A burly big man with the hands and shooting stroke of a guard, Tom Gugliotta was one of the better all-around forwards in the NBA in the 1990s. Gugliotta's versatile game evoked comparisons to Celtics great Larry Bird after "Googs" was a 1993 First Team NBA All-Rookie selection when he averaged 14.7 points and 9.6 rebounds with the Washington Bullets... The sixth overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft eventually achieved All-Star status with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1997, but numerous leg injuries have prevented the 6-10 forward from playing in more than 57 games since the '96-97 season and forced him to skip the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia as a member of USA Basketball Team... After stops in Washington, Golden State and Minnesota, Gugliotta signed a six-year contract with Phoenix three days after the NBA lockout ended in 1999 and led the club with 17.0 points and 8.9 rebounds in his first season in the Valley of the Sun. Entering the 2003-04 season, Googs has averaged 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 225 games with the Suns.
2003-04:
Began the season with Phoenix, playing in 30 games (25 DNP-CDs and missed the February 2 game vs. Houston due to the flu) and averaged 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.1 minutes per game...Was traded to Utah on February 19, 2004 along with a future first-round pick for Keon Clark and Ben Handlogten...Saw action in 25 games with the Jazz, including 24 starts after the trade and averaged 3.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game…Overall with Phoenix and Utah, saw action in 55 games, scoring 2.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14.9 minutes…Scored a season-high 8 points four times on the season, including three times with the Jazz after the trade…Pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds at Cleveland, including a season-high 7 offensive rebounds and three games in double figures…Served up a season-high 5 assists three times including April 12 at Minnesota, a season-high 3 steals vs. San Antonio on April 2 and a season-high 2 blocks, vs. Golden state on November 28 while with the Suns… Had his best overall game of the season at Cleveland on March 19, when he pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds, scored 8 points, had 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 32 minutes…Played a season-high 33 minutes at Toronto on March 17.
2002-03:
Played in 27 games with 11 starts... Missed 44 games on the injured list from Nov. 23 - Feb. 19 due to a right foot contusion... Started the first 10 games of the season before suffering foot injury... Grabbed 7-plus rebounds 6 times... Scored 10-plus points 4 times... Averaged 6.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, .471 FG, 26.3 minutes in first 10 games before injury... Scored 8 points, 4 rebounds in 10 mins vs. Denver on April 1... Had finest game since return from injury with 12 points (5-5 FG, 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 22 mins vs. Portland on March 5... Scored 6 points with 7 rebounds in 22 mins at Chicago on Feb. 24... Tallied season-best 14 points vs. Portland on Nov. 8... Tallied 12 points with 15 rebounds vs. Detroit on Nov 4. The 15 rebounds were his most since 11/2/99 when he had 19 at Denver... Scored 13 points (6-6 FG) and 8 rebounds at Dallas on Nov. 2. 2003 PLAYOFFS: Gugliotta averaged 2.5 points and one rebound against the Spurs in two games.
2001-02:
Suffered through another injury-riddled season in which he missed the final 18 games with a right foot stress fracture and 38 games on the season due to injury (Suns 14-24)... Grabbed 10-plus rebounds in four of his last nine games played and had all three of his double-doubles in that span... When he played 27-plus minutes Suns were 14-10... Hit for season-best 18 points (8-13 FG) at Portland on Dec. 1 with 11 points in the first half.
2000-01:
Was scheduled to miss up to one year after undergoing left knee surgery on March 17, 2000 but missed only the first eight games and was activated on Nov. 17... Played in 57 games with two starts.... Scored 10-plus points 17 times (Suns 13-4) and he tallied double figures 11 times in his last 25 games... Had top stretch in March with averages of 10.0 points and 6.3 rebounds... Eight of his 17 10-point games came in March... Suns were 22-9 when he played 20-plus points minutes... Tallied fourth double-double of season with 14 points, 10 rebounds in 32 minutes vs. Cleveland on March 28... Hit game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left vs. Houston on March 11 and finished the game 5-5 FG after starting 0-6 FG. Finished with 12 points and nine rebounds with eight points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter... Posted season high in points for second-straight game at Denver on March 6 with 25 points (17 in first half) in season-best 35 minutes... Missed four games from Feb. 14-21 due to mother Helen's death and missed eight games from Jan. 19-31 to be with her in New York... Missed Jan. 2 Sacramento game and was fined $10,000 after an altercation with Corliss Williamson on Dec. 30 vs. Toronto. 2001 PLAYOFFS : Appeared in all four games against Sacramento, averaging 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds.
1999-00:
Missed the remainder of the season and didn't participate in the 2000 Olympic Games after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and damaging his meniscal attachment in his left knee on March 10... Totaled 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 98-89 win in San Antonio on Feb. 21... Logged 21 points and 15 rebounds in a 101-99 win in Denver on Jan. 21... Scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds, in a 107-102 loss in Denver on Nov 2.
1998-99:
Scored a game-high 33 points (12-17 FG, 9-10 FT) and grabbed 5 rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs on March 12... Posted a game-high 29 points (9-14 FG), 13 rebounds and 3 assists in a 115-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 7... Made his Suns debut, totaling game-highs of 24 points and 17 rebounds, in a 101-92 win over the L.A. Clippers on 2/5. 1999 PLAYOFFS: Played in all three games against Portland, averaging 10.7 points and team-best 8.3 rebounds, while adding 3.3 assists.
1997-98:
Placed on the injured list on 2/24 and underwent surgery on March 4 to repair bone spurs and bone chips in his right ankle and is expected to miss the remainder of the season... Posted a season-high 33 points (16-26 FG), 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in a 116-115 overtime win over the Houston Rockets on Jan. 16... Recorded team-highs of 19 points and 17 rebounds, including 7 offensive boards, against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 22...
