We don't have a lot of representatives from the state of South Dakota with NBA experience but one that not only got experience but made a long career of being in the NBA was Eric Piatkowski.

So whatever happened to South Dakota native Eric Piatkowski?

Lets go back before we go forward though.

He went to high school in Rapid City and eventually would take his talents to the University of Nebraska.

Nicknamed the "Polish Rifle", Piatkowski helped fans still have a interest in Nebraska sports outside the dominating run the football team was having at the same time he was in school.

It was capped off with a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1994 while averaging more than 20 PPG for the Huskers that season.

The Indiana Pacers would draft Piatkowski with the 15th pick in the NBA Draft.

He would never recapture the scoring numbers he had in college in the NBA, but he found a role and spent 14 years in the NBA.

He played for the Clippers for most of his career while having stops with the Rockets, Bulls and Suns as well.

After retiring from the NBA in 2008, Piatkowski has since been an analyst for Nebraska, had his number retired by the University and was actually a part of a group that tried to buy the LA Clippers back in 2014 from embattled owner Donald Sterling.

Piatkowski currently lives with his family in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

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