Christian Donald Laettner, a former professional basketball player from the United States, was born on August 17, 1969. It is commonly agreed upon that his collegiate career with the Duke Blue Devils ranks among the best in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history.
In addition to being the star player on the 1991 and 1992 Duke teams that won the National Championship, he was also named the NCAA Player of the Year during his senior year. He is notably well-known for the hatred he attracted from opposition fans and the game-winning shot he made against Kentucky in the 1992 tournament.
The 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, known as the “Dream Team,” which won the gold medal at the Olympics, included just one college player: Laettner.
Laettner is honored in the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame for his career and in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, and FIBA Hall of Fame as a part of the “Dream Team.”
He played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six teams after being selected third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 1997, he was named an All-Star.
How Much is Christian Laettner Net Worth?
American entrepreneur and former basketball star Christian Laettner are worth $10 million. After a prosperous career at Duke, Christian Laettner spent 13 seasons playing in the NBA.
While attending Duke University, Christian participated in four straight Final Fours and held numerous NCAA Tournament records, including the most points scored (407), the most made free throws (142), the freest throw attempts (167), and the most games played (23).
After finishing his basketball career, Laettner co-owned Blue Devil Ventures (BDV), a community development organization that built mixed-use communities in the Durham region.
In 2007, Christian and his ex-teammate from Duke, Brian Davis, acquired the Major League Soccer franchise D.C. United, and in 2011, Laettner started running youth basketball training camps. He has additionally served as an NBA Development League assistant coach.
The 1992 Summer Olympics’ “Dream Team,” which included Christian as the sole collegiate player, won a gold medal and was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
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Financial Issues
Laettner and Davis reported $30 million in debt to various creditors in 2012, despite having made over $60 million in his playing career and enjoying some modest success as an entrepreneur.
Several creditors filed motions in July 2016 asserting that Laettner owed them $14.05 million in unpaid bills. According to reports, the creditors were seeking to push Christian into bankruptcy. He finally came to a payments agreement that would allow him to avoid bankruptcy a few months later.
When Did Christian Laettner Start His NBA Career?
Laettner was selected third overall in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves before moving on to the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, and Dallas Mavericks (2004–2005).
He scored more than 11,000 points while competing in the NBA, and in his first six seasons, he averaged 16.6 points a game. Christian participated in the 1997 All-Star Game while playing for the Atlanta Hawks, and in 1993 he was selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team.