Famous Dutch People

Famous Dutch People - Sports

I'm BACK! Allow me to extend my sincere apologies to my one reader (wink) but I have been very very bad in keeping this updated like I said I would. I've been going to lots of basketball games and many new happenings have kept me from my promise to keep the world updated to all things Dutch.....

Today, since I'm in a basketball mood and I saw a video of him on my favorite teams website; I thought I would introduce to you,

Rik Smits - (picture) otherwise known as the Dunkin' Dutchman. Measuring in at 7 foot 4 inches tall he was born August 1966 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Rik attended Marist college (located near Poughkeepsie NY I had to look it up) and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 2nd pick in the 1988 draft. He spent his whole career (12 seasons) at Indiana. He retired due to foot problems that had plagued him throughout his career after the Pacers lost in the Finals to the Lakers in 2000.

Rik likes to collect and race vintage cars and motorcycles. In the recent interview Rik stated that both his children are playing basketball and have inherited his height genes. His daughter is 6'2" while his son at the age of 14 is already 6'3". He wears a size 20 shoe and currently lives in Zionsville IN; northwest of Indianapolis.

One of my biggest memories of Rik was during the 2000 playoff run where the whole team shaved their heads to "glide" through the playoffs (Baldy). Then again, Chris Mullin looked worse.

Comments

de Vries, Hans de Vries. Almost.

In 1967 THE James Bond (Sean Connery) decided to step away from the world of James Bond films. EOS studios thus had to find a replacement. It came down to 5 men. 2 Brits, an American, a Australian, and a Dutchman. John Richardson, Anthony Rogers, Robert Campbell, George Lazenby, and Hans de Vries. None of those names ring a bell? George Lazenby won the part for the 6th Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. A movie that has been lauded both as the worst and one of the best Bond films in the franchise. If you haven't seen it, you should. It was the Bond film that 'Breaks the Fourth Wall', Bond gets married, wears a kilt, and goes skiing. But the reason for this post is instead of this; (Yes, THAT is James Bond) We could of had this. Improvement? Probably not. He looks a wee bit angry. Plus, no one watches OHMSS anyway. So, did de Vries have a movie career after Bond? Ha, no. The only notable movie rolls I can find for him were pre bond. And that was ...

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