Derek Rucker

Derek Rucker
	Logan Thunder
Career highlights and awards
	NBL Most Valuable Player (1990); All-NBL First Team (1990, 1997, 1998); All-NBL Second Team (1995); All-NBL Third Team (1994); NBL scoring champion (1990); NBL single game assist record (24); NBL single season assist record (10.6/game); 3x First-team All-SoCon (1986–1988);

Derek Alan Rucker (born October 2, 1966) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player who starred in the Australian National Basketball League for 15 seasons.

Playing career

Prior to the commencement of his professional career, Rucker attended and graduated from the exclusive

Academic All-American. Davidson College retired Rucker's #11 uniform and inducted Rucker into the Davidson Hall of Fame.^[1]

Rucker was one of the most dynamic and exciting players in the history of the

West Sydney Razorbacks

before returning to the Bullets to finish his career.

Rucker finished his NBL career in the top ten all-time in several statistical categories: scoring (7th), assists (4th), steals (4th) and three-point field goals made (5th). He also finished in the top five in MVP voting four times in a six-year span. Rucker appeared in two championship series and was a two-time All-Star Game MVP. Rucker also played professionally in England and the Philippines.

Playing style

Rucker played an aggressive, attacking offensive game using a combination of skilled moves with the ball. Rucker was a match-winning point guard who scored heavily while also amassing high assist totals throughout his career. An excellent athlete with superb quickness and excellent jumping ability, he constantly raided the keyway and rim despite his size of 184 cm (6'0") and 80 kg (176 lbs). Combined with outstanding long range shooting ability, Rucker was a very tough player to defend. It was Rucker's exciting style of play during the boom years of the NBL in Australia that thrust him into celebrity status in the new millennium.

Personal

Rucker is the son of former NFL standout Reggie Rucker and Carole Gooch, and has two younger brothers. He and his former partner, Kim Skelton, have two children.^[2]

In 2016, he was charged with fraud for stealing $20,000 from the Gladstone Basketball Association. ^[3]

Media work and post career

Rucker worked for numerous media entities in Australia during and after his playing career including

Living Color

.

Rucker later ran a high-end sports tour in the United States called D-Ruck's Dream USA Sports Getaway.^[5] The first tour was completed in September 2013.

On May 23, 2014, Rucker joined the

Logan Thunder for the 2016 QBL season.^[8]

NBL career highlights

51 points in a game
24 assists in a game – NBL Record
Averaged 30+ points per game three times
25 games of 40+ points
10.6 assists per game – NBL Record
2x Grand Finalist
3x All-NBL first team
2x All-Star Game MVP

References

^ "Hall of Fame – Derek Rucker". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
^ Back in the groove
^ "Derek Rucker charged with fraud - 9News". www.9news.com.au. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
^ Rucker joins Kings Archived September 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Derek Rucker’s Dream USA Sports Getaway
^ "Crocs in the Offseason update". Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
^ A coffee with... basketball coach Derek Rucker
^ Former NBL MVP Derek Rucker signs on to coach the Logan Thunder in 2016

External links

[1] "Hall of Fame – Derek Rucker". Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-06-12.

[2] Back in the groove

[3] "Derek Rucker charged with fraud - 9News". www.9news.com.au. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 2022-01-15.

[4] Rucker joins Kings Archived September 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[5] Derek Rucker’s Dream USA Sports Getaway

[6] "Crocs in the Offseason update". Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

[7] A coffee with... basketball coach Derek Rucker

[8] Former NBL MVP Derek Rucker signs on to coach the Logan Thunder in 2016

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