Tim Legler
He transformed from a journeyman NBA sharpshooter into one of basketball's most trusted and clear-eyed television analysts.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American basketball player·Birthday: December 26·Generation X
Biography
Tim Legler's path in basketball was defined by perseverance. After a standout college career at La Salle, he bounced around the NBA's periphery for years, a reliable shooter fighting for a roster spot. His breakthrough came with the Washington Bullets (later Wizards), where in the 1995-96 season he led the entire league in three-point percentage, a stunning feat of precision. Injuries ultimately shortened his playing days, but they opened the door to his second act. Legler brought the same work ethic to broadcasting, joining ESPN and becoming a fixture. His analysis is prized for its lack of pretense; he breaks down plays with the detail of a coach and the straightforward clarity of a former player who knows what it's like to earn every minute.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tim was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NBA Three-Point Contest in 1996.
- Led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (52.2%) during the 1995-96 season.
- Played for six different teams over a ten-year NBA career as a valued role player and specialist.
- Became a long-tenured and respected NBA analyst for ESPN, known for his technical breakdowns.
Did You Know?
He set an NBA record for consecutive three-pointers made in a single game without a miss, going 8-for-8 in 1996 (a record since tied).
Legler worked as an assistant coach at his alma mater, La Salle University, after his playing career ended.
He is a frequent guest and co-host on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“I spent years on the fringe, but my shot was always my ticket.”
