2013/14 season, he played 37 games. He averaged 14.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Liam returned to Uppsala for a second season. However, he only played eight games in 2014/15. On November 14, 2014, he injured his knee. The injury did not get better, and he couldn't return to play. Uppsala later signed another player to replace him. Even without Liam, Uppsala reached their first-ever Basketligan Finals series. They lost to the Södertälje Kings in a close series.
Playing for His Country: The Australian National Team
In 2009, Liam was part of the Australian national team. In August of that year, he helped Australia win a gold medal. This was at the Stanković Cup in China.
Personal Life
In December 2011, Liam and his wife, Amy, welcomed their first child. They had a daughter named Layla.
