THE MATADORS…
IN THE LEAGUE
The rich history of the AWC Men’s Basketball Program has sent countless numbers of student-athletes to
NCAA Division I programs… and beyond. Here are three shining examples of hard work, perseverance,
and dedication that defied the odds, and used their athletic and academic opportunities while at Arizona
Western College to help propel them to the NBA.
Nate Archibald
MAIN NBA TEAMS:
AWC Matadors: 1966-67
Texas-El Paso: 1967-70
NBA Career: 1970-1984
Archibald-who was called ‘Nat’ at the time-set the tone for the Matadors’ program by averaging nearly 30 points
per game during the 1967 season. “Tiny” then moved on to play 3 very successful seasons under the legendary
Don Haskins at the University of Texas-El Paso until the Cincinnati Royals made him a 2nd-round draft pick in the
1970 NBA Draft. Archibald was a backup point guard for his first two seasons in Cincinnati, but as the team
moved in 1972-and became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, Archibald moved into the starting lineup, and made
history by being only the player in NBA history to lead the league in points (34) and assists (11.4) in the same
season. After six successful seasons with the Kings, Archibald spent two injury-plagued years in New York and
Buffalo before resurrecting his career as part of the Boston Celtics, winning an NBA title in 1981. Archibald spent
five seasons playing with Bird, McHale & Parrish at the Boston Garden. Nate retired in 1984 after spending his
final season in a Milwaukee Bucks’ uniform after garnering 6 All-Star Game selections, an All-Star Game MVP
Award, and three NBA All-1st Team honors. Nate was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991, and
named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
MAIN NBA TEAMS:
Trevor Ruffin
AWC Matadors: 1991-92
U of Hawaii: 1992-94
NBA Career: 1994-1996
Ruffin was a Matadors’ standout during the 1991-92 season, averaging 20 points per game in Chic Hess’s final
year as head coach. Ruffin then played for the University of Hawaii, scoring nearly 1000 points for Hawaii in two
years, making All-WAC honors, and leading Hawaii to the WAC Tournament Championship. Undrafted, Ruffin
signed with the Phoenix Suns, and his outside shooting was huge in getting the injury-riddled Suns to the 1995
playoffs. In 1995, Ruffin headed overseas to PAOK (Greek Pro League), but became homesick, and returned to
his hometown of Buffalo, New York, just in time to get the call from the Philadelphia 76ers, who signed him for
the remainder of the 1995-96 season. Ruffin spent the 1996 preseason with the Los Angeles Lakers before being
their final preseason cut. Since then, he has played overseas until coming home to play in his hometown for the
ABA’s Buffalo Rapids last year, and in November 2006 was named head coach of the organization-now known as
the Buffalo Silverbacks.
MAIN NBA TEAMS:
Rafael Araujo
AWC Matadors: 2000-02
Brigham Young: 2003-04
NBA Career: 2004-present
He wasn’t the first man from Brazil that AWC Head Coach Kelly Green had recruited-only the best. ‘Baby’ arrived
at AWC in the summer of 2000, and made an immediate impact on the Matadors’ fortunes. The Sao Paulo native
averaged a double-double in points and rebounds in 2001-02, and was named the 2001-02 Region I MVP as well
as All-Region I and All-ACCAC both seasons. BYU offered him a scholarship, and from there, Araujo took the
Mountain West Conference by storm, again averaging double figures in points and rebounds his junior year. After
being named the Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2004, Araujo made AWC history as the
highest NBA draft pick ever to come out from here when the Toronto Raptors surprised many, and snatched up
the 6’11” center with the #8 pick in the 1st round of the 2004 NBA Draft. In his first two NBA seasons, Araujo
has fought to get significant playing time, but the trade this past June that sent Araujo from Toronto to the Utah
Jazz is expected to give ‘Baby’ a new lease on life, and a chance to make the impact that everyone expects him
to make.