Tom LaGarde

Thomas Joseph LaGarde (born February 10, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1977 to 1985 before a recurring knee issue cut short his career. He earned a gold medal as a member of Team USA in the 1976 Olympics. LaGarde also was a member of an NBA championship team with the Seattle SuperSonics three years later, although torn right knee ligaments forced him to sit out the final five months of the season.

Tom LaGarde

LaGarde, circa 1976
Personal information
Born	(1955-02-10) February 10, 1955 (age 70) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Detroit Catholic Central (Detroit, Michigan)
College	North Carolina (1973–1977)
NBA draft	1977: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Drafted by	Denver Nuggets
Playing career	1977–1984
Position	Center / power forward
Number	45, 23, 25, 34
Career history
1977–1978	Denver Nuggets
1978–1980	Seattle SuperSonics
1980–1982	Dallas Mavericks
1982–1984	Ginnastica Goriziana
1984	New Jersey Nets
Career highlights
NBA champion (1979) Second-team All-ACC (1977) First-team Parade All-American (1973)
Career NBA statistics
Points	2,376 (7.6 ppg)
Rebounds	1,593 (5.1 rpg)
Assists	456 (1.5 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1976 Montreal Team competition Pan American Games 1975 Mexico City Team competition

Basketball career

After playing collegiately at the University of North Carolina, LaGarde was selected 9th overall in the first round of the 1977 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets.

At 6'10" and 220 lb, LaGarde played forward and center at the pro level. In June, 1979, shortly after his rookie season with the Nuggets, LaGarde was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in return for a first-round draft choice.

LaGarde was selected by the expansion Dallas Mavericks in the 1980 expansion draft. He was the only team member who played all 82 games for the Mavericks in their inaugural 1980–81 season,^[1] finishing second on the team in points to Jim Spanarkel and leading the team in rebounds and blocked shots.

LaGarde saw his playing time diminish the following season, averaging just 19 minutes per game in 47 games for the Mavericks. He played the two following seasons overseas.

In November 1984, LaGarde returned briefly to the NBA with the New Jersey Nets as a replacement for the injured Darryl Dawkins. But the comeback lasted only one game before a calf injury ended his season and career.

Personal life

In 2008, LaGarde created a video parody of McCain-Palin called the Original Mavericks for Truth.^[2]

LaGarde and his wife, Heather, live in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, with their two children. Together, they redeveloped an old mill, which is now a 700-person music venue, called the Haw River Ballroom.

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
†	Won an NBA championship

NBA

Source^[3]

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1977–78	Denver	77		11.3	.405		.760	2.8	.6	.2	.2	4.0
1978–79†	Seattle	23		25.0	.541		.600	8.3	1.4	.3	.8	11.0
1979–80	Seattle	82		14.2	.477	–	.657	3.8	1.1	.2	.4	4.7
1980–81	Dallas	82	82	32.6	.470	–	.649	8.1	2.9	.4	.5	13.7
1981–82	Dallas	47	28	19.3	.420	.000	.518	4.5	1.0	.4	.4	6.6
1984–85	New Jersey	1	0	8.0	.000	–	.500	2.0	.0	.0	.0	1.0
Career		312	110	19.9	.462	.000	.640	5.1	1.5	.3	.4	7.6

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1978	Denver	9	8.6	.526		.714	2.0	.8	.0	.2	2.8
1980	Seattle	14	11.6	.370	–	.818	2.9	.9	.1	.0	3.1
Career		23	10.4	.415	–	.778	2.5	.8	.1	.1	3.0