Rod Foster facts for kids

Roderick Allen Foster, born on October 10, 1960, is a former American professional basketball player. He played for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Rod, who is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 160 pounds, was chosen by the Suns in the 1983 NBA draft after playing for UCLA.

Rod Foster's Early Basketball Days

Rod Foster, also known as "Rocket" Rod, was a star player in high school. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, Connecticut. During his senior year, he scored an amazing 30.2 points per game. He helped his team win the State Championship. Because of his great skills, he was named an Adidas All-American. He also earned a spot on the second team of the Parade All-American list.

Playing for UCLA

Rod Foster was a highly sought-after player by many colleges. He decided to play for UCLA. Coach Larry Brown was the one who convinced him to join the team.

As a freshman at UCLA, Rod played a big part in his team's success. He helped the Bruins reach the finals of the 1980 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament in 1980. They played against the Louisville Cardinals and lost a close game, 59–54. Rod was UCLA's top scorer in that game with 16 points. He also had 6 steals and 5 assists.

In the second round of the 1980 NCAA tournament, UCLA was the #8 seed. They pulled off a big upset against the #1 overall seed, the DePaul Blue Demons. Rod scored 18 points in their 77–71 victory. In the next game, he scored 19 points in a 72–68 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. Overall, in his first year, Rod averaged 11.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

College Career Highlights

Rod Foster was known for his excellent free throw shooting. In his 1982 season, he made 95 out of 100 free throw attempts. That's an incredible 95.0% success rate! This makes him one of the best free throw shooters in NCAA history.

By the time he finished his college career at UCLA, Rod had played in 113 games. He averaged 12.1 points and 2.1 assists per game. He also shot 52.0% from the field and 88.0% from the free throw line.

Rod Foster's NBA Career

Rod Foster was chosen by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 1983 NBA draft. He was the 28th player picked overall. He played for the Suns from 1983 to 1986.

During his time in the NBA, Rod played in 207 games for the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 7.2 points and 2.3 assists per game. Unfortunately, his professional playing career ended sooner than expected because of a serious injury.

Career-Ending Injury

In March 1986, Rod Foster was in a jeep accident in the Arizona desert. He suffered a serious injury to his left leg. The jeep tipped over and crushed his leg, causing a compound fracture. This severe injury meant he could no longer play professional basketball. Two of his teammates, Mike Sanders and Ed Pinckney, were also in the jeep but were not as seriously injured.

Life After Basketball

After his playing career ended, Rod Foster stayed involved with basketball. As of 2016, he was leading the L.A. Rockets youth basketball program in Los Angeles. This program helps young players develop their skills. In early 2016, he also briefly coached the boys' varsity high school basketball team at the Windward School in Los Angeles.

In 2020, Rod Foster received a special honor. He was named to the CIAC Boys Basketball All–Century team. This team recognizes some of the best high school basketball players from Connecticut over the past 100 years. Other famous players on this team included Calvin Murphy, who is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Rod Foster para niños