Flashback: Family, civic duties keep 7-footer moving

Athlete: Blair Rasmussen, Auburn High School, Class of 1981

Sport: Basketball

High-school rewind: The 7-foot Rasmussen was the first Auburn player to score 1,000 career points, averaging 23. He led the Trojans to fourth place at the 1981 state tournament.

After high school: Rasmussen started at center for four years at Oregon, and was named to three straight All-Pac-10 teams. He still owns school records for blocked shots in a game (eight), season (42) and career (116) and is in the Oregon and Pac-10 halls of fame.

Rasmussen was a first-round NBA draft pick (15th overall) in 1985 by the Denver Nuggets, and played eight seasons before injuries cut short his career.

Personal: Rasmussen, 43, lives on Mercer Island with his wife, Sarah, and five children — Christine, Sam, Sabrina, Joe and Jack.

Fast Forward: Civic and family responsibilities keep Rasmussen on the move, which happens when you have five kids ages 8 to 18. Sam is a 6-4 sophomore basketball player at Mercer Island who split time between the junior varsity and varsity. Christine is a 5-11 senior volleyball player.

After retiring from the NBA, Rasmussen coached the Mercer Island High School girls basketball team for six years.

"I have done a lot of coaching, but it wasn't a great fit for me," Rasmussen said. "I never intended to coach once my kids were older."

Rasmussen is involved in many community activities, including a joint effort by the city of Mercer Island, the Boys and Girls Club and the Mercer Island School District to build a multi-sport youth athletic complex.

Rasmussen looks back fondly on a pro basketball career that bridged the careers of 1970s stars like Julius Erving and later stars like Michael Jordan.

"I loved playing in the NBA," he said. "I was able to play during what I call a 'sweet spot' in the league.

"What I miss most is the teammates. I miss the simple things like card playing on the plane and the laughter between the guys and that kind of thing. Overall, basketball really has left me with so many lasting fond memories."

Cory Kellogg