Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Rodney “Rod” Strickland is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach, renowned for his exceptional skills as a point guard during his 17-year NBA career.
Player Profile
Personal Information:
- Full Name: Rodney Strickland
- Nationality: American
- Date of Birth: July 11, 1966
- Hometown: Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
- Height: 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm)
- Weight: 175 pounds (79 kg)
- Wingspan: 6 feet 4 inches
- Position: Point Guard
- Jersey Number: 1
Education:
- High School: Harry S. Truman High School, Bronx, New York; Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
- College: DePaul University
Professional Career:
- NBA Draft: Selected in the 1st round (19th overall) by the New York Knicks in the 1988 NBA Draft
- Teams Played For:
- New York Knicks (1988–1990)
- San Antonio Spurs (1990–1992)
- Portland Trail Blazers (1992–1996)
- Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996–2001)
- Miami Heat (2001)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (2001–2002)
- Orlando Magic (2002–2003)
- Toronto Raptors (2003–2004)
- Houston Rockets (2004)
- NBA Championship Rings: None
Career Highlights:
- Led the NBA in assists per game during the 1997–98 season
- Named to the All-NBA Second Team in 1998
- Scored over 14,000 points and recorded nearly 8,000 assists during his NBA career
Post-Retirement:
- Served in various coaching and administrative roles, including positions at the University of Memphis and the University of Kentucky
- Assistant coach for the South Florida Bulls from 2014 to 2017
- Appointed head coach at Long Island University in 2022
Personal Life:
- Family: Rod Strickland is the godfather of NBA player Kyrie Irving.
- Siblings: Information about his siblings is not publicly available.
Player Archetype / Play Style
Rod Strickland fit the archetype of a crafty lead guard, a slashing playmaker whose game was built more on handle, touch, and improvisation than on pull-up volume or overpowering size. Defensively, he was typically a point-of-attack guard assignment, relying more on instincts and quick hands than on physical force or shutdown length. Offensively, he ran the show as a primary creator, collapsing defenses off the dribble, threading passes in tight spaces, and finishing at the rim with unusual creativity for a guard. Physically, Strickland was listed at 6’3″ and 185 pounds by NBA.com, with enough size for the position but a style driven more by balance, change of pace, and body control than by explosiveness alone. His overall play style was slippery and inventive: a smooth floor general who lived in the lane, manipulated angles, and turned broken-looking drives into clean layups or sharp setups for teammates. (NBA)
Sources: Rod Strickland player profile — NBA.com; Top 5 all-time assist leaders for the Washington Wizards — NBA.com; This Day in History: Rod Strickland spin move & handle — NBA.com; Washington Wizards single-season assists per game leaders — NBA.com