Rodney Rogers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rodney Rogers

Personal information
Born	(1971-06-20) June 20, 1971 (age 54) Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	Hillside (Durham, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College	Wake Forest (1990–1993)
NBA Draft	1993 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall
Selected by the Denver Nuggets
Pro career	1993–2005
Career history
1993–1995	Denver Nuggets
1995–1999	Los Angeles Clippers
1999–2002	Phoenix Suns
2002	Boston Celtics
2002–2004	New Jersey Nets
2004–2005	New Orleans Hornets
2005	Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2000) Consensus second-team All-American (1993) ACC Player of the Year (1993) 2× First-team All-ACC (1992, 1993) Second-team All-ACC (1991) ACC Rookie of the Year (1991) No. 54 retired by Wake Forest Demon Deacons Third-team Parade All-American (1990) North Carolina Mr. Basketball (1990)
Career NBA statistics
Points	9,468 (10.9 ppg)
Rebounds	3,881 (4.5 rpg)
Assists	1,722 (2.0 apg)
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  United States Summer Universiade Gold 1991 Sheffield National team

Rodney Ray Rogers, born on June 20, 1971, is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played for many teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Early Life and Family

Rodney Rogers was the youngest of four children. He grew up in the McDougald Terrace housing project in Durham, North Carolina. When Rodney was eight, his father passed away.

In 1988, Rodney's mother, Estella Rogers, was in a serious car accident. She was in a coma for over two weeks and stayed in the hospital for three months. While she recovered, Rodney lived with Nathaniel Brooks, his former youth league coach. He stayed with the Brooks family during his last two years at Hillside High School.

Rodney's stepfather, James Spencer, who he called "Dad," passed away in 1990. Rodney's older sister, Renita, became a nurse. His older brother, Stacy, won a gold medal in basketball at the 1981 Deaflympics.

High School Basketball Star

Rodney Rogers went to Hillside High School in Durham. People called him "the Durham Bull" because of his strong playing style. He was chosen as an All-State player twice. In 1990, he was named the North Carolina state Player of the Year.

During his junior year, he scored about 22.5 points and grabbed 9.7 rebounds per game. In his senior year, he averaged 28.3 points and 12.3 rebounds. His team had a great record of 27 wins and 2 losses. Rodney was also named a McDonald's All-American. He scored 17 points in that special game.

College Career at Wake Forest

From 1990 to 1993, Rodney played college basketball for Wake Forest University. In his first year (1990–1991), he was named Rookie of the Year. In 1993, he became the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. That year, he averaged 21.2 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Overall in college, he averaged 19.3 points and 7.9 rebounds. After college, he was the ninth player chosen in the 1993 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. In February 1996, Wake Forest University honored Rodney by retiring his college jersey number, 54. This means no other player at Wake Forest will wear that number.

Rodney Rogers' NBA Journey

Starting with the Denver Nuggets

Rodney Rogers was picked ninth in the 1993 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. In his first year, he often came off the bench as a substitute player. His team made history by being the first 8th-seeded team to beat a 1st-seeded team in the NBA playoffs.

One memorable game was on February 8, 1994, against the Utah Jazz. Rodney scored three 3-pointers in just nine seconds. This brought the Nuggets from behind to a 95–94 lead. However, the Jazz won the game in the final seconds.

In his second season, Rodney became a starter because another player, LaPhonso Ellis, was often injured. On March 10, 1995, Rodney had a career-high 21 rebounds. He also scored 19 points and made 8 assists in a win against the Detroit Pistons.

Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers

In June 1995, Rodney was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He played for the Clippers for four years.

Success with the Phoenix Suns

Rodney signed with the Phoenix Suns in 1999. He was a key player coming off the bench, averaging 13.8 points per game. In 2000, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. This award goes to the best player who usually comes into the game as a substitute. The Suns made it to the playoffs that year but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Rodney stayed with the Suns until February 2002. He was then traded to the Boston Celtics.

Time with the New Jersey Nets

Rodney joined the New Jersey Nets in August 2002. In his first year, he averaged 7 points per game. A highlight was a playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks in April 2003. After missing two free throws, Rodney made the game-winning shot on the next play. The Nets won that series and reached the NBA Finals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.

Final NBA Teams

In August 2004, Rodney signed with the New Orleans Hornets. He was injured for part of the season but later became a starter. In February 2005, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He mostly played as a backup forward for the 76ers.

Life After the NBA

After being drafted in 1993, Rodney married Tisa White. They had three children: two daughters, Roddreka and Rydeiah, and a son, Rodney Rogers II. Roddreka had a serious brain operation when she was just two months old. Rodney and Tisa later divorced.

After his time with the Phoenix Suns, Rodney's family lived in Paradise Valley, Arizona. In 2006, Rodney returned to Durham, North Carolina. He started working for the City of Durham as a heavy equipment operator. By 2008, he was promoted to supervisor. Many of his co-workers did not know he had been an NBA player until his accident later that year.

Rodney is a cousin of Tully Banta-Cain, a former New England Patriots football player. Rodney volunteered as a girls' basketball coach at Rogers-Herr Middle School. He also helped start the Durham Eagles youth football team. He enjoys outdoor activities like hunting, riding motorcycles and ATVs, horseback riding, and fishing. He is also a big fan of NASCAR racing and loves large trucks.

Rodney was interviewed for a documentary called "We Beat The Dream Team," which is expected to be released in 2025.

2008 ATV Accident

On November 28, 2008, Rodney Rogers was in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident. He was riding on a trail in Vance County, North Carolina, when his ATV went into a ditch and flipped over. He was taken to Duke University Medical Center and then to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This center specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries. As a result of the accident, Rodney is paralyzed from the shoulders down. Doctors have said there is a very small chance he will walk again.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Rodney Rogers para niños