At Minnesota, Rautins was named first-team All-Big Ten rookie, averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game.

He is the first player ever to record a triple-double in Big East play, accomplishing the feat twice in the span of a month during his senior year.

[3] The 6 ft 8 in, 215 lb Rautins was selected 17th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 draft, considered an excellent passer.

[3] Unknown to Rautins, he reported to training camp with torn ligaments in his foot[3] which was not treated properly and deteriorated during the season.

In September 1984, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers for a third-round pick to make room for Charles Barkley under the salary cap[2] but eventually signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks.

[11] On October 17, 2016, Rautins was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.

His parents met in a prison camp, from which they escaped with the help of Dutch soldiers, before emigrating to Canada, as it was the only country that would accept them.

[13][3] As a youth, he played for Toronto Aušra, a local sports club for children of Lithuanian descent.

[14] Rautins and his first wife Maria had four sons: Michael, Andrew (Andy), Jay and Sammy.