Nicolas Batum

Nicolas Batum in 2011
No. 88 – Portland Trail Blazers
Small forward / Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1988-12-14) December 14, 1988 (age 23) Lisieux, France
Nationality	French
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	2006–present
League	NBA
Career history
2006–2008	Le Mans (France)
2008–present	Portland Trail Blazers
2011	Nancy (France)
Career highlights and awards
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship MVP (2006)
Medals Men’s basketball Competitor for  France FIBA European Championship Silver 2011 Lithuania Team

Nicolas Batum (born December 14, 1988, in Lisieux^[1]) is a French basketball player with the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. The Blazers acquired his rights during the 2008 NBA Draft for the rights to Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey. Prior to the draft, Batum was considered one of the most talented young players in Europe.^[2] He was voted the most valuable player in the U-18 Albert Schweitzer Tournamentin Mannheim 2006.^[3]

The 6 foot 8 inch (2.03 m) Batum primarily plays small forward, although he is also capable of shifting to shooting guard and power forward as well.^[4]

Career[link]

French youth teams[link]

Batum won the 2004 FIBA European Championship with the French national team.^[1] The French team repeated as champion in the 2005 European Championship. Batum won the most valuable player award.^[1]

Albert Schweitzer Tournament[link]

Batum was named the most valuable player of the 2006 U18 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim.^[1] He won the tournament with the French national team.

Batum averaged 19 points, over 5 rebounds and over 2 steals per game over the seven game tournament.

French league[link]

Batum (pictured here in 2007) began his professional career in France.

Nicolas Batum averaged 3.4 points (65.9% FG), 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assist per game in 13 minutes for the 2006–2007 French league season,^[5] and 12.3 points (52.3%), 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in 28 minutes for the 2007–2008 season.^[6]

Nike Hoop Summit[link]

He delivered an impressive performance^[7] at the 2007 Nike Hoop Summit^[8] scoring 23 points (9/13 FG, 3/5 for 3 pointers) in 28 minutes. He also grabbed four rebounds and recorded four steals.

NBA career[link]

After coming off the bench for the first three games of his NBA career, Batum moved into the starting lineup in the place of Travis Outlaw in Portland's fourth game of the 2008–09 season, a 103–96 loss to the Utah Jazz. On March 13, 2009, Batum recorded a season-high 20 points to go along with a clutch three-pointer with 29.9 seconds left, en route to a 109–100 victory over the New Jersey Nets.^[9]

Batum missed the first 45 games of the 2009–10 season due to torn cartilage in his right shoulder. He played in his first game of the season on January 25, 2010.^[10]

Batum scored a career-high 31 points along with 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals on February 27, 2010, against the Minnesota Timberwolves.^[11]

On March 25, 2011, Batum helped rally the Trail Blazers to a win over the San Antonio Spurs. Batum scored 4 points in the final 0.9 of a second, hitting two free throws and then sinking a buzzer beating lay in on an in bounds pass from Andre Miller, giving Portland a 98-96 victory.

In August 2011, during the 2011 NBA lockout, he signed a one-year contract with SLUC Nancy in French Basketball League which was valid until the NBA lockout ended.^[12][13]

On February 4, 2012 Batum scored a career high 33 points in a 117-97 Portland win over Denver. He set a franchise-record in three pointers made in a game with 9, going 9 for 15 from beyond the arc.^[14]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Nicolas Batum NBA.com Profile
• ESPN.com Profile
• Nicolas Batum Bio & Profile - Interbasket.net
• Video interview with Nicolas Batum
• NBADraft.net
• MSB France
• Nicolas Batum at the 2007 Nike Hoop Summit on YouTube

Batumi ბათუმი
View on Batumi
Flag Coat of arms
Batumi ბათუმი Location of Batumi in Georgia
Coordinates: 41°39′0″N 41°39′0″E / 41.65°N 41.65°E / 41.65; 41.65
Country	Georgia
Autonomous republic	Adjara
Government
• Mayor	Robert Chkhaidze
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (2008)
• Total	180,000
Time zone	Georgian Time (UTC+4)
Website	www.batumi.ge

Batumi (Georgian: ბათუმი) is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 180,000 (2008 census), Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in agricultural produce such as citrus fruit and tea. While industries of the city include shipbuilding, food processing, and light manufacturing, most of its economy revolves around tourism.

