Ricardo Ratliffe

In this Korean name, the family name is Ra.
Ricardo Ratliffe
No. 20 – Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots
PositionCenter
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1989-02-20) February 20, 1989 (age 35)
Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
NationalityAmerican / South Korean
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolKecoughtan (Hampton, Virginia)
College
NBA draft2012: undrafted
Playing career2012–present
Career history
2012–2015Mobis Phoebus
2015–2016Seoul Samsung Thunders
2016Star Hotshots
2016–2017Seoul Samsung Thunders
2017Star Hotshots
2017–2018Seoul Samsung Thunders
2018–2019Mobis Phoebus
2019–2024Jeonju / Busan KCC Egis
2024Changsha Wantian Yongsheng
2024–presentMagnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  South Korea
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place Jakarta–Palembang 2018 Team
William Jones Cup
Gold medal – first place 2014 Taipei
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Taipei

Ricardo Preston Ratliffe (Korean: 라건아; RR: Ra Gun-ah[1]; February 20, 1989) is an American-born South Korean basketball player for the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Ra played collegiately at the University of Missouri.

Early life and college career

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Ratliffe was born Ricardo Preston Ratliffe in Hampton, Virginia, played at Kecoughtan High School and the College of Central Florida. While there, he twice earned first team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American honors. He averaged 27.4 points and 11.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore.[2]

To complete his college career, Ratliffe chose Missouri over Alabama, Clemson and Arkansas. He averaged 10.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in his junior season and was named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year.[3]

In his senior season, Ratliffe helped lead the Tigers to a 30–5 record and a Big 12 tournament championship. Ratliffe averaged 13.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as the team's primary post presence. At the close of the season, Ratliffe was named second team All-Big 12.[2] On the season, Ratliffe attained a 69.3% field goal percentage, which led the nation for the 2011–12 season and was a Missouri and Big 12 Conference record.[2] Ratliffe spent much of the season chasing the all-time single-season NCAA record of 74.6%, held by Steve Johnson of Oregon State, leading the mark as late as February 2012.[4]

Following the close of the regular season, Ratliffe competed in the 2012 Reese's College All-Star Game at the 2012 Final Four. He scored 21 points and collected 10 rebounds to earn the West team's "Perfect Player" award.[5]

Professional career

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Following the close of his college career, Ratliffe was not selected in the 2012 NBA draft. However, he was the first American college player selected in the Korean Basketball League. He was selected sixth overall by Ulsan Mobis Phoebus and began his professional career with them in the 2012–13 season.[6]

In 2014, Ratliffe won the William Jones Cup MVP and joined teammates Chang Yong Song and Tae Young Moon on the tournament Best Five. At the William Jones Cup, He averaged 24.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.

On March 5, 2016, Ratliffe was signed by Star Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to replace Denzel Bowles who had to leave for the United States after the death of a relative.[7]

On May 9, 2017, Ratliffe was again called by the Star Hotshots as their import for the 2017 Commissioners Cup.[8] On Game 2 of the 2017 semifinal round against the San Miguel Beermen, Ratliffe recorded 25 points and a career-high 35 rebounds in a 76–77 loss to the Beermen.[9]

On November 11, 2019, Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus traded Ratliffe and Lee Dae-sung to Jeonju KCC Egis.[10]

Ratliffe re-signed with Jeonju KCC Egis on September 26, 2020. Ratliffe averaged 17 points, 10.3 rebounds, one steal and 1.3 blocks per game.[11]

On July 16, 2024, Ratliffe signed with Changsha Wantian Yongsheng of the National Basketball League.[12] He averaged 11.83 points, 6.75 rebounds, 1.42 assists in 20.41 minutes in 12 games.

National team career

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In January 2018, Ratliffe became a naturalized South Korean.[13] Ratliffe played for the South Korean national team against the North Korean national team in Pyongyang Arena, Pyongyang, during a July 2018 friendly match.[14] He was given the Korean name Ra Gun-ah after he was naturalized.[15]

At the 2019 FIBA World Cup, although playing in only five games, Ratliffe led the tournament with 23.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. The South Korean national team finished the tournament in 26th place of 32 teams, after being eliminated in preliminary group.

References

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  1. ^ "[Herald Interview] More than changing passport". June 29, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Ricardo Ratliffe Missouri bio". Missouri Tigers. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  3. ^ "2011 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards Announced". Big 12 Conference. March 6, 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  4. ^ Fallstrom, R. B. (February 14, 2012). "Ricardo Ratliffe chasing NCAA single-season accuracy mark". KSDK.com. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  5. ^ "Marquette's Crowder Leads East All-Stars to Win in Reese's College All-Star Game". National Association of Basketball Coaches. March 30, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  6. ^ Walentik, Steve (July 26, 2012). "Ratliffe drafted into Korean Basketball League". Columbia Tribune. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  7. ^ Sacamos, Karlo (March 5, 2016). "Star Hotshots to field new import Ricardo Ratliffe in place of Denzel Bowles in game against TNT Texters". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  8. ^ Beltran, Nelson (May 9, 2017). "Star Hotshots bring back Ratliffe". PhilStar. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  9. ^ "San Miguel 77 - Star 76". EuroBasket. June 12, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  10. ^ "현대모비스 이대성·라건아 KCC로 '전격 이적'…2대 4 트레이드". 연합뉴스. November 11, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "KCC Egis keep Ratliffe for another season". Asia Basket. September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  12. ^ "长沙湾田勇胜迎强援 美裔韩国球员罗健儿加盟". 长沙晚报掌上长沙. July 16, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  13. ^ Lee, Tae-dong (January 22, 2018). "U.S. Basketball Player Becomes Naturalized Korean". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  14. ^ Denney, Steven; Abrahamian, Andray (July 17, 2018). "A Black Korean in Pyongyang". Foreign Policy.
  15. ^ "Ra Guna leads fifth window Korean pool for Asian Qualifiers". FIBA.basketball. November 7, 2018.
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