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Michael David Ruffin (born January 21, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who was previously working as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At 6'8" and 248 lbs, he played as a forward/center.

Michael Ruffin
Phoenix Suns
PositionAssistant coach
Personal information
Born (1977-01-21) January 21, 1977 (age 47)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight246 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High schoolCherry Creek (Englewood, Colorado)
CollegeTulsa (1995–1999)
NBA draft1999: 2nd round, 32nd overall pick
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career1999–2011
PositionPower forward / center
Number51
Coaching career2014–present
Career history
As player:
19992001Chicago Bulls
2001–2002Philadelphia 76ers
2002–2003Caprabo Lleida
2003–2004Utah Jazz
20042007Washington Wizards
2007–2008Milwaukee Bucks
2009Portland Trail Blazers
2010–2011Obradoiro CAB
As coach:
2014–2020New Orleans Pelicans (assistant)
2021Fort Wayne Mad Ants (assistant)
2021–presentPhoenix Suns (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-WAC (1998)
Career statistics
Points716 (1.7 ppg)
Rebounds1632 (3.9 rpg)
Personal fouls942 (2.3 pfpg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  United States
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1997 Trapani National team

Basketball career

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After playing college basketball at the University of Tulsa, where he studied chemical engineering, Ruffin was drafted in the second round of the 1999 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He has played for the Bulls, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Utah Jazz, the Washington Wizards, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 1.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game through his NBA career and is considered to be a defensive presence on the court. Ruffin's best statistical season came with the 2000-01 Bulls, where tallied career best averages in rebounding (5.8) and scoring (2.6).

On March 30, 2007, Ruffin was part of a dubious blooper that indirectly cost the Wizards a game. Up 109–106 on the Toronto Raptors, with less than four seconds remaining in regulation, Ruffin intercepted an inbound pass. In an attempt to run the clock out, Ruffin tossed the ball in the air, but it landed in the hands of Toronto's Morris Peterson, who sank a game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Forced into overtime, Washington lost the game 123–118.

On February 17, 2009, Ruffin was sent to the Sacramento Kings and then to the Portland Trail Blazers for Ike Diogu shortly thereafter in a 3-team trade.[1]

In 2010, Ruffin became coach of the ABA's Colorado Kings.[2][3] However, he resumed his career in Spain playing for Obradoiro CAB.[2]

After two years out of the NBA, Ruffin was signed by the league's Denver Nuggets in mid-December 2011.[2] However, he did not make the team's opening day roster.[4]

Post-NBA career

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As of 2012, Ruffin was living in Phoenix, Arizona, working for ASQ and coaching basketball.[5]

Ruffin joined the New Orleans Pelicans as player development coach in October 2014.[6]

In January 2021, Ruffin became an assistant coach for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League.[7]

On September 24, 2021, Ruffin joined the Phoenix Suns as an assistant coach.[8]

NBA career statistics

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Legend
  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

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1999–00 Chicago 71 6 13.7 .420 .000 .489 3.5 .6 .4 .4 2.2
2000–01 Chicago 45 16 19.5 .444 .000 .506 5.5 0.9 .6 .8 2.6
2001–02 Philadelphia 15 0 11.3 .269 .000 .250 3.4 .3 .3 .5 1.1
2003–04 Utah 41 23 17.9 .325 .000 .421 5.0 1.0 .5 .5 2.2
2004–05 Washington 79 7 16.0 .414 .000 .433 4.2 .8 .5 .5 1.4
2005–06 Washington 76 4 13.3 .442 .000 .500 3.6 .4 .4 .4 1.4
2006–07 Washington 30 0 9.0 .278 .000 .368 2.1 .2 .2 .3 .6
2007–08 Milwaukee 46 2 13.7 .532 .000 .397 4.0 .5 .7 .4 2.0
2008–09 Portland 11 0 3.2 .286 .000 1.000 1.0 .0 .3 .1 .5
Career 414 58 14.4 .407 .000 .459 3.9 .6 .5 .4 1.7

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2005 Washington 9 0 17.3 .700 .000 .563 4.1 1.0 .3 .3 2.6
2006 Washington 6 0 11.7 .500 .000 .000 2.7 .7 .2 .3 .3
2007 Washington 4 0 7.0 .333 .000 .000 2.3 .0 .8 .0 .5
2009 Portland 1 0 5.0 .000 .000 .500 5.0 .0 .0 .0 1.0
Career 20 0 13.0 .563 .000 .500 3.4 .7 .4 .3 1.4

References

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  1. ^ Blazers get Ruffin from Bulls, send Diogu to Kings
  2. ^ a b c Denver Nuggets sign nine-year veteran forward Michael Ruffin - ESPN
  3. ^ Former NBA Player Michael Ruffin Is Now Coaching in the ABA
  4. ^ NBA Transactions
  5. ^ Creek’s pride & joy Ruffin speaks at 200th state championship gathering Archived 2013-02-17 at archive.today
  6. ^ Pelicans Announce Basketball Operations Staff Additions and Promotions
  7. ^ "Mad Ants announce additions to basketball operations staff". NBA.com. January 29, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  8. ^ Michael Ruffin latest assistant added to Phoenix Suns coaching staff
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