 LaRusso (35) getting fouled by Johnny Green (11) of the New York Knickerbockers in 1963 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1937-11-11)November 11, 1937 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 9, 2004(2004-07-09) (aged 66) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 218 lb (99 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | James Madison (Brooklyn, New York) |
| College | Dartmouth (1956–1959) |
| NBA draft | 1959: 2nd round, 10th overall pick |
| Selected by theMinneapolis Lakers | |
| Playing career | 1959–1969 |
| Position | Power forward /center |
| Number | 35 |
| Career history | |
| 1959–1967 | Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1967–1969 | San Francisco Warriors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 11,507 (15.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,936 (9.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,556 (2.1 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Rudolph A. LaRusso (November 11, 1937 – July 9, 2004)[1] was an American professionalbasketball player who was a five-timeAll-Star in theNational Basketball Association (NBA).[2] He was nicknamed "Roughhouse Rudy."[3]
LaRusso was Jewish, and was born inBrooklyn, New York.[1][4][5] He attendedJames Madison High School in Brooklyn.[6] LaRusso, whose mother was Jewish and father was Italian, won All-City honors and was later inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.[6] He attended and graduated fromDartmouth College.[3][7] In 1959, playing for Dartmouth, he grabbed 32 rebounds in a game against Columbia, tying anIvy League record.[7] He also set Dartmouth records for rebounds in a season (503) and career (1,239), and was twice named All-Ivy League.[6]
He was taken by theMinneapolis Lakers in the second round of the1959 NBA draft out ofDartmouth College, and played eight years with them and two for theSan Francisco Warriors. On November 26, 1959, he scored 15 points and 20 rebounds in a 95–114 loss to theCincinnati Royals.[8] He became the secondLakers rookie to have grabbed at least 20 rebounds in a single game, joining teammateElgin Baylor. On February 24, 1960, he scored a season-high 27 points in a 110–131 loss to theBoston Celtics.[9]
In his second year, LaRusso slightly improved his statistics from his rookie season. In his second game of the season, LaRusso recorded a career-high 28 points in a 96–112 loss to theSt. Louis Hawks.[10]
In 1962, he scored 50 points, at that point the most ever by a Jewish NBA basketball player, in a game for the Lakers against theSt. Louis Hawks.[7] In 1967–68, he finished seventh in the league with a career-best average of 21.8 ppg.
He was a five-time All-Star and was known for his rebounding, tight defense, toughness, and presence.[2][3]
LaRusso had a small cameo role in theGilligan's Island third-season episode "Bang! Bang! Bang!" as 'Agent Michaels'.
He died ofParkinson's disease in 2004. He has a son, Corey LaRusso, and a daughter from another marriage, Christine Larusso, a Los Angeles-based poet.
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
Source[11]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959–60 | Minneapolis | 71 | 29.5 | .389 | .742 | 9.6 | 1.2 | 13.7 |
| 1960–61 | L.A. Lakers | 79* | 32.8 | .419 | .790 | 9.9 | 1.7 | 14.6 |
| 1961–62 | L.A. Lakers | 80* | 34.4 | .466 | .763 | 10.4 | 2.2 | 17.2 |
| 1962–63 | L.A. Lakers | 75 | 33.4 | .422 | .718 | 10.0 | 2.5 | 12.3 |
| 1963–64 | L.A. Lakers | 79 | 34.8 | .434 | .751 | 10.1 | 2.4 | 12.3 |
| 1964–65 | L.A. Lakers | 77 | 33.6 | .461 | .773 | 9.4 | 2.6 | 14.1 |
| 1965–66 | L.A. Lakers | 76 | 30.5 | .457 | .787 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 15.4 |
| 1966–67 | L.A. Lakers | 45 | 28.7 | .415 | .696 | 7.8 | 1.7 | 12.8 |
| 1967–68 | San Francisco | 79 | 35.7 | .433 | .790 | 9.4 | 2.3 | 21.8 |
| 1968–69 | San Francisco | 75 | 37.1 | .410 | .794 | 8.3 | 2.1 | 20.7 |
| Career | 736 | 33.3 | .431 | .767 | 9.4 | 2.1 | 15.6 | |
| All-Star | 4 | 17.5 | .481 | .333 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 7.3 | |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Minneapolis | 9 | 35.7 | .424 | .771 | 7.8 | 2.4 | 15.4 |
| 1961 | L.A. Lakers | 12* | 30.0 | .396 | .667 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 12.2 |
| 1962 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | 35.5 | .365 | .758 | 9.1 | 1.7 | 14.1 |
| 1963 | L.A. Lakers | 13* | 35.8 | .422 | .760 | 9.8 | 2.2 | 14.4 |
| 1964 | L.A. Lakers | 5 | 37.8 | .394 | .864 | 6.0 | 2.2 | 9.0 |
| 1965 | L.A. Lakers | 11 | 35.9 | .409 | .716 | 8.1 | 2.6 | 15.0 |
| 1966 | L.A. Lakers | 14 | 28.4 | .460 | .791 | 7.1 | 1.9 | 11.9 |
| 1968 | San Francisco | 10 | 38.5 | .396 | .728 | 9.9 | 1.7 | 20.3 |
| 1969 | San Francisco | 6 | 35.8 | .378 | .774 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 18.2 |
| Career | 93 | 34.3 | .405 | .751 | 8.4 | 2.1 | 14.5 | |
and Basketball Reference