History[link]

Early history[link]

Medea statue in the center of Batumi, Georgia, one of the main Colchis cities

Theater Square

Batumi is located on the site of the ancient Greek colony in Colchis called Bathus or Bathys – derived from the Greek phrase bathus limen or bathys limin meaning "deep harbour". Under Hadrian (r. 117–138 AD), it was converted into a fortified Roman port later deserted for the fortress of Petra founded in the times of Justinian I (r. 527–565). Garrisoned by the Roman-Byzantine forces, it was formally a possession of the kingdom of Lazica until being occupied briefly by the Arabs who did not hold it; in the 9th century it formed part of the Bagratid monarchy of Tao-Klarjeti and at the close of the 10th century of the unified kingdom of Georgia which succeeded it.

From 1010, it was governed by the eristavi (viceroy) of the king of Georgia. In the late 15th century, after the disintegration of the Georgian kingdom, Batumi passed to the princes (mtavari) of Guria, a western Georgian principality under the sovereignty of the kings of Imereti. A curious incident occurred in 1444 when the Burgundian flotilla, after a failed crusade against the Ottoman Empire, penetrated the Black Sea and engaged in piracy along its eastern coastline until the Burgundians under the knight Geoffroy de Thoisy were ambushed during their landing raid at the port of Vaty, as Europeans then knew Batumi. De Thoisy was taken captive and released through the mediation of the emperor John IV of Trebizond.

Detail from a map of Antonio Zatta, 1784, depicting Georgian principality of Guria and its major town Batumi.

150-meter-tall glass tower of the Georgian alphabet in Batumi.

Batumi Neptun Square

In the 15th century in the reign of the prince Kakhaber Gurieli, the Ottoman Turks conquered the town and its district but did not hold them. They returned it by force a century later after the decisive defeat which they inflicted on the Georgian armies at Sokhoista. Batumi was recaptured by the Georgians several times, first in 1564 by prince Rostom Gurieli, who lost it soon afterwards, and again in 1609 by Mamia Gurieli. In 1723 Batumi again became part of the Ottoman Empire. With the Turkish conquest the Islamisation of the hitherto Christian region began, but was terminated and to a great degree reversed, after the area was re-annexed to Russian Imperial Georgia in the mid 19th century.

Imperial Russian rule[link]

Port of Batumi in 1881.

In 1878, Batumi was annexed by the Russian Empire in accordance with Treaty of San Stefano between Russia and the Ottoman Empire (ratified on March 23). Occupied by the Russians on August 28, 1878, the town was declared a free port until 1886. It functioned as a center of a special military district until being incorporated in the Government of Kutaisi on June 12, 1883. Finally, on June 1, 1903, with the Okrug of Artvin, it was established as the region (oblast) of Batumi placed under the direct control of the General Government of Georgia.

The expansion of Batumi began in 1883 with the construction of the Batumi-Tiflis-Baku railway completed in 1900 by the finishing of the Baku-Batumi pipe-line. Henceforth Batumi became the chief Russian oil port in the Black Sea. The town expanded to an extraordinary extent and the population increased very rapidly: 8,671 inhabitants in 1882, and 12,000 in 1889. By 1902 there were 16000 in the port, 1000 worked in the refinery for Baron Rothschild's Caspian and Black Sea oil company.^[1]

War, Communism and independence[link]

Coasts of Batumi in summer

During 1901, 16 years prior to the Russian Revolution, Joseph Stalin, the future leader of the Soviet Union, lived in the city organizing strikes. Unrest during World War I led to Turkey's re-entry in April 1918, followed by the British in December, who stayed until July 1920. Kemal Atatürk then ceded it to the Bolsheviks, on the condition that it be granted autonomy, for the sake of the Muslims among Batumi's mixed population.

