Rolando Blackman

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17 Mar 2024

Rolando Blackman

Rolando Antonio Blackman, born on February 26, 1959, is a former professional basketball player of Panamanian-American descent. He enjoyed a successful career in the NBA, earning four All-Star selections and spending the majority of his playing years with the Dallas Mavericks. Blackman holds the record for the most free throws made in a single game in Mavericks franchise history, with 22.
Blackman was born in Panama City, Panama, but moved to Brooklyn, New York, at the age of eight, where he was raised.

Rolando Blackman was selected by the Mavericks in the first round (9th overall) of the 1981 NBA draft. He became the inaugural Panamanian-born player in the NBA. Blackman made an immediate impact on the team, averaging 13.3 PPG in his rookie season. He received significant playing time throughout his career, logging around 24 minutes per game in his debut campaign. Despite his strong performance, the Mavericks struggled until the 1983–1984 season. This period coincided with Blackman's best statistical season, where he posted a career-high 22.4 PPG and led the franchise to its maiden playoff appearance. The Mavericks achieved a series win against the Seattle SuperSonics, advancing to the second round before ultimately falling to the Los Angeles Lakers. On February 17, 1986, Blackman set a Mavericks single-game record for free throws made and attempted, going 22–23 from the line. Despite his impressive numbers, Blackman was snubbed from the All-Star Game that year, though he earned a selection the following season. Throughout his career, he earned NBA All-Star honors four times. At the 1987 All-Star Game, Blackman tied the game with two clutch free throws at the end of regulation, leading the West team to an overtime victory.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks enjoyed success and had a memorable season in 1987–1988, reaching the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. Despite their impressive run, they fell short in a seven-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Following this peak, the Mavericks entered a period of decline, while Blackman maintained his strong performance, averaging around 19 PPG for the next few seasons. However, the team struggled in the standings. By the 1991–1992 season, Blackman, now 32 years old, and the Mavericks began a rebuilding phase. By the 1992 offseason, Blackman's tenure with the team came to an end. He finished his time with the Mavericks having made 6,487 field goals and scoring 16,643 points, setting a franchise record that stood for 18 years until Dirk Nowitzki surpassed it on March 8, 2008. Remarkably, Blackman never fouled out of a game in his 865 appearances for the Mavericks.

On June 24, 1992, Blackman's journey in the NBA took a turn as he was traded to the New York Knicks in exchange for a 1995 first-round pick (ultimately used to select Loren Meyer). Blackman concluded his illustrious career with the Knicks over the course of two seasons. In his final stint in New York, he found himself alongside former Dallas teammate Derek Harper once again. The Knicks soared to the NBA Finals in Blackman's last season, albeit falling short to the Houston Rockets in a hard-fought seven-game series. One of Blackman's standout moments in a Knicks uniform came during Game 4 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Semi-finals versus the Charlotte Hornets. With just five seconds remaining, Blackman sealed the victory with a clutch jump shot, propelling the Knicks ahead by two points. Despite continuing to perform admirably in the twilight of his career, age began catching up with Blackman, signaling the end of his NBA tenure. On July 6, 1994, the Knicks decided to part ways with Blackman, officially marking the conclusion of his professional basketball journey.

Shortly after his release from the Knicks, Blackman decided to retire from professional basketball. As he reflected on his career, it was evident that his impact on the NBA was significant. By the end of the 1993–94 season, Blackman had amassed impressive career totals of 17,623 points, 3,278 rebounds, and 2,981 assists. Notably, he held the title of the NBA's all-time leading scorer among Hispanic/Latin players, hailing from Iberian, Latin American, and Spanish-speaking countries, until March 6, 2015, when Pau Gasol surpassed him. Recognizing his immense contributions to the sport, the Mavericks honored Blackman by retiring his number 22 jersey on March 11, 2000, forever enshrining him in the franchise's history.

Blackman embarked on a new chapter in his basketball journey by joining the Greek League team AEK Athens BC midway through the 1994–95 season. Under the guidance of coach Vlade Đurović, however, the team concluded the season with a disappointing eighth-place finish.
During the following summer of 1995, Blackman made a move to Olimpia Milano, where he was recruited by head coach Bogdan Tanjević. Competing in the Italian League alongside notable teammates such as Dejan Bodiroga, Gregor Fučka, Nando Gentile, and Alessandro De Pol, Blackman, who celebrated his 37th birthday during the season, played a pivotal role in securing both the Italian League title and the Italian Basketball Cup. He contributed significantly with an average of 15.3 points per game and was recognized as the MVP of the Italian Cup series. Despite their success, Olimpia fell short in the Korać Cup final, losing to Efes Pilsen Istanbul in a home-and-away series.
In the summer of 1996, Blackman made another transition, this time to Limoges CSP. His move was largely influenced by coach Tanjević, who had previously been appointed as the club's new head coach.