Kurt Rambis Explained

Kurt Rambis
League:NBA
Team:Los Angeles Lakers
Position:Senior basketball advisor
Height Ft:6
Height In:8
Weight Lb:213
Birth Date:25 February 1958
Birth Place:Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
Nationality:American / Greek
High School:Cupertino (Cupertino, California)
College:Santa Clara (19761980)
Draft Year:1980
Draft Round:3
Draft Pick:58
Draft Team:New York Knicks
Career Start:1980
Career End:1995
Career Number:31, 30, 18
Career Position:Power forward
Coach Start:1994
Years1:1980–1981
Team1:AEK Athens
Years2:
Team2:Los Angeles Lakers
Years3:
Team3:Charlotte Hornets
Years4:
Team4:Phoenix Suns
Years5:
Team5:Sacramento Kings
Years6:
Team6:Los Angeles Lakers
Cyears1:
Cteam1:Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
Cteam2:Los Angeles Lakers
Cyears3:–;
Cteam3:Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
Cyears4:
Cteam4:Minnesota Timberwolves
Cteam5:Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
Cyears6:
Cteam6:New York Knicks (associate HC)
Cteam7:New York Knicks (interim)
Cyears8:
Cteam8:New York Knicks (associate HC)
Highlights:As player:

As assistant coach:

  • 2× NBA champion

As executive:

  • 3× NBA champion
Stats League:NBA
Stat1label:Points
Stat1value:4,603 (5.2 ppg)
Stat2label:Rebounds
Stat2value:4,961 (5.6 rpg)
Stat3label:Assists
Stat3value:931 (1.1 apg)

Darrell Kurt Rambis (;[1] born February 25, 1958) is a Greek-American former professional basketball player and coach who is a senior basketball adviser for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a player, he won four NBA championships while playing power forward for the Lakers. Rambis was a key member of the Showtime era Lakers and was extremely popular[2] for his hard-nosed blue collar play.[3] With his trademark black horn-rimmed glasses, Rambis complemented the flashy Hollywood style of the Showtime era Lakers.[2]

Rambis played college basketball for the Santa Clara Broncos. As a senior in 1980, he was named the player of the year in the West Coast Conference (WCC).[4] Rambis was selected by the New York Knicks in the third round of the 1980 NBA draft, but began his career in Greece with AEK Athens before joining the Lakers.[4] He also played for the Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings. Rambis became a coach and has served as head coach for the Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Knicks.[5] [6] [7] He also won two league championships as an assistant coach with the Lakers.

Early life

Rambis was born in Terre Haute, Indiana,[8] into a family of Greek extraction. His family moved to Cupertino, California in his preschool years; his number is retired at Cupertino High School.

College career

He graduated from Santa Clara University, where he played from 1976 to 1980, becoming its second-leading rebounder and all-time leading scorer with 1,736 points. During his Santa Clara years, he was awarded the WCC Freshman of the Year and Conference Player of the Year as a senior. His No. 34 was retired on December 29, 2008.[9]

Professional career

Rambis was drafted by the New York Knicks as the 58th pick in the 1980 NBA draft, but he was subsequently waived by the Knicks. He played in Greece in the Greek League for the club AEK Athens, under the name Kyriakos Rambidis.[10] Being of Greek descent, he also acquired Greek citizenship.[10] AEK won the Greek Cup in 1981.

He was re-signed by the Knicks in 1981 but never played a game for them.[11] His success as an NBA player started when he was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981. Rambis spent most of his 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, winning championships in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988 as part of their Showtime teams.

