Tree Rollins
Encyclopedia
Wayne Monte "Tree" Rollins (born June 16, 1955, in Winter Haven
, Florida
) is a retired American
professional basketball
player who played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association
for the Atlanta Hawks
, Cleveland Cavaliers
, Detroit Pistons
, Houston Rockets
and Orlando Magic
. He was primarily known under his playing name, Tree. The 7-foot-1-inch 275 pound Clemson
graduate played center
, and gained high esteem for his defense, particularly his rebounding and shot-blocking
ability. He finished in the top three in blocked shots six times, leading the league during the 1982-83 NBA season
. At the time of his retirement in 1995, he was fourth all-time in career blocked shots, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon
, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
and Mark Eaton
. He currently holds the seventh highest total of career blocked shots, with 2,542. His 6,750 career rebounds currently place him 89th on the all-time list. During his playing career, Rollins was given the nickname "The Intimidator".
During the 1994-95 season, Rollins served as both assistant coach and backup center for the Orlando Magic. He was one-time coach of the now-defunct Greenville Groove
of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL)
.
Rollins joined the WNBA's Washington Mystics
in 2006 as an assistant coach. On June 1, 2007, he was named interim head coach following Richie Adubato
's resignation early in the season. Rollins led the Mystics to a 17-14 record. On July 19, 2008, following lopsided losses to the New York Liberty and Detroit Shock which put the Mystics at 8-14 on the season and 2½ games out of playoff position, he was relieved of his duties. The Mystics' aggregate record under Rollins over the two seasons was 25-28, second best in Mystics history. He was replaced on an interim basis by one of his assistants, Jessie Kenlaw.
Winter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
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 played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
and Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. He was primarily known under his playing name, Tree. The 7-foot-1-inch 275 pound Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
graduate played center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, and gained high esteem for his defense, particularly his rebounding and shot-blocking
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
ability. He finished in the top three in blocked shots six times, leading the league during the 1982-83 NBA season
1982-83 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers*Rookie of the Year: Terry Cummings, San Diego Clippers*Defensive Player of the Year: Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks...
. At the time of his retirement in 1995, he was fourth all-time in career blocked shots, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
and Mark Eaton
Mark Eaton (basketball)
Mark E. Eaton is a retired American professional basketball player who was a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame and his strong defense...
. He currently holds the seventh highest total of career blocked shots, with 2,542. His 6,750 career rebounds currently place him 89th on the all-time list. During his playing career, Rollins was given the nickname "The Intimidator".
During the 1994-95 season, Rollins served as both assistant coach and backup center for the Orlando Magic. He was one-time coach of the now-defunct Greenville Groove
Greenville Groove
The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball...
of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL)
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
.
Rollins joined the WNBA's Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
in 2006 as an assistant coach. On June 1, 2007, he was named interim head coach following Richie Adubato
Richie Adubato
Richard Adam "Richie" Adubato was a basketball coach in the National Basketball Association. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams: the Detroit Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Orlando Magic...
's resignation early in the season. Rollins led the Mystics to a 17-14 record. On July 19, 2008, following lopsided losses to the New York Liberty and Detroit Shock which put the Mystics at 8-14 on the season and 2½ games out of playoff position, he was relieved of his duties. The Mystics' aggregate record under Rollins over the two seasons was 25-28, second best in Mystics history. He was replaced on an interim basis by one of his assistants, Jessie Kenlaw.
Awards
- First athlete in any sport at Clemson to have jersey number retired
- Only Clemson basketball player to average double/double in four straight seasons
- NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 1982-1983 season
- NBA All-Defensive First Team, 1983-1984 season
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game