# Tommy Rutherford
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Rutherford
> Source revision: 1354768040
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Tommy Rutherford
| image =
| caption =
| position = [Center](/source/Center_(basketball))
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8.3
| height_m = 2.04
| weight_lb = 240
| league = [LKL](/source/Lietuvos_krep%C5%A1inio_lyga)
| team = Jonava Hipocredit
| number = 42
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|1|9}}
| birth_place = [San Diego, California](/source/San_Diego), U.S.
| high_school = [Grossmont](/source/Grossmont_High_School) ([El Cajon, California](/source/El_Cajon%2C_California))
| college = [UC Irvine](/source/UC_Irvine_Anteaters_men's_basketball) (2016–2020)
| draft_year = 2020
| career_start = 2020
| career_end =
| years1 = 2020–2021
| team1 = [Racing Luxembourg](/source/Basket_Racing_Club_Luxembourg)
| years2 = 2021–2022
| team2 = [Starwings Basel](/source/Starwings_Basel)
| years3 = 2022–2023
| team3 = [ZZ Leiden](/source/ZZ_Leiden)
| years4 = 2023–2024
| team4 = [Neptūnas Klaipėda](/source/BC_Nept%C5%ABnas)
| years5 = [2024](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_NBA_G_League_season)
| team5 = [South Bay Lakers](/source/South_Bay_Lakers)
| years6 = [2025](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_NBA_G_League_season)
| team6 = [Motor City Cruise](/source/Motor_City_Cruise)
| years7 = 2025–2026
| team7 = [BC Kalev](/source/BC_Kalev)
| years8 = 2026–present
| team8 = [Jonava Hipocredit](/source/BC_Jonava)
| highlights =
* [BNXT League](/source/BNXT_League) champion ([2023](/source/2022%E2%80%9323_BNXT_League))
* [BNXT Dutch Finals MVP](/source/BNXT_League_National_Finals_MVP) (2023)
* [Dutch League champion](/source/List_of_Dutch_basketball_champions) (2023)
* [Dutch Cup](/source/Basketball_Cup_(Netherlands)) winner ([2023](/source/2022%E2%80%9323_Dutch_Basketball_Cup))
* First-team All-[Big West](/source/Big_West_Conference) (2018)
* [Big West](/source/Big_West_Conference) Hustle Player of The Year (2019)
}}
'''Thomas Rutherford'''[{{cite web|title=Thomas Rutherford|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/players/302919-thomas-rutherford|work=FIBA Basketball|access-date=December 7, 2024}}] (born January 9, 1997) is an American professional [basketball](/source/basketball) player for [Jonava Hipocredit](/source/BC_Jonava) of the [Lithuanian Basketball League](/source/Lietuvos_krep%C5%A1inio_lyga) (LKL). Listed at {{convert|6|ft|8.3|in|m|2}} and {{convert|240|lbs|kg|0}}, he plays the [center](/source/center_(basketball)) position. He played [college basketball](/source/college_basketball) for the [UC Irvine Anteaters](/source/UC_Irvine_Anteaters_men's_basketball).
==College career==
After graduating [Grossmont High School](/source/Grossmont_High_School), Rutherford played with the [UC Irvine Anteaters men's basketball](/source/UC_Irvine_Anteaters_men's_basketball) team from 2016 to 2020.[{{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}}] He was a first-team All-[Big West](/source/Big_West_Conference) in 2018.[{{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}}]
In the 2021–22 season, Rutherford played in Switzerland for [Starwings Basel](/source/Starwings_Basel). He averaged 15.3 points and a league-leading 11.4 rebounds per game in the [Swiss Basketball League](/source/Swiss_Basketball_League) (SBL).[{{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}}] With Leiden, he won the [Dutch Cup](/source/Dutch_Basketball_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](/source/BNXT_League_National_Finals_MVP) after the series.[{{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}}]
On August 2, 2023, Rutherford signed with [Neptūnas Klaipėda](/source/BC_Nept%C5%ABnas) of the [Lithuanian Basketball League](/source/Lietuvos_krep%C5%A1inio_lyga) (LKL).[{{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}}]
On October 26, 2024, Rutherford joined the [Santa Cruz Warriors](/source/Santa_Cruz_Warriors) after being selected in the 2024 NBA G League draft.[{{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}}] However, he was waived on November 6[{{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}}] and on December 6, he joined the [South Bay Lakers](/source/South_Bay_Lakers),[{{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}}] but was waived on December 13.[{{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}}]
On January 11, 2025, Rutherford joined the [Motor City Cruise](/source/Motor_City_Cruise).[{{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}}]
In August 13, 2025, it was announced that Rutherford will join Estonian club [Kalev](/source/BC_Kalev) of the [Korvpalli Meistriliiga](/source/Korvpalli_Meistriliiga) for the 2025–26 season.[{{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}}]
On February 24, 2026, Rutherford signed with [Jonava Hipocredit](/source/BC_Jonava) of the [Lithuanian Basketball League](/source/Lietuvos_krep%C5%A1inio_lyga) (LKL).[{{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}}]
==Personal life==
Rutherford has an older brother and an older sister. He studied [civil engineering](/source/civil_engineering) at the [University of California, Irvine](/source/University_of_California%2C_Irvine).