During his playing days, Rambis was a favorite among the Lakers fans because of his status as an overachieving underdog and ultimate team player. Known for his defensive and rebounding skills, he was remembered in Los Angeles for his all-out effort and willingness to do the "dirty work" that many players do not embrace. Rambis usually wore a thick moustache and thick-rimmed black glasses, prompting Lakers announcer Chick Hearn to nickname him "Superman" (in reference to the character's alter ego, Clark Kent).[12] At the Lakers home arena a "Superman" fan club (also known as Rambis youth) was formed where the courtside spectators wore glasses styled similar to the ones used by Rambis.[13] Lakers head coach Pat Riley once complained to a reporter "Other guys have sharp Adidas bags. [Rambis]'s got this black satchel, like the kind you would have a bowling ball in. And it's, like, vinyl. He doesn't ever bring a garment bag or a suitcase. That's all he ever brings, could be a week."[14]

Rambis also played for the Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings before returning to the Lakers for the 1993–94 season. He retired as a player with the Lakers in 1995.

Coaching career

Los Angeles Lakers (1994–2009)

Rambis began working as a special assistant coach for the Lakers in 1994 but eventually returned to the active playing roster in February 1995. He was waived at the beginning of the 1995–96 season and resumed his role as an assistant.[15] He served as head coach of the Lakers during the 1999 "lockout season" after coach Del Harris was fired. He achieved moderate success, registering a 24–13 record in the regular season before being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1999 Western Conference Semifinals. When Phil Jackson was hired as head coach, Rambis served as the Lakers' assistant general manager. He later became an assistant coach under Jackson between 2001 and 2004, helping the Lakers reach the 2002 and the 2004 NBA Finals, with Los Angeles winning a title in the former series. He was hired again as an assistant in 2005, along with former player Brian Shaw,[16] helping the Lakers to another pair of finals in 2008 and 2009. The Lakers won in the latter attempt.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2009–2011)

In 2007, Rambis interviewed for the Sacramento Kings' coaching job. He was a finalist again in 2009 to coach the Kings, and after serious discussions, he was offered the job, but he wanted more than a two-year contract and more money than was offered, so he turned down the job.

On August 8, 2009, Rambis was announced as the new head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, agreeing to a contract believed to be for 4 years and worth $8 million. Rambis succeeded Kevin McHale, infamous for taking him down in Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals.

On July 12, 2011, Rambis was fired as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves after compiling a 32–132 record in two seasons with the team.[17]

Return to the Lakers (2013–2014)

On July 29, 2013, the Lakers announced they had re-hired Rambis as an assistant coach.[18]

New York Knicks (2014–2018)

On July 7, 2014, the Knicks announced they had hired Rambis to be the assistant head coach of the team under head coach Derek Fisher.[19] On February 8, 2016, Rambis was named the interim head coach after Fisher was fired.[20] After going 9-19 under Rambis, and finishing the season 32–50 overall, the Knicks decided to hire Jeff Hornacek as the team's new head coach, while Rambis was retained as associate head coach. On April 12, 2018, Rambis was fired along with Hornacek, who went 60–104 over two seasons with the Knicks.[21]

Executive career

Los Angeles Lakers (2018–present)

In September 2018, Rambis rejoined the Lakers as a senior basketball adviser.[22] [23] Rambis has become "one of the most influential members of the organization since returning to the franchise in 2017."[24] Kurt Rambis's wife, Linda Rambis, serves as the Lakers Executive Director of Special Projects and is one of Jeanie Buss's longtime friends. Alongside Rob Pelinka, the couple has been described as "a pillar of the club’s four-pronged brain trust alongside [Jeanie] Buss."[25]

Outside basketball

Rambis also had a recurring role as Coach Cleary in the family drama 7th Heaven. He also guest-starred in season one of Sweet Valley High in episode thirteen "Club X" as a friend of Elizabeth and an episode of The Commish as a basketball player. He appeared in the "Going Places" episode (as himself) of It's Garry Shandling's Show. Rambis also made a cameo appearance in an episode of Malcolm & Eddie.

