After playing college basketball for Iona, he started his professional career with FC Barcelona in the Liga ACB.

[6] Joining the Bullets for the 1981–82 NBA season,[7][8] Ruland played behind 32-year-old Spencer Haywood but had greater per-game averages than him during the same number of minutes.

[9] Seeing time at both forward and center, Ruland showed muscle at both ends of the floor and an accurate jump shot good from as far as 20 feet.

[10] That postseason, the Bullets swept the New Jersey Nets, before losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

[11] Ruland took over the starting power forward spot for the 1982–83 NBA season, and continued to back up at center for Washington.

[12] Leading coach Gene Shue's balanced team in scoring as well, Ruland earned a spot in the NBA All-Star Game that year.

On November 25 of that season, Ruland scored a career-high 38 points, and also grabbed 16 rebounds, in a win over the Detroit Pistons.

In the series, Ruland averaged 24 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 52% from the floor and 81% from the foul line against the eventual NBA champions.

[17] Traded to Philadelphia for Moses Malone the following season, Ruland played in five games before getting injured and subsequently retiring.

Yet during his tenure as head coach, he guided the Gaels to three 20-win seasons, three MAAC Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

[22] On July 16, 2007, Ruland was hired to replace Michael Cooper as the head coach of the NBA D-League's Albuquerque Thunderbirds.