Derek Rucker
Encyclopedia
Derek Alan Rucker is a retired American professional basketball
player who starred in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL)
for 15 years before retiring in 2006.
and won the league's coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 1990 with the Brisbane Bullets
. Rucker began his career with Brisbane and played for the Newcastle Falcons
, Townsville Suns
and 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 finished in the top five in MVP voting four times in a six year span. Rucker appeared in two championship series (1990, 2002) and was a two-time All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1997). Rucker also played professionally in El Salvador
, England
, the Philippines
and Europe
.
Prior to the commencement of Rucker's professional career, Rucker attended and graduated from the exclusive University School
in Hunting Valley, Ohio
. He accepted a basketball scholarship to attend Davidson College
and quickly established himself as a player and leader by starting from his freshman year onwards. Rucker led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament his sophomore season and finished at Davidson
as the 3rd (now 4th) all-time leading scorer and all-time assists (now 5th) and steals leader (currently 1st). In addition to being 1st team All-Southern Conference three years in a row and the 1987 Southern Conference Tournament MVP, Rucker was also a two-time Academic All-American. Davidson College retired Rucker's #11 uniform in 1989 and inducted Rucker into the Davidson Hall of Fame in 1999.
and Carole Gooch (née Hines) and has two younger brothers. During his time in Australia, Rucker was linked to several high profile Australian women including Tina Arena
, Sami Lukis
and Kristy Hinze
. He and his former partner Kim Skelton have two children.
during and after his playing career including Fox Sports
, Channel 9, Radio 2UE Sydney
, B105FM Brisbane
, and Brisbane's Courier Mail
. He co-hosted the national NBL weekly recap show in 2006 with Stephanie Brantz
on Australia's Channel 9 network. In 2006 Rucker became Executive Director - Corporate Basketball Services of the Sydney Kings
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who starred in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL)
National Basketball League (Australasia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
for 15 years before retiring in 2006.
Playing career
Rucker was one of the most dynamic and exciting players in the history of the NBLNational Basketball League (Australasia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
and won the league's coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 1990 with the Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...
. Rucker began his career with Brisbane and played for the Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons (Australia)
Newcastle Falcons were an Australian basketball team, that played in Newcastle, in the National Basketball League. The team played in the NBL's inaugural season in 1979, and left the league in the late 1990s, after new owners based in Albury couldn't resolve the club's ongoing financial...
, Townsville Suns
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...
and West Sydney Razorbacks
West Sydney Razorbacks
The Sydney Spirit were a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League...
before returning to the Bullets to finish his career.
Rucker finished his NBL
National Basketball League (Australasia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
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 finished in the top five in MVP voting four times in a six year span. Rucker appeared in two championship series (1990, 2002) and was a two-time All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1997). Rucker also played professionally in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Prior to the commencement of Rucker's professional career, Rucker attended and graduated from the exclusive University School
University School
University School, commonly referred to as US, is an all-boys K - 12 school with two campus locations in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area...
in Hunting Valley, Ohio
Hunting Valley, Ohio
Hunting Valley is an affluent village located east of Cleveland in Cuyahoga and Geauga counties in the Northeast Ohio region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 705...
. He accepted a basketball scholarship to attend Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
and quickly established himself as a player and leader by starting from his freshman year onwards. Rucker led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament his sophomore season and finished at Davidson
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
as the 3rd (now 4th) all-time leading scorer and all-time assists (now 5th) and steals leader (currently 1st). In addition to being 1st team All-Southern Conference three years in a row and the 1987 Southern Conference Tournament MVP, Rucker was also a two-time Academic All-American. Davidson College retired Rucker's #11 uniform in 1989 and inducted Rucker into the Davidson Hall of Fame in 1999.
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 thrusted him into celebrity status in the 90's and the new millenium.Personal life
Rucker is the son of former NFL standout Reggie RuckerReggie Rucker
Reginald Joseph Rucker is a former professional American football player. Rucker played in twelve National Football League seasons from 1970–1981, primarily for the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for Boston University.Rucker has been a part of the Cleveland media since his retirement...
and Carole Gooch (née Hines) and has two younger brothers. During his time in Australia, Rucker was linked to several high profile Australian women including Tina Arena
Tina Arena
Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. She has won several awards, most notably 6 ARIA Awards and in both 1996 and 2000 she received the World Music Award for the world's best selling Australian artist...
, Sami Lukis
Sami Lukis
Sami Lukis is an Australian television and radio personality. She appeared on the Nine Network as the weather girl on Today, and for Network Ten on the children's educational program Totally Wild...
and Kristy Hinze
Kristy Hinze
Kristy Hinze is an Australian model, actress and television host. Hinze has appeared in Sports Illustrated as well as the Victoria's Secret catalogue.-Life and career:...
. He and his former partner Kim Skelton have two children.
Media Work and Post Career
Rucker worked for numerous media entities in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during and after his playing career including Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
, Channel 9, Radio 2UE Sydney
2UE
2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
, B105FM Brisbane
B105 FM
B105 is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting on 105.3 MHz in Brisbane, Australia. It is part of the Austereo Radio Network. B105's primary audience is 10 to 24 age group.-History:...
, and Brisbane's Courier Mail
Courier Mail
Courier Mail can refer to:* The Courier-Mail, an Australian newspaper* Courier Mail Server, a mail-server software suite* Courier , e-mail client software...
. He co-hosted the national NBL weekly recap show in 2006 with Stephanie Brantz
Stephanie Brantz
Stephanie Brantz is an Australian sports presenter. She began her television career in 2000 on SBS , and has since worked on the Nine Network and Fox Sports...
on Australia's Channel 9 network. In 2006 Rucker became Executive Director - Corporate Basketball Services of the Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
.
NBL career highlights
- 51 points in a game
- 24 assists in a game (1994) - NBL Record
- Averaged 30+ points per game three times
- 25 games of 40+ points
- 10.6 assists per game (1994) - NBL Record
- 2x Grand Finalist (1990, 2002)
- 3x 1st Team All-NBL
- 2x All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1997)