Head coaching record

|-| style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers| style="text-align:left;"||37||24||13|||| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Pacific||8||3||5||| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conf. Semifinals|-| style="text-align:left;"|Minnesota| style="text-align:left;"||82||15||67|||| style="text-align:center;"|5th in Northwest||—||—||—||—| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs|-| style="text-align:left;"|Minnesota| style="text-align:left;"||82||17||65|||| style="text-align:center;"|5th in Northwest||—||—||—||—| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs|-| style="text-align:left;"|New York| style="text-align:left;"||28||9||19|||| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Atlantic||—||—||—||—| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:left;"|Career| ||229||65||164|||| ||8||3||5||

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Μητρόπουλος . Κωνσταντίνος . 2023-11-15 . Κερτ Ράμπις: Ο Ελληνο-Αμερικανός με τα οκτώ δαχτυλίδια ΝΒΑ . 2023-11-25 . Debut . el.
  2. News: Elderkin . Phil . 1983-05-13 . Laker role player Kurt Rambis travels bizarre route to NBA . Christian Science Monitor . 2018-01-17 . 0882-7729.
  3. Web site: Blue-collar worker takes over the Lakers Lubbock Online Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. lubbockonline.com. 2018-01-17.
  4. Web site: Kurt Rambis. Santa Clara University. October 15, 2020.
  5. News: Rambis Gets New Job With Lakers. The Washington Post. September 28, 1999. October 15, 2020.
  6. Web site: Rambis will be Wolves head coach . Stein, Marc . Marc Stein (reporter) . . August 8, 2009.
  7. Web site: Wolves Relieve Kurt Rambis of Coaching Duties. National Basketball Association. July 12, 2011. October 15, 2020.
  8. http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2006/PDF/HRESF/HR0009.pdf Resolution honoring Kurt Rambis
  9. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/news/story?id=3799236 Rambis 7th Bronco to have jersey retired.
  10. Web site: GreekGateway.com The rise and fall of Kurt Rambis as head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. . April 15, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140803184314/http://www.greekgateway.com/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-kurt-rambis-as-head-coach-of-the-minnesota-timberwolves . August 3, 2014 . dead .
  11. News: Beck. Howard. Rambis, a Champion With the Lakers, Was Briefly a Knick. The New York Times. January 26, 2010. July 17, 2016.
  12. Laker role player Kurt Rambis travels bizarre route to NBA. Christian Science Monitor. May 13, 1983.
  13. Web site: Kurt Rambis Nearly Nixed His Own 'Superman' Fan Club but Quickly Changed Course: 'I Thought They Were Mocking Me'. December 2021.
  14. News: The Eyes Have It. Sports Illustrated Vault | Si.com .
  15. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-11-01-sp-63485-story.html NBA : West: Lakers Out of the Mourning Derby
  16. Web site: Lakers Add Rambis and Shaw to Coaching Staff. NBA.com.
  17. http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214696/Wolves_Fire_Kurt_Rambis Wolves Fire Kurt Rambis
  18. Web site: Rambis, Davis hired to assist Lakers' D'Antoni. July 29, 2013. NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.. July 29, 2013.
  19. Web site: Knicks Name Kurt Rambis Associate Head Coach. New York Knicks.
  20. Web site: Knicks Relieve Fisher Of Coaching Duties. New York Knicks. February 8, 2016. February 8, 2016.
  21. Web site: JEFF HORNACEK RELIEVED OF HEAD COACHING DUTIES. New York Knicks. April 12, 2018. April 12, 2018.
  22. News: Lakers Hire Kurt Rambis . Los Angeles Lakers. 2018-09-28. 2018-10-29. en.
  23. News: Rambis returning to Lakers as senior adviser. ESPN.com. Youngmisuk, Ohm . 2018-09-28 . 2018-10-29. en.
  24. Web site: Sources: Lakers coach Frank Vogel's job in serious jeopardy despite Jazz win. The Athletic. Oram, Bill. Amick, Sam . 2022-01-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220316080727/https://theathletic.com/3076449/2022/01/18/sources-lakers-coach-frank-vogels-job-in-serious-jeopardy-despite-jazz-win/. 2022-03-16 . live.
  25. Web site: Rob Pelinka, Kurt and Linda Rambis probably aren't going anywhere, no matter how pissed LeBron is. SBNation. Faigen, Harrison . February 21, 2022. Vox Media.