Tomjanovich was innate around Hamtramck, Michigan to a Croatian family. He attend senior high school within Hamtramck then to the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1970. Tomjanovich was selected in the 1970 NBA Draft as the 2nd pick per San Diego Rockets (after 1971 a Houston Rockets), for whom he would play the integrality of his NBA playing career.

Tomjanovich, though an fantabulous streaming video player, is mayhap better knhave for an unlucky incident non of his own making. In December 9, 1977, Kermit Washington threw a brutal punch which inflicted life-dangerous head injuries in Tomjanovich, allowing him sidelined for 5 months. He yet mass produced the to the full recovery. Around his eleven years in the NBthe, Tomjanovich got a scoring norm of Xvii.Quatern points & the rebounding norm of Octad.Single.

A Rockets retired Tomjanovich's #45 jersey upon a guide of his swimming career. (His collegial jersey, as well #45, was retired per University of Michigan inside 2003). He would late get a Rockets' head coach, leading the children to consecutive-to-back NBA championships around 1994 and 1995. Tomjanovich left a team fallowing a 2002-03 season as he was recovering from either bladder cancer.

Within 2004, Tomjanovich took over when a coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, replacing Phil Jackson. Fallowing good 41 games, he resigned due to health issues unrelated to his preceding bout using bladder cancer. Tomjanovich stayed by using a Lakers as a advisor.