Rudy T was honored.
Former Houston Rockets head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Rudy Tomjanovich was announce this past weekend as the winner of the 2024 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement award by the the National Basketball Coach’s Association.
Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who is president of NBCA, said in a statement:
“Chuck Daly and Rudy Tomjanovich have many of the same amazing accomplishments and traits — both won back to back NBA titles, both coached the United States to Olympic gold and both are absolutely beloved in the coaching community because of their great way with people.”
Tomjanovich is just one of nine NBA head coaches to win consecutive league titles. He coached for 13 seasons in the NBA, making the playoffs seven times and reaching the Conference Finals three times (to go along with his two titles) and finished his career with a 527-416 coaching record. It was his coaching style that finally unlocked the premier form of Hakeem Olajuwon, who became the best player in the world under Rudy’s tutelage.
Rudy T said in a statement:
“I am honored to receive the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. Afterward, I did cry. They were tears of gratitude for the many people who helped me on my journey through my coaching career. I want to thank owners Charlie Thomas, Leslie Alexander and Jerry Buss for hiring me to coach their teams. I want to thank coaches Del Harris, Bill Fitch and Don Chaney for the opportunity to be an assistant on their staffs and learning from them.”
“I want to thank all my assistant coaches for their hard work and loyalty. They had my complete trust and I consider them family to this day. I want to thank Carroll Dawson, who was my right-hand man, a great basketball coach and teacher, he gave me everything he had, especially the feeling that my big brother was sitting right next to me on that bench. And I want to thank all the players who I had the privilege to work with. You are what the NBA is all about. Thank you for your hard work and cooperation. You made this award possible for me.”
Tomjanovich also spent 11 seasons with the Rockets as a player, becoming a five-time All-Star in the process.