Scored a team-high 30 points, adding 7 rebounds and 3 assists, in a 94-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 17...Totaled 17 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 blocked shots and 3 steals in a 101-90 win over the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 5... Registered 20 points (9-13 FG), 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals in a 107-90 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 18... Recorded a game-high 29 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in a 97-90 win over the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 8.
1996-97:
Gugliotta had an All-Star year in 1996-97, becoming (with Kevin Garnett) the first Minnesota player to be chosen for the midwinter classic. In a brilliant all-around performance, he averaged a career-high 20.6 points plus 8.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.60 steals and 1.10 blocks. He led the Timberwolves in scoring (16th in the NBA), rebounding and steals, was second in assists and fourth in shotblocking... Gugliotta started 81 games, missing the Jan. 25 game at Portland due to lower back stiffness, and scored in double figures in 77 of them. He had 30 points or more seven times, with a high of 35 in a 115-101 loss at Charlotte on Feb. 4. His 20.6 ppg was the highest scoring average for a Minnesota player since Tony Campbell's 21.8 ppg in 1990-91... He led the team in scoring 40 times, rebounding 38 times and assists 15 times... He grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds, one off his career-high, in a 94-84 win at Boston on Jan. 3, a game in which he also scored 32 points and handed out seven assists, leading the team in all three categories... Gugliotta played 19 minutes in the All-Star Game as a reserve, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds. He also had three assists and two steals. 1997 PLAYOFFS:
In the playoffs against Houston he averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.33 steals in 40.3 minutes in his first postseason action. His best game was Game 3, when he had 27 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
1995-96:
Gugliotta enjoyed a solid season with Minnesota while things were changing around him, with the departure of Christian Laettner, the arrival of Andrew Lang and the emergence of Kevin Garnett in the frontcourt alone... Gugliotta ranked second on the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game and led the team with a franchise-record 8.8 rebounds per game. His 1.78 steals per game ranked 10th in the NBA and were the most by any non-guard in the league. He also contributed 3.1 assists and 1.23 blocks per game, shooting career-highs of .471 from the field and .773 from the line... He scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds at Dallas on Feb. 3, the first 20-20 game in franchise history. He led the team in scoring 15 times and rebounding 42 times and tied a club record with 28 double-doubles, scoring in double figures in 42 of his last 47 games.
1994-95:
One of the league's most promising all-around talents, Gugliotta landed with the Timberwolves in 1994-95 following two high-profile trades. Two weeks into the season he was sent from the Washington Bulls along with three first-round draft choices to the Golden State Warriors for forward 1993-94 NBA Rookie of the Year Chris Webber. Then, on February 18, "Googs" was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for rookie forward Donyell Marshall. Gugliotta contributed immediately, collecting 11 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 7 steals in his Wolves debut against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 21. All of his steals came in the second quarter... Gugliotta went on to lead Minnesota in assists (4.5 apg) and steals (1.97 per game). His thefts total ranked second among NBA forwards behind league-leader Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls. In his 31 games with the Wolves, Gugliotta recorded at least one steal in all but two outings. He was Minnesota's third-leading scorer (14.4 ppg) and second-best rebounder (7.2 rpg). His value to the club was further evidenced by the fact that the Wolves lost all eight games in which he failed to score at least 10 points... Forced to adjust to two new systems during the year, the third-year forward posted career lows in scoring, rebounding, and minutes. He continued to work on his free-throw shooting and logged a .690 free-throw percentage, besting his previous career high by 5 percentage points. The Wolves had a difficult year, finishing at 21-61.
1993-94:
Gugliotta followed up a sensational rookie season with an even better sophomore campaign. The former NBA All-Rookie First Team selection improved in several statistical categories, including scoring (17.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.466), free-throw percentage (.685), and steals (2.21 per game). He ranked eighth in the NBA in steals and second among forwards behind the Chicago Bulls' Scottie Pippen. His total of 172 steals was six short of the club record set by Gus Williams in 1984-85, and his eight steals in a single game fell one short of the club mark held by Williams and Michael Adams... Gugliotta placed third on the Washington Bullets in scoring behind Rex Chapman and Don MacLean, and he led the team in several other areas, including rebounding (9.3 rpg), steals, games played (78), and minutes played (2,795). He also ranked second on the club in both assists (3.5 apg) and blocked shots (51)... Despite Gugliotta's all-around contributions, the Bullets finished at 24-58 and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year.
1992-93:
Nicknamed "Googs," Tom Gugliotta was the third player in North Carolina State history to compile more than 1,500 career points (1,536) and more than 800 career rebounds (820). He finished his career ranked among the top 15 players in almost every Wolfpack statistical category, numbers that impressed the Washington Bullets. The Bullets grabbed Gugliotta with the sixth overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft... Gugliotta capped a stellar rookie season by being selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He averaged 14.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, leading all rookies in assists (306) and steals (134) and finishing third among newcomers in rebounds... Gugliotta recorded his first career triple-double when he had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Indiana Pacers on December 5. He started in each of the 81 games in which he played, scoring in double figures 65 times... Although Gugliotta gave Washington reason to be optimistic, he couldn't prevent the Bullets from finishing last in the Atlantic Division, with a 22-60 record.
COLLEGE:
"Googs" was a superstar at North Carolina State, where he became only the third player in school history to amass more than 1,500 points and 800 rebounds. As a testament to his versatility, in his senior year Gugliotta was the only player in the country to lead his conference in both scoring (22.5 ppg) and three-pointers per game (3.1). He also averaged 9.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists that year.
