Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On May 29, 1976, basketball player Raef LaFrentz was born in Hampton. A dominant force for MFL MarMac High School in Monona, LaFrentz went on to star at Kansas before spending eleven seasons in the NBA.
Playing for coach Eric Dettbarn at Monona, the 7’-tall LaFrentz turned heads while starring for MFL MarMac. Ron LaFrentz, an industrial arts teacher, also volunteered as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs during Raef’s high school career. Named a McDonald’s All-American and USA Today All-USA First Team selection, LaFrentz chose to head to Kansas much to the chagrin on many Iowans.
LaFrentz played alongside future NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce while at Kansas, and helped lead the team to Final Four and national runner-up during the 1996-1997 season. While at Kansas, LaFrentz put up a career average of 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game while amassing 2,066 career points and 1,186 career rebounds.
The third overall pick of the Denver Nuggets in the 1998 Draft, LaFrentz went on to a long NBA career where he played for the Nuggets, Mavericks, Celtics, and Train Blazers. In a full-circle move, the former hardwood star followed in his father’s footsteps to take an assistant job at Decorah where his four sons attend school. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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