{{short description|American basketball player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Tommy Rutherford | image = | caption = | position = Center | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 8.3 | height_m = 2.04 | weight_lb = 240 | league = LKL | team = Jonava Hipocredit | number = 42 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|1|9}} | birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S. | high_school = Grossmont (El Cajon, California) | college = UC Irvine (2016–2020) | draft_year = 2020 | career_start = 2020 | career_end = | years1 = 2020–2021 | team1 = Racing Luxembourg | years2 = 2021–2022 | team2 = Starwings Basel | years3 = 2022–2023 | team3 = ZZ Leiden | years4 = 2023–2024 | team4 = Neptūnas Klaipėda | years5 = 2024 | team5 = South Bay Lakers | years6 = 2025 | team6 = Motor City Cruise | years7 = 2025–2026 | team7 = BC Kalev | years8 = 2026–present | team8 = Jonava Hipocredit | highlights = * BNXT League champion (2023) * BNXT Dutch Finals MVP (2023) * Dutch League champion (2023) * Dutch Cup winner (2023) * First-team All-Big West (2018) * Big West Hustle Player of The Year (2019) }} '''Thomas Rutherford'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Rutherford|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/players/302919-thomas-rutherford|work=FIBA Basketball|access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref> (born January 9, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Jonava Hipocredit of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). Listed at {{convert|6|ft|8.3|in|m|2}} and {{convert|240|lbs|kg|0}}, he plays the center position. He played college basketball for the UC Irvine Anteaters.
==College career== After graduating Grossmont High School, Rutherford played with the UC Irvine Anteaters men's basketball team from 2016 to 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Tommy Rutherford - Men's Basketball |url=https://ucirvinesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tommy-rutherford/4373 |access-date=June 18, 2023 |website=UCI Athletics |language=en}}</ref> He was a first-team All-Big West in 2018.<ref name=":2" />
==Professional career== Rutherford started his professional career in 2020, when he played his rookie season with Racing Luxembourg in the Luxembourg League. He averaged a double-double of 19.7 points and a league-leading 16.5 rebounds per game.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Sportiw - Profile of Tommy Rutherford ,player |url=https://sportiw.com/en/athletes/Rutherford.Tommy/27775 |access-date=June 18, 2023 |website=Sportiw |language=en}}</ref>
In the 2021–22 season, Rutherford played in Switzerland for Starwings Basel. He averaged 15.3 points and a league-leading 11.4 rebounds per game in the Swiss Basketball League (SBL).<ref name=":1" />
On August 22, 2022, Rutherford signed with Dutch club ZZ Leiden of the BNXT League.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=ZZ Leiden {{!}} ZZ Leiden legt Thomas Rutherford vast |url=https://www.eredivisiebasketballleiden.nl/actueel/nieuws/bericht/zz-leiden-legt-thomas-rutherford-vast |access-date=June 18, 2023 |website=www.eredivisiebasketballleiden.nl |language=nl}}</ref> With Leiden, he won the Dutch Cup, Dutch League and BNXT championship in the 2022–23 season. In Game 5 of the Dutch League finals, Rutherford scored the decisive two free-throws that sealed Leiden's fifth national title. He was also named Dutch Finals MVP after the series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ZZ LEIDEN KROONT ZICH TOT KAMPIOEN VAN NEDERLAND |url=https://bnxtleague.com/nl/nieuwsvideo/zz-leiden-kroont-zich-tot-kampioen-van-nederland |access-date=June 18, 2023 |website=bnxtleague.com}}</ref>
On August 2, 2023, Rutherford signed with Neptūnas Klaipėda of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Neptunas sign a second foreign player, ex ZZ Leiden|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Lithuania/news/822277/Neptunas-sign-a-second-foreign-player,-ex-ZZ-Leiden|website=eurobasket.com|date=August 3, 2023|access-date=August 14, 2023}}</ref>
On October 26, 2024, Rutherford joined the Santa Cruz Warriors after being selected in the 2024 NBA G League draft.<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz Warriors Select Seth Maxwell, Tommy Rutherford, and Devine Eke in the 2024 NBA G League Draft|url=https://santacruz.gleague.nba.com/news/santa-cruz-warriors-select-seth-maxwell-tommy-rutherford-and-devine-eke-in-the-2024-nba-g-league-draft|website=NBA.com|date=October 26, 2024|access-date=October 27, 2024}}</ref> However, he was waived on November 6<ref>{{cite web|title=2024-2025 Santa Cruz Warriors Transaction History|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/gleague/teams/Santa-Cruz-Warriors/35/Transaction_History/2025|website=RealGM.com|access-date=November 7, 2024}}</ref> and on December 6, he joined the South Bay Lakers,<ref>{{cite web|title=South Bay Lakers Sign Forward Tommy Rutherford|url=https://southbay.gleague.nba.com/news/south-bay-lakers-sign-forward-tommy-rutherford|website=NBA.com|date=December 6, 2024|access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref> but was waived on December 13.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Bay Lakers Sign Guard Devonte' Graham|url=https://southbay.gleague.nba.com/news/south-bay-lakers-sign-guard-devonte-graham|website=NBA.com|date=December 13, 2024|access-date=December 13, 2024}}</ref>
On January 11, 2025, Rutherford joined the Motor City Cruise.<ref>{{cite tweet|author=Motor City Cruise|title=Welcome to the 313, Tommy!💙 OFFICIAL- We have acquired center Tommy Rutherford off the available player pool.|number=1878199830515687736|user=MotorCityCruise|date=January 11, 2025|access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref>
In August 13, 2025, it was announced that Rutherford will join Estonian club Kalev of the Korvpalli Meistriliiga for the 2025–26 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kalev/Cramo täiendas eesliini NBA tütarliigas mänginud ameeriklasega|url=https://sport.err.ee/1609769496/kalev-cramo-taiendas-eesliini-nba-tutarliigas-manginud-ameeriklasega|date=13 August 2025|accessdate=13 August 2025}}</ref>
On February 24, 2026, Rutherford signed with Jonava Hipocredit of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).<ref>{{cite web|title=Jonaviečių gretas papildė Lietuvoje jau rungtyniavęs aukštaūgis|url=https://bcjonavahipocredit.lt/naujienos/jonavieciu-gretas-papilde-lietuvoje-jau-rungtyniaves-aukstaugis|website=bcjonavahipocredit.lt|language=lt|date=24 February 2026|accessdate=26 February 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Rutherford has an older brother and an older sister. He studied civil engineering at the University of California, Irvine.<ref name=":0" />
==References== <references />
==External links== *[https://ucirvinesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tommy-rutherford/4373 UC Irvine Anteaters bio] *[https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Tommy-Rutherford/Summary/85674 RealGM profile]
{{BC Jonava current roster}} {{BNXT League National Finals MVP}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rutherford, Tommy}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriate basketball people in Estonia Category:American expatriate basketball people in Lithuania Category:American expatriate basketball people in Luxembourg Category:American expatriate basketball people in the Netherlands Category:American expatriate basketball people in Switzerland Category:Basketball players from San Diego Category:BC Kalev/Cramo players Category:BC Neptūnas players Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Grossmont High School alumni Category:Motor City Cruise players Category:South Bay Lakers players Category:Sportspeople from El Cajon, California Category:Starwings Basel players Category:UC Irvine Anteaters men's basketball players Category:ZZ Leiden players Category:American men's basketball players