Press Conference Comments from Rudy Tomjanovich

During a halftime ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 8, the University of Michigan retired the jersey of former men's basketball All-American Rudy Tomjanovich, who was a three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection (1968-70). "Rudy T" set numerous U-M records, including most career rebounds (1,039), before going on to an 11-year career in the NBA, and he is now in his 11th season as head coach of the Houston Rockets. Tomjanovich met with the media in Crisler Arena prior to Saturday's game against Iowa.

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Opening comments ... "This is a highlight in my really blessed basketball career. The reality of it all is they didn't have to do this for me. They've done enough because they made my dream come true back in 1966 when I got to play here. It was my dream. I was a highly recruited player and I read the letters but the only place I wanted to be was right here because I just love the basketball program. When I got a chance to play here, it was a dream come true. I really got a great basketball education here. They helped me to get drafted high as the second pick in the NBA. I love both my coaches -- Dave Strack, and Johnny Orr was just getting started."

Tomjanovich was an All-American as a senior in 1969-70, when he averaged 30.1 points and 15.7 rebounds a game.

On following the program ... "It's really tough with traveling but I'm always checking up. Some years are better than others. I'm really excited about what's happening here now. I thought Tommy Amaker was a great choice and I talked to Bill Martin about what kind of process and I thought that was great that Bill was out asking questions. Tommy comes from tradition and I think that's what this school is all about too. He knows how to win and he knows what he wants. I really feel even more connected now."

On hearing the news of having his jersey retired ... "I had never really even thought about it because it doesn't happen as much in college basketball as it does in pro basketball. I thought the University of Michigan had given me so much already in the chance to play here and an education so I felt I won out in that deal."

On who recruited him and why he chose Michigan ... "Michigan State, University of Detroit and Toledo. Those were the biggest ones around here. I really didn't want to go far but I had 250 letters from schools all over the country. I narrowed that down and it was hard to beat Michigan. You know when you're a kid and you're in love with a team. Now you have so much access to sports, you can watch any NBA team, but when Michigan was on TV, it was like a holiday. I watched every bounce of the ball. When I came up here to be recruited, I shook Cazzie Russell's hand and he gave me an autographed picture. Those were big things for me back then. The winning, going to the Final Four, and I loved Coach Strack, he's just a good man. Many of the teachers in school talked about the prestige of going to Michigan and why it was different than other places. But I have to be honest with you, it was the basketball that brought me here."

Tomjanovich, who had an 11-year NBA career as a player, coached the Houston Rockets to NBA titles in 1994 and '95.

On reflecting on his career ... "I need to do it more. It doesn't happen often. The farther and farther I get away from those championships, the more I appreciate them and see how hard it is. And as I see great players retire without getting some of the things that have come my way, I look at how fortunate I've been. It's really been a blessed career to be at the Olympics. One of my greatest enjoyments in this business was with the World Championships when the NBA players boycotted and didn't go. I had a bunch of no-name guys. They were expecting thousands of media and we had one guy from Houston. Those guys wound up winning the bronze medal. A couple years later an NBA team ends up in fifth or sixth place. But the enjoyment of doing that on the run, they should have made a movie on it, creating a team in days and going out. These poor guys were looked down on and they went out and won a medal."

On coming back to Michigan ... "I've been here several times. My relatives usually come down to Houston but I've made it a yearly thing. I sort of overworked myself a couple times, getting crazy with the coaching. My old roommate who lives here in Ann Arbor has a place up outside of Traverse City by Sleeping Bear Dunes. I've made that a yearly retreat to sort of recharge myself. We go up there and take hikes. One of the years we went there, I stopped in here in the summertime for the art festival. I love this city, this city is one of the best cities in the country. This city has its own feel and that atmosphere."

 
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U-M Basketball Great Tomjanovich to Have Jersey Retired (1/20/03)

2/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball