Double NBA champion with the Rockets in the 1990s, Rudy Tomjanovich is one of the best coaches of his time and the coaches union honors him with the “ Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award », awarded every year – since 2009 – to the best technicians in history.
“ I was in shock because it was completely unexpected » he confides, about the call from Rick Carlisle, the president of the NBCA, which made him cry. “ I never thought about being considered for this trophy. When he told me, I must admit that it touched me and moved me. It was very moving because it was so surprising… »
“ Winning titles is not easy, as many know » Rick Carlisle rightly reacts. “ Rudy has led different types of teams to titles: one as an underdog, one with higher expectations, and then there's the Olympic team, when it became very difficult to win the Olympics. Rudy had a way of making it look easy, when most of us knew it wasn't.. »
The revenge of an unloved
Thirty years after the first of his two titles in Houston, Rudy Tomjanovich succeeds Rick Adelman, rewarded in 2023, and it is this Sunday evening, on the sidelines of Game 2 between the Celtics and the Mavericks, that he will receive this prestigious trophy. He who had had the privilege of knowing a “ wonderful and rewarding » entry into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Champion with a big heart, who always emphasized work – if possible well done – during his careers as a player (five times All-Star please!), assistant then coach, “Rudy T. » was a true enthusiast who therefore experienced his finest hours on a bench, in Texas (56% victories in the regular season and 57% in the playoffs).
“ Special figure in history » of the league in the eyes of Rick Carlisle, who finds many similarities with Chuck Daly, a coach also author of a back-to-back and winner of an Olympic gold medal, Rudy Tomjanovich nevertheless admits that he did not imagine receiving so many distinctions after his career.
“ It's miraculous » he considers this way, no doubt because the recognition came quite late. “ I was such a humble and shy person… I'm not a confrontational person, a military person, but I love the game so much that I studied it. I loved figuring out how to make a group of guys the best they could be and I can't believe that just by being myself and not playing a role, I did it.. »
