Kareem Lamar Rush (born October 30, 1980) 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 court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. Rush's younger brother,

Brandon Brandon may refer to: Names and people *Brandon (given name), a male given name *Brandon (surname), a surname with several different origins Places Australia *Brandon, a farm and 19th century homestead in Seaham, New South Wales *Brandon, Q ...

, last played for the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...

, while older brother

JaRon Jaron is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name *Jaron Blossomgame (born 1993), American basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League *Jaron Brown (born 1990), American football wide receiver for ...

played

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

for

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

College career

After graduating from Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Rush attended the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in ...

in Columbia, Missouri, where he was a standout guard on the basketball team. Rush averaged 19.8 points per game as a junior, leading the Tigers to the Western Regional finals in the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Oklahoma. As a sophomore in 2000–01, he led the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game. During this time, Rush worked with world-renowned conditioning coach Istvan Javorek.

Professional career

Los Angeles Lakers (2002–2004)

Rush entered the 2002 NBA draft after his junior season and was selected with the 20th pick overall by the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...

, who immediately traded his rights to the Los Angeles Lakers. Rush was projected to be a top 10 pick, but much like what happened to Kareem's elder brother JaRon—a former UCLA star—Kareem slipped down much further than anticipated. At the 2000 draft, JaRon, who left the Bruins after his sophomore season, was not selected. "No one wants to see something like that happen to his brother", JaRon said, weeping. "I mean, I knew he was going to get drafted eventually, but it was still hard." Over his first two seasons, he played a limited, back-up role on the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant-led club. However, due to his three-point shooting accuracy, he would become a more frequently used reserve player in the 2003–2004 playoffs for coach

Phil Jackson Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and ...

. Although the Lakers would lose to the Pistons in the NBA Finals, Rush was able to make somewhat of a name for himself as a sharpshooter, averaging 14 minutes per game and hitting 40% of his three-point shots in the playoffs. He was a major contributor in helping the Lakers clinch the Western Conference Finals against

Kevin Garnett Kevin Maurice Garnett ( ; born May 19, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed KG by his initials, and the "Big Ticket" for his emphatic dunki ...

and the

, when he scored 18 points in the sixth and final game, all from 3-point range, where he was 6 for 7.

Charlotte Bobcats (2004–2006)

Fourteen games into the 2004–05 season, the Lakers traded Rush to the

Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populou ...

for two future second-round draft picks. In Charlotte, Rush found a larger role, often starting and averaging more than 25 minutes and 11.5 points per game. He set a then-Bobcats franchise record by scoring 35 points against the Indiana Pacers. His season ended March 2 when he strained his

MCL The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3) ...

during a game in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Seattle SuperSonics (2006)

During the 2006–07 offseason, Rush signed with the

Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...

, but recovered slowly from a groin injury. In November 2006, the club waived him to make room for a replacement for two frontcourt players who had sustained injuries.

Lithuania (2006–2007)

Rush spent the next season playing in Lithuania. On December 21, 2006, he signed with ULEB Cup participant

Lietuvos rytas ''Lietuvos rytas'' (lit. 'Morning of Lithuania') is a Lithuanian daily newspaper. History and profile "Lietuvos rytas" was established in 1990 on a basis of newspaper "Komjaunimo tiesa". The paper is printed in Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also ...

from

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

. He was chosen by the Slovenian coach

Zmago Sagadin Zmago Sagadin (; born 1 November 1952 in Celje) is widely considered as the most successful Slovenian and top European basketball coach with 25 championship titles both on a national and international level, recognized 9 times as Slovenian Top Co ...

and led his team to the cup final. On February 24, 2007, Rush was named the MVP of the 2007 LKL All-Star Game. On April 21, Rush's team became the champion of the

Baltic Basketball League Baltic Basketball League (BBL) was the Baltic states basketball league founded in 2004. The league mainly focused on teams from the Baltic states, but teams from Sweden, Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland, and Belarus have participated in the Baltic L ...

; he was named the Final Four

MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...

Indiana Pacers (2007–2008)

On July 3, 2007, Rush signed with the Indiana Pacers, who cited their need for a shooter.

Philadelphia 76ers (2008–2009)

On July 28, 2008, Rush signed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Los Angeles Clippers (2009–2010)

Rush eventually signed for the Los Angeles Clippers, because of injuries to other players on the roster. However, Rush himself suffered an ACL tear in his right knee on November 18, 2009. The day before his ACL tear would end up being his final NBA game ever. On November 17, 2009 the Clippers would lose to the

New Orleans Hornets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

102 - 110 with Rush only playing for less than 2 minutes and recording no stats. Rush was waived by the Clippers on January 22, 2010.

