Jeffrey George Ruland (born December 16, 1958) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player and coach, best known for his tenure as a player in the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

which saw him selected to two All-Star games. After playing

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

for Iona, he started his professional career with

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça (), is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of ...

in the

Liga ACB The Liga ACB, known as Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system. Administered by the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB), Liga ACB is contested by 18 teams, w ...

. Following his playing career, he coached the Iona Gaels men's basketball team and the UDC Firebirds men's college basketball team.

Early life and collegiate career

A , 280 lb center, Ruland went to Sachem High School in

Suffolk County, New York Suffolk County ( ) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York, constituting the eastern two-thirds of Long Island. It is bordered to its west by Nassau County, to its east by Gardiners Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean, to its no ...

. He was named to the inaugural

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team, which played in the 1977 Capital Classic. He attended Iona College on a basketball scholarship and played for coach Jim Valvano before Valvano left for

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

. Ruland played on the Gaels' 1979–1980 team that beat eventual national champion

Louisville Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...

, 77–60, at

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during the regular season and compiled a 29–5 record en route to a number 19 national ranking, the best in the school's history. However, Ruland was found in violation of NCAA rules by hiring an agent, Paul Corvino, at International Management Inc. and was ruled ineligible to play his senior year at Iona.

Professional career

FC Barcelona

Ruland was selected by the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

in the 1980 NBA draft with the 25th overall pick but was traded to the

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

for a second round pick in the

1981 NBA draft The 1981 NBA draft was the 35th annual NBA draft, draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the 1981–82 NBA season, 1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the NBA ...

. Due to not being likely to get the playing time he wanted with the crowded Bullets frontcourt, he opted to sign with

of the

instead for the 1980–81 season although he left the team before the end of the season.

Washington Bullets (1981–1986)

Joining the Bullets for the

1981–82 NBA season The 1981–82 NBA season was the 36th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the 1982 NBA Finals, NBA Finals. Nota ...

, Ruland played behind 32-year-old Spencer Haywood but had greater per-game averages than him during the same number of minutes. Seeing time at both forward and center, Ruland showed muscle at both ends of the floor and an accurate jump shot good from as far as 20 feet. A 56% shooter from the floor, Ruland registered as having the 10th-best field goal percentage in the league. That postseason, the Bullets swept the

New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

, before losing to the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Ruland's playoff averages were 17 points and 9.4 rebounds per game off the bench. Ruland took over the starting power forward spot for the

1982–83 NBA season The 1982–83 NBA season was the 37th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the 1982–83 Philadelphia 76ers season, Philadelphia 76ers winning the NBA Championship, sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0 in ...

, and continued to back up at center for Washington. His 55% shooting and 11 rebounds per game ranked him, respectively, 10th and 8th place league-wide. Leading coach

Gene Shue Eugene William Shue (December 18, 1931 – April 3, 2022) was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Shue was one of the top guards of the early days of the NBA and an influential figure ...

's balanced team in scoring as well, Ruland earned a spot in the

NBA All-Star Game The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is the annual all-star game hosted each February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's All-star, star players. Since 2022, it was held on the third Sunday of ...

that year. Despite finishing with the same record as the year before, the Bullets did not make the playoffs. In the 1983–84 season, Ruland's averages surged to 22 points and four assists per game. On November 25 of that season, Ruland scored a career-high 38 points, and also grabbed 16 rebounds, in a win over the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

. By the end of the season, Ruland was third in the NBA in total rebounds and fifth in shooting percentage from the floor. The Bullets returned to the playoffs and again lost to Boston. In the series, Ruland averaged 24 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 52% from the floor and 81% from the foul line against the eventual NBA champions. For the

1984–85 NBA season The 1984–85 NBA season was the 39th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. This was David Stern's fi ...

, Ruland was moved to the center for the Bullets. His stats dipped slightly. He remained among the rebounding and shooting leaders, but suffered a broken bone in his foot and played just 37 games. Ruland played through the pain in the playoffs, but the Bullets lost to the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...

to end a disappointing season. The brittle feet, though, like Bill Walton before him, were now a condition. He played 30 games during the

1985–86 NBA season The 1985–86 NBA season was the 40th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their third championship of the decade, beating the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. This would b ...

, usually in considerable pain. In the playoffs, the Bullets opted to start towering

Manute Bol Manute Bol ( ; June 19, 2010) was a Sudanese-American professional basketball player and political activist. Listed at or tall, Bol was one of the two tallest players in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After he p ...

at the center. Ruland added 14 points and five assists per game off the bench, but the Bullets fell to Philadelphia for the second consecutive season. While on the Bullets, Ruland and teammate Rick Mahorn were dubbed the "Beef Brothers" for their physicality and tough play when paired together on the court. As of the 2023–24 season, Ruland has the highest

field goal percentage Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Although three-point field goal percentage is often calculated separately, three-point field goals are included in the gene ...

(minimum 2000

field goals A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, a ...

made) by any player in

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

history, at 56.4%.

Philadelphia 76ers (1986–1987)

Traded to Philadelphia for

Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone Sr. (March 23, 1955 – September 13, 2015) was an American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. A ...

the following season, Ruland played in five games before getting injured and subsequently retiring.