When the USSR collapsed, Aslan Abashidze was appointed head of Adjara's governing council and subsequently held onto power throughout the unrest of the 1990s. Whilst other regions, such as Abkhazia, attempted to break away from the Georgian state, Adjara maintained an integral part of the Republic's territory. However, due to a fragile security situation, Abashidze was able to exploit the central government's weaknesses and rule the area as a personal fiefdom. In May 2004, he fled the region to Russia as a result of mass protests sparked by the Rose Revolution in Tbilisi.

Sheraton Hotels and Resorts and Nearby Square

Present day[link]

Batumi today is the main port of Georgia. It has the capacity for 80,000-tonne tankers to take materials such as oil which is shipped through Georgia from Central Asia. Additionally the city exports regional agricultural products. Since 1995 the freight conversion of the port has constantly risen, with an approximate 8 million tonnes in 2001. The annual revenue from the port is estimated at between $200 million and $300 million.

Since the change of power in Ajara, Batumi has attracted several international investors with real estate prices in the city trebling since 2001. Kazakh investors have reportedly invested $100 million to purchase more than 20 hotels in the Ajara region of Georgia. Construction of a number of new hotels will be launched in Ajara’s Black Sea resorts starting from 2007.^{[dated info]}

Batumi was also host to the Russian 12th Military Base. Following the Rose Revolution, the central government pushed for the removal of these forces, and in 2005 an agreement with Moscow was reached. According to the agreement, the process of withdrawal was planned to be completed in a course of 2008, but the Batumi base was officially handed over to Georgia on November 13, 2007, ahead of planned schedule.^[2]

In July 2007, the seat of the Constitutional Court of Georgia was moved from Tbilisi to Batumi in an attempt to further facilitate the regional development.^[3]

Climate[link]

Batumi lies at the northern periphery of the humid subtropical zone. The city's climate is heavily influenced by the onshore flow from the Black Sea and is subject to the orographic effect of the nearby hills and mountains, resulting in significant rainfall throughout most of the year, making Batumi the wettest city in both Georgia and the entire Caucasus Region.

The average annual temperature in Batumi is approximately 14 °C (57 °F). January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 7 °C (45 °F). August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 22 °C (72 °F). The absolute minimum recorded temperature is −9 °C (16 °F), and the absolute maximum is 40 °C (104 °F). The number of days with daily temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F) is 239. The city receives 1958 hours of sunshine per year.

Batumi's average annual precipitation is 2,718 mm (107.0 in). September is the wettest month with an average of 335 mm (13.2 in) of precipitation, while May is the driest, averaging 92 mm (3.6 in). Batumi generally does not receive significant amounts of snow (accumulating snowfall of more than 30 cm.), and the number of days with snow cover for the year is 12. The average level of relative humidity ranges from 70–80%.

Transportation[link]

The city is served by Batumi Airport, one of three international airports in the country.

BatumVelo

A bike-sharing scheme named BatumVelo^[5] allows you to rent a bicycle on the street with a smart card.

Subdivisions[link]

According to the March 31, 2008 decision of the Batumi City Council, Batumi is divided into seven boroughs, those of:

• Old Batumi (ძველი ბათუმის უბანი)
• Rustaveli (რუსთაველის უბანი)
• Khimshiashvili (ხიმშიაშვილის უბანი)
• Bagrationi (ბაგრატიონის უბანი)
• Aghmashenebeli (აღმაშენებლის უბანი)
• Javakhishvili (ჯავახიშვილის უბანი)
• Tamar (თამარის უბანი)
• Boni-Gorodok (ბონი-გოროდოკის უბანი)
• Airport (აეროპორტის უბანი)
• Gonio-Kvariati (გონიო-კვარიათის უბანი)
• Kakhaberi (კახაბრის უბანი)
• Batumi Industrial (ბათუმის სამრეწველო უბანი)
• Green Cape (მწვანე კონცხის უბანი)^[6]

Demographics and religion[link]

Georgian Orthodox (former Catholic) Cathedral of the Mother of God

According to the 2002 Georgian census, Batumi had a population of 121,806 with population density of 7293.8 per km². Ethnic groups include:

