Rod Strickland facts for kids
Strickland as an assistant coach for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2009
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| LIU Sharks | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 11, 1966 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Truman (The Bronx, New York) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | DePaul (1985–1988) |
| NBA Draft | 1988 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1988–2005 |
| Coaching career | 2014–present |
| League | Northeast Conference |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1988–1990 | New York Knicks |
| 1990–1992 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1992–1996 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1996–2001 | Washington Bullets / Wizards |
| 2001 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2001–2002 | Miami Heat |
| 2002–2003 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2003–2004 | Orlando Magic |
| 2004 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2005 | Houston Rockets |
| As coach: | |
| 2014–2017 | South Florida (assistant) |
| 2022–present | LIU |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 14,463 (13.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,084 (3.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 7,987 (7.3 apg) |
Rodney Strickland (born July 11, 1966) is an American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. He is currently the head coach for the Long Island University basketball team. Before joining LIU, he worked for the NBA G League, helping young players.
Strickland played college basketball for the DePaul Blue Demons. He was recognized as an All-American for his skills. He then had a long career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing from 1988 to 2005. After retiring as a player, Strickland became an assistant coach for the South Florida Bulls from 2014 to 2017. He also worked in administrative roles for the University of Kentucky and the University of Memphis basketball teams. Rodney Strickland is the godfather of current NBA star Kyrie Irving. In 2008, he was honored by being inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.
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High School Basketball Journey
Rodney Strickland grew up in the Bronx, New York. He played for a youth basketball team called the New York Gauchos. As a junior, he led Truman High School to a state championship. At that time, he was considered one of the top 10 high school basketball players in the country. For his senior year, he moved to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
College Basketball Success
Strickland became a college basketball star at DePaul University. He played in 87 games during his time there. In his junior year, he was named a First Team All-American. He averaged 20.0 points and 7.8 assists per game that season.
Strickland helped lead the DePaul Blue Demons to the NCAA Tournament three years in a row. They even reached the "Sweet Sixteen" in both 1986 and 1987. He is still one of DePaul's top players in scoring, assists, and steals. During his college career, he also averaged 3.4 rebounds and shot 53.4% from the field.
NBA Career Highlights
Rodney Strickland had a long and successful career in the NBA. He played for several teams and was known for his passing and scoring abilities.
New York Knicks (1988–1990)
The New York Knicks drafted Strickland in the first round of the 1988 NBA draft. This was special because it was his hometown team. He played as a backup to Mark Jackson, who was the NBA Rookie of the Year. Strickland played in all 82 games in his first season. He averaged 8.9 points and 3.9 assists. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
San Antonio Spurs (1990–1992)
In the middle of the 1989–90 NBA season, the Knicks traded Strickland to the San Antonio Spurs. He really shined in San Antonio. The Spurs won 18 of 24 games when he was a starter. He often led the team in assists. In 10 playoff games, he averaged 12.3 points and 11.2 assists.
In the 1990–91 NBA season, Strickland played exciting basketball when he was healthy. He missed 24 games due to injuries. In the games he played, he averaged 13.8 points and 8.0 assists. He was tied for 12th in the NBA in assists that year.
At the start of the 1991–92 NBA season, Strickland had a contract disagreement. He missed the first 24 games. When he returned, he started 54 of 57 games. He averaged 13.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds. He set a career high with 28 points against the Indiana Pacers. He also had a career-high 19 assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Portland Trail Blazers (1992–1996)
Before the 1992–93 NBA season, Strickland signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. On April 5, 1994, he set a Trail Blazers record. He had 20 assists in a single game against the Phoenix Suns.
On January 24, 1995, Strickland scored a career-high 36 points. This was against his former team, the Knicks. In the playoffs that year, he averaged 23.3 points and 12.3 assists.
Despite his strong play, the Trail Blazers never made it past the first round of the playoffs. In his four seasons with Portland, Strickland averaged 17 points and 8.6 assists per game.
Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996–2001)
In 1996, Strickland was traded to the Washington Bullets. In his first season, he averaged 17.2 points and 8.9 assists. He helped the Bullets reach the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
The 1997–98 NBA season was his best. He averaged 17.8 points and led the league with 10.5 assists per game. During this year, he became only the 25th player in NBA history to reach 10,000 points and 5,000 assists. He was also selected to the All-NBA Second Team.
Later Career and Retirement (2001–2005)
Strickland returned to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2001. He finished his playing career with several other teams. These included the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, and Houston Rockets.
He played in 1,094 games during his career. He scored over 14,000 points and had nearly 8,000 assists. He was often ranked among the NBA's top 10 in assists per game. Overall, he averaged 13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game.
Coaching Career
Rodney Strickland began his coaching career after retiring as a player. He first worked as the director of basketball operations at the University of Memphis. He then became an assistant coach at the University of South Florida from 2014 to 2017. He also held an administrative role at the University of Kentucky.
Currently, Strickland is the head coach for the Long Island University men's basketball team.
Personal Life
Rodney Strickland is the godfather of NBA star Kyrie Irving. Irving was the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Strickland's son, Tai, has also played college basketball for teams like Georgia Southern and Wisconsin. His other son, Terell, plays for James Madison. Strickland also has a daughter.
See also
In Spanish: Rod Strickland para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
