Rolando Blackman facts for kids
Blackman with the Dallas Mavericks in 1990
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 26, 1959 Panama City, Panama |
| Nationality | Panamanian / American |
| High school | William E. Grady (Brooklyn, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kansas State (1977–1981) |
| NBA Draft | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall |
| Selected by the Dallas Mavericks | |
| Pro career | 1981–1997 |
| Career history | |
| 1981–1992 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1992–1994 | New York Knicks |
| 1994–1995 | AEK Athens |
| 1995–1996 | Olimpia Milano |
| 1996–1997 | CSP Limoges |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 17,623 (18.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,278 (3.3 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,981 (3.0 apg) |
Rolando Antonio Blackman was born on February 26, 1959. He is a Panamanian-American who used to play professional basketball. Rolando was a four-time NBA All-Star. He spent most of his amazing career with the Dallas Mavericks. He holds a special record for the Mavericks. He made 22 free throws in one game!
Rolando Blackman was born in Panama City, Panama. When he was eight years old, he moved to Brooklyn, New York. That is where he grew up.
Contents
Rolando Blackman's Basketball Journey
College Basketball Success
After growing up in Brooklyn, Rolando went to Kansas State University. He played basketball there for coach Jack Hartman. Rolando achieved many great things at Kansas State:
- In 1980, he was named the Big Eight Conference Player of the Year. He was also chosen as an All-American.
- He was picked for the All-Big Eight team three times.
- He was named the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year three times.
- He scored 1,844 points in his college career. This was the second-highest total in Kansas State history.
Before his last year in college, Rolando was chosen to start for the 1980 Summer Olympics basketball team. However, he could not play in the Olympics. This was because the U.S. boycotted the games. He still received a special Congressional Gold Medal. This medal was made for the athletes who could not compete.
In his senior year, Rolando led Kansas State to the NCAA tournament. They were the #8 seed. They beat the University of San Francisco in the first game. Then, Kansas State surprised everyone by beating #1 seed Oregon State. Rolando made the winning shot with only three seconds left! They then beat Illinois before losing to North Carolina.
In 1996, Rolando was named to the AP all-time All-Big Eight basketball team. His number 25 jersey was retired by Kansas State on February 17, 2007. This means no other player at Kansas State will wear that number. In 2015, he was honored by being put into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Professional Career in the NBA
Dallas Mavericks: A Team Legend
The Dallas Mavericks picked Rolando Blackman in the first round of the 1981 NBA draft. He was the 9th player chosen overall. He became the very first player from Panama to play in the NBA. Rolando made a big difference for the Mavericks right away. In his first year, he scored 13.3 points per game. He played about 24 minutes in each game.
The Mavericks team was not very good at first. But in the 1983–1984 season, things changed. This was Rolando's best season for scoring. He averaged 22.4 points per game. He led the team to their first ever playoff appearance. The Mavericks beat the Seattle SuperSonics. They made it to the second round before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.
On February 17, 1986, Rolando set a Mavericks record. He made 22 free throws out of 23 attempts in one game. Even with his great stats, he missed the All-Star game that year. But he did make it the next year! He was chosen as an NBA All-Star four times in his career. At the 1987 All-Star Game, Rolando tied the game with two free throws. His team, the West, won in overtime.
The Mavericks continued to play well. In the 1987–1988 season, they had an amazing run. They reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history. They played hard but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games. After this, the Mavericks team started to get weaker. They would not be as successful again until the time of Dirk Nowitzki.
Rolando kept playing well, scoring around 19 points per game. But the Mavericks were not winning as much. By the 1991–1992 season, Rolando was 32 years old. The Mavericks decided to rebuild their team. In 1992, Rolando's time with the team ended. He made 6,487 field goals with the Mavericks. He scored 16,643 points. This was a team record for 18 years! Dirk Nowitzki broke it on March 8, 2008. In all his 865 games with the Mavericks, Rolando never fouled out of a game.
New York Knicks: A Final NBA Stop
On June 24, 1992, Rolando was traded to the New York Knicks. He played his last two NBA seasons with them. In his final year in New York, he played again with his old Dallas teammate, Derek Harper. The Knicks made it to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Houston Rockets in seven games.
One of Rolando's most memorable moments as a Knick was in 1993. In a playoff game against the Charlotte Hornets, he made the game-winning shot. He hit a jump shot with five seconds left. This put the Knicks up by two points. Rolando still played well as he got older. But his time in the NBA was coming to an end. On July 6, 1994, the Knicks let Rolando go.
Retirement from the NBA
Soon after leaving the Knicks, Rolando retired from the NBA. By the end of the 1993–94 season, he had scored 17,623 points. He also had 3,278 rebounds and 2,981 assists. Rolando was the NBA's all-time scoring leader among Hispanic/Latin players. This record stood until March 6, 2015, when Pau Gasol passed him. Rolando's number 22 jersey was retired by the Mavericks on March 11, 2000.
Playing Basketball in Europe
After the NBA, Rolando played basketball in Europe. He joined the Greek League team AEK Athens BC in 1994.
In 1995, Rolando moved to Olimpia Milano in Italy. He was coached by Bogdan Tanjević. Rolando turned 37 during this season. He helped his team win both the Italian League title and the Italian Basketball Cup. He scored 15.3 points per game. Rolando was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Italian Cup. His team also reached the final of the Korać Cup.
In 1996, Rolando moved to Limoges CSP in France. He went there to play for coach Tanjević again.
Life After Playing Basketball
In 2000, Rolando became the defensive coordinator for the Mavericks. He worked under coach Don Nelson. The next year, he was an assistant coach for the German National team. He helped them win a bronze medal at the 2002 World Basketball Championships.
During the 2004–05 season, Rolando worked as a TV analyst for the Mavericks. For the 2005–06 season, he returned to the Mavericks' coaching staff. He was a full assistant coach. In July 2006, he was promoted to Director of Player Development.
In August 2010, Rolando became an assistant coach for the Turkey national basketball team. He worked again with coach Bogdan Tanjević. Rolando said he took the job to work with Tanjević again.
During the 2006 NBA Finals, Rolando's former coach, Pat Riley, said something important. He admitted that not playing Rolando more in the 1994 NBA Finals was his biggest coaching mistake. He said he has never forgiven himself for it.
Rolando Blackman's Personal Life
Rolando has four children. He lives in Dallas, Texas.
He is on the board of directors for the Assist Youth Foundation. This foundation helps kids who need support. They work in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and around the world.
Rolando is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He still helps his college chapter, Beta Psi, and Kansas State University.
Images for kids
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Rolando Blackman with the Dallas Mavericks in 1990
See also
In Spanish: Rolando Blackman para niños
