Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Wayne Monte “Tree” Rollins is a retired American professional basketball player renowned for his defensive prowess and shot-blocking abilities. Below is an overview of his personal background and professional career:
Player Profile
- Full Name: Wayne Monte Rollins
- Nationality: American
- Date of Birth: June 16, 1955
- Place of Birth: Winter Haven, Florida, USA
- Hometown: Cordele, Georgia, USA
- Height: 7 feet 1 inch (216 cm)
- Weight: 235 pounds (107 kg)
- Wingspan: 7 feet 6 inches (229cm)
- Shoe Size: 20 (US)
- Jersey Number: 30
- Position: Center
- High School: Crisp County High School, Cordele, Georgia
- College: Clemson University
- NBA Draft: 1977, 1st round, 14th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks
- Teams Played For:
- Atlanta Hawks (1977–1988)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (1988–1989)
- Detroit Pistons (1989–1990)
- Houston Rockets (1990–1992)
- Orlando Magic (1993–1995)
- Championship Rings: None
- Children: Information not publicly available
- Siblings: Information not publicly available
Player Archetype / Play Style
Tree Rollins was a defense-first rim-protecting center, the kind of old-school anchor whose main value came from size, reach, and interior deterrence rather than shot creation. At 7-foot-1 and around 235 pounds, he had the length and standing size to patrol the paint, challenge everything near the basket, rebound in traffic, and serve as the back-line organizer of a half-court defense. Offensively, his role was narrow and functional: finish close to the rim, clean up misses, screen, and avoid wasting possessions, not operate as a featured scorer or playmaking hub. His overall style was rugged, disciplined, and highly specialized, built around shot-blocking, positional defense, and low-usage interior play, which is why he was most valuable when a team needed a true defensive anchor in the middle. Sources support that profile through his listed size, position, low-scoring offensive output, long shot-blocking résumé, and All-Defensive recognition. (Basketball Reference)
Sources: Tree Rollins Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft — Basketball-Reference; Tree Rollins | Center | Atlanta Hawks — NBA.com; Tree Rollins Career Stats – NBA — ESPN; Tree Rollins Biography — ESPN; Clemson Athletics Black History: Tree Rollins — Clemson Tigers