A 4 for 4, Final Four!
This guy.
Christian Laettner is one of the most accomplished college basketball players in the history of the sport. He made the Final Four in all four years of college and played in the national championship game three consecutive years. He was a consensus National Player of the Year and two-time All-American, becoming the face of one of the most storied men's basketball programs.
Here's everything you need to know about Christian Laettner's college career at Duke.
Christian Laettner college basketball stats, vitals
School: Duke
Position: Center
Height: 6-11
Weight: 235 pounds
Years active: 1988-92
NCAA tournament record: 21-2
Career averages: 16.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 57.4% field goal shooting
SEASON MINUTES FG FGA FG% POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS
1988-89 16.9 3.2 4.4 .723 8.9 4.7 1.2
1989-90 29.9 5.1 10.0 .511 16.3 9.6 2.2
1990-91 30.2 6.9 12.1 .575 19.8 8.7 1.9
1991-92 32.2 7.3 12.6 .575 21.5 7.9 2.0
Career 27.4 5.6 9.8 .574 16.6 7.8 1.8
What was Christian Laettner's record in college?
In four years with Christian Laettner, Duke went 123-26, including a 43-15 mark in ACC play. In Laettner's senior year, the Blue Devils went 34-2 and 14-2 in conference play.
How many national championships did Christian Laettner win in college?
Christian Laettner won two national championships in college as he led Duke to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. The Blue Devils lost in the Final Four and in the national championship game in Laettner's freshman and sophomore years, respectively.
What were some of Christian Laettner's best games?
In 23 NCAA tournament games — first off just, think about that; Laettner played in 23 out of a maximum 24 possible tournament games in college — Laettner scored in double figures 20 times.
The game in which he really burst onto the national scene was in the Elite Eight his freshman year. Laettner scored a then-career-high 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting, while leading Duke in rebounding with nine boards, plus dishing out four assists, in an NCAA tournament win against No. 1 seed Georgetown and standout center Alonzo Mourning. Mourning had 11 points and five rebounds.
As a sophomore, Laettner had 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 8-of-8 free throw shooting, plus 14 rebounds against UCLA in the Sweet 16. In the Final Four, he went for 19 and 14 against Arkansas.
Laettner scored at least 18 points in all six of Duke's NCAA tournament games in 1991, including 28 against UNLV in the Final Four. He finished with 125 points for the entire tournament.
Then there's the Kentucky game, when Laettner's iconic jumper lifted the Blue Devils past the Wildcats 104-103 in overtime and into the Final Four. He scored 31 points in the game — the most of his NCAA tournament career — on 10-of-10 shooting from the field and 10-of-10 free-throw shooting. He was perfect. Laettner also had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
You can watch the legendary ending of the 1992 Duke-Kentucky game below.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL LEGEND
This guy.
Christian Laettner is one of the most accomplished college basketball players in the history of the sport. He made the Final Four in all four years of college and played in the national championship game three consecutive years. He was a consensus National Player of the Year and two-time All-American, becoming the face of one of the most storied men's basketball programs.
Here's everything you need to know about Christian Laettner's college career at Duke.
Christian Laettner college basketball stats, vitals
School: Duke
Position: Center
Height: 6-11
Weight: 235 pounds
Years active: 1988-92
NCAA tournament record: 21-2
Career averages: 16.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 57.4% field goal shooting
SEASON MINUTES FG FGA FG% POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS
1988-89 16.9 3.2 4.4 .723 8.9 4.7 1.2
1989-90 29.9 5.1 10.0 .511 16.3 9.6 2.2
1990-91 30.2 6.9 12.1 .575 19.8 8.7 1.9
1991-92 32.2 7.3 12.6 .575 21.5 7.9 2.0
Career 27.4 5.6 9.8 .574 16.6 7.8 1.8
What was Christian Laettner's record in college?
In four years with Christian Laettner, Duke went 123-26, including a 43-15 mark in ACC play. In Laettner's senior year, the Blue Devils went 34-2 and 14-2 in conference play.
How many national championships did Christian Laettner win in college?
Christian Laettner won two national championships in college as he led Duke to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. The Blue Devils lost in the Final Four and in the national championship game in Laettner's freshman and sophomore years, respectively.
What were some of Christian Laettner's best games?
In 23 NCAA tournament games — first off just, think about that; Laettner played in 23 out of a maximum 24 possible tournament games in college — Laettner scored in double figures 20 times.
The game in which he really burst onto the national scene was in the Elite Eight his freshman year. Laettner scored a then-career-high 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting, while leading Duke in rebounding with nine boards, plus dishing out four assists, in an NCAA tournament win against No. 1 seed Georgetown and standout center Alonzo Mourning. Mourning had 11 points and five rebounds.
As a sophomore, Laettner had 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 8-of-8 free throw shooting, plus 14 rebounds against UCLA in the Sweet 16. In the Final Four, he went for 19 and 14 against Arkansas.
Laettner scored at least 18 points in all six of Duke's NCAA tournament games in 1991, including 28 against UNLV in the Final Four. He finished with 125 points for the entire tournament.
Then there's the Kentucky game, when Laettner's iconic jumper lifted the Blue Devils past the Wildcats 104-103 in overtime and into the Final Four. He scored 31 points in the game — the most of his NCAA tournament career — on 10-of-10 shooting from the field and 10-of-10 free-throw shooting. He was perfect. Laettner also had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
You can watch the legendary ending of the 1992 Duke-Kentucky game below.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL LEGEND
