Michael Ruffin

Michael David Ruffin (born January 21, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who was previously working as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At 6'8" and 248 lbs, he played as a forward/center.

Michael Ruffin

Phoenix Suns
Position	Assistant coach
Personal information
Born	(1977-01-21) January 21, 1977 (age 47) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	246 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school	Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colorado)
College	Tulsa (1995–1999)
NBA draft	1999: 2nd round, 32nd overall pick
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career	1999–2011
Position	Power forward / center
Number	51
Coaching career	2014–present
Career history
As player:
1999–2001	Chicago Bulls
2001–2002	Philadelphia 76ers
2002–2003	Caprabo Lleida
2003–2004	Utah Jazz
2004–2007	Washington Wizards
2007–2008	Milwaukee Bucks
2009	Portland Trail Blazers
2010–2011	Obradoiro CAB
As coach:
2014–2020	New Orleans Pelicans (assistant)
2021	Fort Wayne Mad Ants (assistant)
2021–present	Phoenix Suns (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-WAC (1998)
Career statistics
Points	716 (1.7 ppg)
Rebounds	1632 (3.9 rpg)
Personal fouls	942 (2.3 pfpg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  United States Summer Universiade 1997 Trapani National team

Basketball career

After playing college basketball at the University of Tulsa, where he studied chemical engineering, Ruffin was drafted in the second round of the 1999 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He has played for the Bulls, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Utah Jazz, the Washington Wizards, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 1.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game through his NBA career and is considered to be a defensive presence on the court. Ruffin's best statistical season came with the 2000-01 Bulls, where tallied career best averages in rebounding (5.8) and scoring (2.6).

On March 30, 2007, Ruffin was part of a dubious blooper that indirectly cost the Wizards a game. Up 109–106 on the Toronto Raptors, with less than four seconds remaining in regulation, Ruffin intercepted an inbound pass. In an attempt to run the clock out, Ruffin tossed the ball in the air, but it landed in the hands of Toronto's Morris Peterson, who sank a game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Forced into overtime, Washington lost the game 123–118.

On February 17, 2009, Ruffin was sent to the Sacramento Kings and then to the Portland Trail Blazers for Ike Diogu shortly thereafter in a 3-team trade.^[1]

In 2010, Ruffin became coach of the ABA's Colorado Kings.^[2][3] However, he resumed his career in Spain playing for Obradoiro CAB.^[2]

After two years out of the NBA, Ruffin was signed by the league's Denver Nuggets in mid-December 2011.^[2] However, he did not make the team's opening day roster.^[4]

Post-NBA career

As of 2012, Ruffin was living in Phoenix, Arizona, working for ASQ and coaching basketball.^[5]

Ruffin joined the New Orleans Pelicans as player development coach in October 2014.^[6]

In January 2021, Ruffin became an assistant coach for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League.^[7]

On September 24, 2021, Ruffin joined the Phoenix Suns as an assistant coach.^[8]

NBA career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1999–00	Chicago	71	6	13.7	.420	.000	.489	3.5	.6	.4	.4	2.2
2000–01	Chicago	45	16	19.5	.444	.000	.506	5.5	0.9	.6	.8	2.6
2001–02	Philadelphia	15	0	11.3	.269	.000	.250	3.4	.3	.3	.5	1.1
2003–04	Utah	41	23	17.9	.325	.000	.421	5.0	1.0	.5	.5	2.2
2004–05	Washington	79	7	16.0	.414	.000	.433	4.2	.8	.5	.5	1.4
2005–06	Washington	76	4	13.3	.442	.000	.500	3.6	.4	.4	.4	1.4
2006–07	Washington	30	0	9.0	.278	.000	.368	2.1	.2	.2	.3	.6
2007–08	Milwaukee	46	2	13.7	.532	.000	.397	4.0	.5	.7	.4	2.0
2008–09	Portland	11	0	3.2	.286	.000	1.000	1.0	.0	.3	.1	.5
Career		414	58	14.4	.407	.000	.459	3.9	.6	.5	.4	1.7

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2005	Washington	9	0	17.3	.700	.000	.563	4.1	1.0	.3	.3	2.6
2006	Washington	6	0	11.7	.500	.000	.000	2.7	.7	.2	.3	.3
2007	Washington	4	0	7.0	.333	.000	.000	2.3	.0	.8	.0	.5
2009	Portland	1	0	5.0	.000	.000	.500	5.0	.0	.0	.0	1.0
Career		20	0	13.0	.563	.000	.500	3.4	.7	.4	.3	1.4

References

1. Blazers get Ruffin from Bulls, send Diogu to Kings
2. Denver Nuggets sign nine-year veteran forward Michael Ruffin - ESPN
3. Former NBA Player Michael Ruffin Is Now Coaching in the ABA
4. NBA Transactions
5. Creek’s pride & joy Ruffin speaks at 200th state championship gathering Archived 2013-02-17 at archive.today
6. Pelicans Announce Basketball Operations Staff Additions and Promotions
7. "Mad Ants announce additions to basketball operations staff". NBA.com. January 29, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
8. Michael Ruffin latest assistant added to Phoenix Suns coaching staff

External links

• NBA.com Profile - Michael Ruffin
• Career statistics from NBA.com  and Basketball Reference
• Spanish League profile