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Forward · 2003–04

Michael Ruffin

A chemical engineering student at Tulsa, Ruffin made the NBA on defense and rebounding alone — 1.7 points but 3.9 boards a game across nine seasons after Chicago drafted him in the second round in 1999. His year with the Jazz came in 2005-06, one stop in a career that also ran through Philadelphia, Washington, Milwaukee and Portland.

He is remembered for one cruel blooper — a clock-killing toss in 2007 that landed in Toronto hands for a game-tying three — but his real legacy is on the bench: player development with the Pelicans, then assistant jobs leading to the Phoenix Suns staff in 2021.

HOW HE CAME & WENTHe signed a one-year contract on August 6, 2003 and became a free agent when it ran out.

Full name
Michael David Ruffin
Utah Jazz tenure
2003–04
Position
Forward
Born
1977, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Height
6′9″ (206 cm)
Weight
247 lb (112 kg)
College
Tulsa
Drafted
1999, 2nd round (No. 32), Chicago
Signature in the archive 1999 Press Pass Rookie RC 10k8

No photograph of this signature is online yet.

With the Jazz

MICHAEL RUFFIN · 2003–04 · PER GAME
SEASONTEAMGMPGPPGRPGAPGSPGBPGFG%3P%FT%
2003–04UTA4117.92.25.01.00.50.5.325.421
JAZZ TOTAL1 SEASON4117.92.25.01.00.50.5.325.421

Season by season, regular season, with this franchise only. More info: Basketball-Reference ↗  ·  Wikipedia ↗

Did you know

MICHAEL RUFFIN · 4 NOTES
  • Later became a professional coach.
  • He grew up in Denver and was a First Team All-WAC pick at Tulsa.
  • He took an ABA head coaching job with the Colorado Kings in 2010, then went back to playing in Spain with Obradoiro.
  • Across 414 NBA games he averaged 1.7 points, and teams kept finding room for him for nine years anyway.