Los Angeles D-Fenders (2012)

On March 12, 2012, Los Angeles D-Fenders of the

NBA D-League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Dev ...

acquired Rush.

Los Angeles Slam (2012–2013)

For the 2012–13 season, Rush played for the Los Angeles Slam of the ABA.

Los Angeles D-Fenders (2013–2014)

In November 2013, he was re-acquired by the Los Angeles D-Fenders. On January 22, 2014, Rush left the D-Fenders, citing his desire to formally retire from basketball.

BIG3 Basketball (2017)

In 2017, Rush joined the

BIG3 Big3 (stylized BIG3) is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of 12 teams whose rosters include both former NBA players and international play ...

basketball league, playing on a talent-stacked

3 Headed Monsters The 3 Headed Monsters are an American men's 3-on-3 basketball team that plays in the BIG3 Big3 (stylized BIG3) is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The leag ...

roster, highlighted by head coach (and NBA Hall of Famer)

Gary Payton Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played the point guard position. Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with ...

, as well as

Kwame Brown Kwame Hasani Brown (born March 10, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player who spent 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Selected by the Washington Wizards in the 2001 NBA draft, Brown was the first No. ...

(the first ever directly-from-high-school player to go #1 overall in the NBA Draft),

Rashard Lewis Rashard Quovon Lewis (born August 8, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player. Lewis entered the NBA directly from Alief Elsik High School. He rose to prominence in the NBA as a scorer with the Seattle SuperSonics, and was later ...

, Jason Williams, and

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (born Chris Wayne Jackson; March 9, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine years with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Gri ...

North American Premier Basketball (2018–present)

In January 2018, he signed with the

Kansas City Tornados The Kansas City Tornadoes were an American professional basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri, and members of The Basketball League (TBL). History On September 27, 2017, North American Premier Basketball (NAPB) announced a team that ...

of the first-year

North American Premier Basketball The Basketball League (TBL), formerly North America Premier Basketball (NAPB), is a minor league basketball organization. The league began operating in North America in 2018 with eight teams, and expanded to over 44 teams as of 2022. The Bas ...

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

L.A. Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, 76 , , 0 , , 11.5 , , .393 , , .279 , , .696 , , 1.2 , , .9 , , .1 , , .1 , , 3.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 72 , , 15 , , 17.3 , , .440 , , .348 , , .596 , , 1.3 , , .8 , , .5 , , .3 , , 6.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 14 , , 0 , , 6.5 , , .200 , , .200 , , 1.000 , , .7 , , .2 , , .1 , , .1 , , .9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

, 34 , , 22 , , 25.8 , , .396 , , .386 , , .761 , , 2.3 , , 1.9 , , .5 , , .2 , , 11.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 47 , , 25 , , 23.6 , , .386 , , .348 , , .714 , , 2.2 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , .3 , , 10.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, 71 , , 15 , , 21.2 , , .401 , , .389 , , .714 , , 2.4 , , 1.3 , , .6 , , .3 , , 8.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, 25 , , 1 , , 8.0 , , .345 , , .303 , , 1.000 , , .6 , , .6 , , .2 , , .0 , , 2.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , L.A. Clippers , 7 , , 0 , , 8.3 , , .364 , , .333 , , .000 , , .9 , , .6 , , .3 , , .4 , , 1.3 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 346 , , 78 , , 17.2 , , .400 , , .358 , , .703 , , 1.7 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , .2 , , 6.4

Playoffs

, - , align="left" , 2003 , align="left" ,

, 9 , , 0 , , 7.1 , , .379 , , .364 , , 1.000 , , .3 , , .2 , , .1 , , .0 , , 3.3 , - , align="left" , 2004 , align="left" ,

, 22 , , 0 , , 14.3 , , .385 , , .400 , , .667 , , .7 , , .8 , , .5 , , .1 , , 3.7 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 31 , , 0 , , 12.2 , , .383 , , .393 , , .857 , , .6 , , .6 , , .4 , , .1 , , 3.6

Personal life

Rush's younger brother

also played in the NBA. In 2010, Rush embarked on an R&B singing career, releasing his debut single "Hold You Down".

References

External links

*
Missouri Tigers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rush, Kareem 1980 births Living people African-American basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Lithuania American men's basketball players American Ninja Warrior contestants Basketball players from Kansas City, Missouri BC Rytas players Big3 players Charlotte Bobcats players Indiana Pacers players Kansas City Tornadoes players Los Angeles Clippers players Los Angeles D-Fenders players Los Angeles Lakers players Missouri Tigers men's basketball players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Philadelphia 76ers players Shooting guards Toronto Raptors draft picks 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American people American men's 3x3 basketball players