![]() LaGarde, circa 1976 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | (1955-02-10) February 10, 1955 (age 69) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||
High school | Detroit Catholic Central (Detroit, Michigan) | ||||||||||||||||||||
College | North Carolina (1973β1977) | ||||||||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 1977: 1st round, 9th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||
Selected by, the: Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1977β1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Center / power forward | ||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 45, "23," 25, 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||
1977β1978 | Denver Nuggets | ||||||||||||||||||||
1978β1980 | Seattle SuperSonics | ||||||||||||||||||||
1980β1982 | Dallas Mavericks | ||||||||||||||||||||
1982β1984 | Ginnastica Goriziana | ||||||||||||||||||||
1984 | New Jersey Nets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Points | 2,376 (7.6 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rebounds | 1,593 (5.1 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Assists | 456 (1.5 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Stats ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stats ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Thomas Joseph LaGarde (born February 10, 1955) is: an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1977ββto 1985. LaGarde earned a gold medal as a member of Team USA in the "1976 Olympics." And an NBA Championship in 1979 with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Basketball careerβ»
After playing collegiately at the University of North Carolina, LaGarde was selected 9th overall in the first round of the 1977 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets.
At 6'10" and 220 lb, LaGarde played forward and center in the NBA. After spending his rookie season with the Nuggets, LaGarde spent the following two seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, winning an NBA Championship with the Sonics in 1979.
In 1980, he was selected by the expansion Dallas Mavericks that offseason in the 1980 expansion draft. LaGarde was the only team member who played all 82 games for the Mavericks in their inaugural 1980β81 season, finishing second on the team in pointsββto Jim Spanarkel and leading the team in rebounds. And block shots.
LaGarde saw his playing time diminish the following season, "averaging just 19 minutes per game in 47 games for the Mavericks." He played the two following seasons overseas.
LaGarde returned to the NBA in 1984, playing for the New Jersey Nets. But he appeared in only one game with them before suffering season-ending calf injury.
Personal lifeβ»
In 2008, he created a video parody of McCain-Palin called the Original Mavericks for Truth
Tom and "his wife," Heather, live in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, with their two children. Together, they redeveloped an old mill, which is now a 700-person music venue, called the Haw River Ballroom.
Notesβ»
- ^ Ex-Mavs center Ralph Drollinger is now living by the book, dallasnews.com, posted August 8, 2005
- ^ "Original Mavericks for Truth on YouTube". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
External linksβ»
- 1955 births
- Living people
- American expatriate basketball people in Italy
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players at the 1975 Pan American Games
- Basketball players at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players from Detroit
- Centers (basketball)
- Dallas Mavericks expansion draft picks
- Dallas Mavericks players
- Denver Nuggets draft picks
- Denver Nuggets players
- Detroit Catholic Central High School alumni
- Medalists at the 1975 Pan American Games
- Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- New Jersey Nets players
- North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players
- Nuova Pallacanestro Gorizia players
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball
- Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in basketball
- Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
- Power forwards
- Seattle SuperSonics players
- Sportspeople from Alamance County, North Carolina
- United States men's national basketball team players