Second stint with 76ers (1992)

Five years later Ruland made a comeback with the Sixers, playing in 13 games during the 1991–92 NBA season before sustaining an

Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus () was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's ''Iliad'', he was the son of the Nereids, Nereid Thetis and Peleus, ...

injury involving a

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cart which was allegedly slammed into his leg by a Boston Celtics employee outside Boston Garden.

Detroit Pistons (1992–1993)

He managed to play an additional 11 games with the

the following season before retiring for good in January 1993.

National team career

In 1979, Ruland played for the United States national team at the 1979 Summer Spartakiad games. In September, he helped Team USA win gold at the

1979 Summer Universiade The 1979 Summer Universiade, also known as the X Summer Universiade, took place in Mexico City, Mexico from 2 to 13 September. Sports * * * * * * * * * * Medal table References {{Universiade 1979 U U U Multi-sport events in ...

Coaching career

After his playing days, Ruland became an assistant coach under the Sixers' Fred Carter during the

1993–94 NBA season The 1993–94 NBA season was the 48th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season ended with the Houston Rockets defeating the New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the 1994 NBA Finals, NBA Finals to win the franchise's first champ ...

. He then returned to coach at his alma mater. He was fired from Iona on March 21, 2007, after a 2–28 record for the 2006–2007 season. Yet during his tenure as head coach, he guided the Gaels to three 20-win seasons, three MAAC Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances. Recruiting and injuries were blamed for the team's abysmal record during his final season. A factor for the 2–28 season was that the administration fired Ruland's assistant coaches. Ruland could not recruit for that season. Ruland's termination as a head coach came from Iona College president James Liguori while he was on a cruise. On July 16, 2007, Ruland was hired to replace

Michael Cooper Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15, 1956), nicknamed "Coop", is an American basketball coach and former player. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers during his entire career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning five NBA champ ...

as the head coach of the NBA D-League's Albuquerque Thunderbirds. After coaching the Thunderbirds for the 2007–08 season, Ruland was hired as an assistant coach for the

on August 23, 2008. New 76ers head Coach Eddie Jordan decided not to retain Ruland for the 2009–10 season. On August 18, 2009, Ruland announced that he would be the new men's basketball head coach at the University of the District of Columbia. After a late September hiring and the first season with only one win, his third year saw a 22-win season. He was fired in 2013. In 2015, Ruland was hired as an advance scout for the Washington Wizards.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Washington , 82 , , 0 , , 27.0 , , .561 , , .333 , , .752 , , 9.3 , , 1.6 , , .5 , , .7 , , 14.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Washington , 79 , , 47 , , 36.2 , , .552 , , .333 , , .689 , , 11.0 , , 3.0 , , .9 , , 1.0 , , 19.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Washington , 75 , , 75 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 41.1* , , .579 , , .143 , , .733 , , 12.3 , , 3.9 , , .9 , , 1.0 , , 22.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Washington , 37 , , 36 , , 38.8 , , .569 , , .000 , , .685 , , 11.1 , , 4.4 , , .8 , , .7 , , 18.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Washington , 30 , , 24 , , 37.1 , , .554 , , .000 , , .725 , , 10.7 , , 5.3 , , .8 , , .8 , , 19.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, 5 , , 2 , , 23.2 , , .679 , , , , .750 , , 5.6 , , 2.0 , , .0 , , .8 , , 9.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 13 , , 5 , , 16.1 , , .526 , , , , .688 , , 3.6 , , .4 , , .5 , , .3 , , 3.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, 11 , , 0 , , 5.0 , , .455 , , , , .500 , , 1.6 , , .2 , , .2 , , .0 , , 1.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 332 , , 189 , , 33.4 , , .564 , , .158 , , .718 , , 10.2 , , 3.0 , , .8 , , .8 , , 17.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, All-Star , 1 , , 0 , , 13.0 , , .667 , , , , 1.000 , , 4.0 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 6.0

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

, style="text-align:left;", Washington , 7 , , , , 33.9 , , .481 , , .000 , , .768 , , 9.4 , , .7 , , .4 , , .6 , , 17.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, style="text-align:left;", Washington , 4 , , , , 46.8 , , .521 , , .000 , , .815 , , 12.8 , , 7.8 , , .5 , , .8 , , 24.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

, style="text-align:left;", Washington , 4 , , 3 , , 40.5 , , .596 , , .000 , , .700 , , 8.5 , , 5.3 , , 2.3 , , 1.0 , , 17.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1986 , style="text-align:left;", Washington , 2 , , 0 , , 27.0 , , .500 , , , , .824 , , 6.0 , , 5.0 , , .0 , , 1.0 , , 14.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 17 , , 3 , , 37.6 , , .521 , , .000 , , .775 , , 9.6 , , 3.9 , , .8 , , .8 , , 18.4

Head coaching record

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruland, Jeff 1958 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Spain American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Seneca people Basketball coaches from New York (state) Centers (basketball) Detroit Pistons players FC Barcelona Bàsquet players Golden State Warriors draft picks Iona Gaels men's basketball coaches Iona Gaels men's basketball players McDonald's High School All-Americans NBA All-Stars Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) People from Bay Shore, New York Sportspeople from Islip (town), New York People from Lake Ronkonkoma, New York Philadelphia 76ers players Power forwards Basketball players from Suffolk County, New York UDC Firebirds men's basketball coaches Washington Bullets players 20th-century American sportsmen