JaRon Rush

JaRon Maurice Rush (born April 12, 1979) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. A small forward from Kansas City, Missouri, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. Undrafted in the 2000 NBA draft, Rush played two seasons professionally for the Los Angeles Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the Roanoke Dazzle of the NBA Development League (D-League).

JaRon Rush
Personal information
Born (1979-04-12) April 12, 1979
Kansas City, Missouri
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High schoolThe Pembroke Hill School
(Kansas City, Missouri)
CollegeUCLA (1998–2000)
NBA draft2000 / Undrafted
Playing career2000–2001
PositionSmall forward
Coaching career2018–present
Career history
As player:
2000–2001Los Angeles Stars
2001Roanoke Dazzle
As coach:
2018–2019Kansas City Tornadoes (player development)
Career highlights and awards

Career

Rush played at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he and Dan Gadzuric were both named the team's most valuable freshman in 1999.[1] He was also named to the Pacific-10 Conference All-Freshman team.[2] In his sophomore year, he hit a jumper with three seconds remaining to defeat then-No. 1-ranked Stanford in a 94–93 overtime road upset.[3][4] Believing he would be a first-round pick, he declared for the 2000 NBA Draft but was not selected.[5][6] The Los Angeles Daily News later called Rush "UCLA's poster child for an ill-advised exit."[7]

Rush was drafted in the ABA in 2000 by the Kansas City Knights. He was traded before the start of the season to the Los Angeles Stars, where he played the 2000–2001 season.[8][9] He entered into rehab for alcoholism in 2001. He was the final cut of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association during their 2001 training camp.[10] He played 14 games for the Roanoke Dazzle in the D-League and averaged just 1.8 points before being granted his unconditional release in December 2001.[9][10] He was signed to the Knights' practice squad in January 2002 before being cut in February for missing practice.[10][11] He went into rehab again and retired from basketball that year.[6] Rush accepted a job as freshman girls B-team basketball coach at Blue Valley Northwest High School in 2006.[12] He was employed at a public relations firm in 2007 while finishing college.[13]

He played high school basketball at The Pembroke Hill School, leading the team to three state championships. The state titles were eventually stripped after AAU Coach Myron Piggie pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for paying $35,500 to five high school players on his Kansas City-based team from 1996-98. The players, aside from JaRon and his younger brother Kareem, were Corey Maggette, Korleone Young and Andre Williams.[14]

Rush won the James A. DiRenna Award as the best basketball player in the Kansas City metro area, winning it outright as a sophomore and junior, and sharing the award with Victor Williams of Wyandotte High School (and later Oklahoma State) as a senior.

Personal

Rush's younger brothers Kareem and Brandon are also professional basketball players. With ex-girlfriend Sarah Hofstra, he had a son, Shea, who was born during his senior year in high school. In 2013, Shea made the basketball team as a high school freshman at The Barstow School in Kansas City. Rush, who is living in Kansas City, meets with his son regularly and they enjoy playing basketball together.[15] His son committed to play for North Carolina and head coach Roy Williams in 2016.

References
  1. "2011–12 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). UCLA Athletic Department. 2011. p. 113. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 5, 2012.
  2. Tomasson, Chris (June 26, 2003). "Playing numbers game for a profit Nuggets' Andersen willing to give up No. 15—for a price". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  3. Emmons, Mark (March 23, 2007). "Kansas set for Rush hour". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  4. Wilner, Jon (March 13, 2008). "Stanford had better flush its UCLA hangover". The Oakland Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  5. Carr, Janis (June 28, 2002). "Draft selection a Rush for siblings". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  6. Wharton, David (February 25, 2007). "Drinking was his big problem". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012.
  7. Painter, Jill (January 8, 2004). "Playing weight 'n' see if NBA beckons, is UCLA's Ariza physically ready?". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  8. Crowe, Jerry (December 14, 2000). "Former Bruin Rush Returning to L.A." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  9. "JaRon Rush Dropped from Knights Team". Associated Press. February 14, 2002. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  10. Wahl, Grant (February 18, 2002). "Reversal Of Fortunes". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  11. "JaRon Rush pleads guilty on DUI charge". SI.com. Associated Press. August 6, 2002. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012.
  12. Bedore, Gary (October 16, 2006). "Collison stuck in visitor's locker". Journal-World. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  13. Ryan, John (March 12, 2007). "The five W's: What San Jose has in store". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2012.(subscription required)
  14. at minute 27:00, ESPN, retrieved Feb. 23, 2011
  15. Mellinger, Sam (February 16, 2013). "Shea Rush is making his own way". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013.
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