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 George Rush (born on January 29, 1982) is an Australian former professional basketball player. He played for 15 years, mostly in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) and Sweden's Basketligan. In Sweden, he helped his team, the Sundsvall Dragons, win championships in 2009 and 2011.
Contents
Early Basketball Journey
Liam Rush was born in Broome, Western Australia. He started playing in the State Basketball League (SBL) in 2000. He played for the Lakeside Lightning in 2000 and 2001. After that, he joined the Cockburn Cougars from 2002 to 2004.
Professional Career Highlights
Playing for the Perth Wildcats (2003–2006)
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Liam Rush began his professional career in 2003. He joined the Perth Wildcats in the 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, Rush also played for the Willetton Tigers in the SBL.
Time with West Sydney Razorbacks and Sydney Spirit (2006–2008)
In 2006, Rush moved to the West Sydney Razorbacks. In February 2007, he won the NBL Most Improved Player Award. This award is given to the player who has shown the most improvement.
His scoring average jumped from 6.0 points 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, Rush averaged 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds. He also had 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. After this NBL 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 and a bad record. Rush left the Spirit in December 2008 after playing 15 games.
Success in Sweden with Sundsvall Dragons and Gothia Basket (2008–2011)
On December 12, 2008, Liam Rush signed with the Swedish team Sundsvall Dragons. The Dragons were struggling when he joined. They had lost nine games in a row.
Rush's arrival helped turn the team around. They climbed to the top of the league. They even made it to the final play-off series. The Dragons won the championship for the first time by beating Solna Vikings. Rush was the top scorer in the final game with 23 points.
In November 2009, Rush signed with another Swedish team, Gothia Basket. In March 2010, he got a wrist injury and missed the rest of the season. He averaged 19.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in 16 games for Gothia.
In April 2010, the Sundsvall Dragons wanted Rush back. Three months later, he signed a two-year deal to return to Sundsvall. In 2011, Rush played in the Basketligan All-Star Game. He also helped Sundsvall win their second championship in three years.
Return to Australia with Melbourne Tigers (2011–2013)
In May 2011, Rush signed a three-year deal with the Melbourne Tigers. This marked his return 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, his scoring dropped to 5.6 points per game. This was his lowest since the 2004–05 season. He also missed some games in December due to an injury.
Final Years with Uppsala Basket (2013–2015)
In July 2013, Rush left the Tigers. He signed a two-year contract with Uppsala Basket in Sweden. In September 2013, he helped Uppsala win the Nordic Cup. In the 2013–14 season, he averaged 14.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 37 games.
Rush played a second season with Uppsala, but only managed eight games in 2014–15. He injured his knee in November 2014. The injury did not get better, so the team signed another player to replace him. Uppsala reached their first ever Basketligan Finals series that year. They lost to Södertälje Kings in a close series.
Playing for His Country
In 2009, Liam Rush was part of the Australian national basketball 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 Rush and his wife, Amy, welcomed their first child. They had a daughter named Layla.
