Theo Ratliff

Theo Curtis Ratliff (born April 17, 1973 in Demopolis, Alabama) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He primarily plays the center position, and is known as an excellent shot-blocker.

Related Topics:
April 17 - 1973 - Demopolis, Alabama - American - Basketball - Portland Trail Blazers - NBA

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Ratliff player basketball at Demepolis High School; and later attended college at the University of Wyoming for four years. He was selected with the 18th pick of the 1995 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, and played with the Pistons for 2 1/2 years. In the 1998-99 season he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He played in Philadelphia for 3 seasons, and was a key fixture in the 2001-2002 team that made it to the NBA finals; unfortunately it was without Ratliff who was traded at the trading deadline to the Atlanta Hawks for Dikembe Mutombo. He missed most of the next season due to injury, but rebounded to post 262 blocks the next year with the Hawks. In the 2003-2004 season (his best year as a pro), he recorded a league-leading 307 blocked shots; despite a trade to the Portland Trail Blazers, along with Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person. After the 2004 season, he signed a lengthy contract with the Blazers; however was not as effective in 2004-2005 as he had been the previous season. As a result, midway through the seasn, he lost his starting job to Joel Przybilla. Ratliff remains under contract with the Trail Blazers.

Related Topics:
Demepolis High School - University of Wyoming - 1995 NBA Draft - Detroit Pistons - Philadelphia 76ers - Atlanta Hawks - Dikembe Mutombo - Portland Trail Blazers - Shareef Abdur-Rahim - Dan Dickau - Rasheed Wallace - Wesley Person - Joel Przybilla

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