• Georgians – 104,313
• Armenians – 7,517
• Russians – 6,300
• Abkhaz – 800
• Ukrainians – 770
• Greeks – 587
• Azerbaijani – 301
• Ossetians – 142
• Yazidi – 69
• Kists – 8.^[7]

Batumi is a home to Eastern Orthodox Christian, Muslim, Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, and Jewish communities. The places of worship in the city are:

• The Georgian Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Mother of God, and Saint Barbara Church
• The Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit
• The Batumi Mosque
• The Batumi Armenian church
• The Batumi Synagogue^[8]

Main sights[link]

Batumi University Fountain

Attractions include

• the Adjara State Museum
• Batumi Botanical Garden, started (like the previous) by professor Krasnov (brother of the general Pyotr Krasnov)
• aquarium
• circus
• Medea statue
• former resort area along the Black Sea coast.

Postage stamps[link]

Twin towns and sister cities[link]

•  Italy, the city Bari, 1987.^[9]
•  Spain, the city San Sebastian, 1987.^[9]
•  USA, the city Savannah, 1992.^[9]
•  Greece, the city Piraeus, 1996.^[9]
•  Turkey, the city Trabzon, 2000.^[9]
•  Armenia, the city Vanadzor, 2006.^[9]
•  Greece, the city Volos, 2007.^[9]
•  Ukraine, the city Yalta, 2008.^[9]
•  Bulgaria, the city Blagoevgrad, 2008.^[9]
•  Ukraine, the city Ternopil, 2011.^[9]
•  Colombia, the city Cartagena.
•  Spain, the city Barcelona.

Notable people[link]

Notable people who are from or have resided in Batumi:

• Katie Melua, singer
• Mary, Princess Eristavi, Georgian princess and model
• Valery Meladze, singer
• Mindia Khitarishvili, composer
• Sopho Khalvashi, first Georgian entrant to the Eurovision Song Contest 2007
• Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, science fiction authors
• Josef Bardanashvili, composer
• Herbert Backe, Reich Minister of Food, Agriculture and Forests
• William Horwood Stuart, British diplomat who was murdered there in 1906
• Fyodor Yurchikhin, astronaut
• Odysseas Dimitriadis (1908–2005) Greek-Soviet music conductor

References[link]

• Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia. Georgian SSR (Supplementary Edition). 1981. pp. 16–18.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Batumi

• Official website of Batumi
• Batumi city tour, Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara
• Map of Batumi, Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara
• Batumi city navigator
• Batumi Sea Port
• Prokudin-Gorskii color photos of Batumi circa 1910
• Photo gallery "Batumi Today". Government of Adjara website
• Historical postcards of Batumi
• Photos of new Batumi

Coordinates: 41°38′19″N 41°38′14″E / 41.63861°N 41.63722°E / 41.63861; 41.63722

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Wesley Matthews

Mathews being interviewed by a KATU reporter during the Rip City Basketball Classic in 2011.
No. 2 – Portland Trail Blazers
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1986-10-14) October 14, 1986 (age 25) San Antonio, Texas
Nationality	American
High school	James Madison Memorial HS (Madison, Wisconsin)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Marquette (2005–2009)
NBA Draft	2009 / Undrafted
Pro career	2009–present
Career history
2009–2010	Utah Jazz
2010–present	Portland Trail Blazers
Career highlights and awards
Wisconsin Mr. Basketball (2005)

Wesley Matthews, Jr. (born October 14, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He is the son of former NBA player Wes Matthews.^[1]

Early life[link]

Born in San Antonio, Texas, to Pam Moore (an All-American runner and basketball player) and Wesley "Wes" Matthews, Sr., who met when both attended University of Wisconsin, Wesley Jr. starred on the James Madison Memorial High School basketball and soccer teams.^[1]

College career[link]

Matthews chose to attend Marquette University despite being pressured to play for the University of Wisconsin–Madison like his father did. He chose this after being selected Mr. Basketball in 2005 for the state of Wisconsin while attending James Madison Memorial High School.

Wesley was the biggest of the "three amigos", the three guards in the starting lineup for Marquette. This trio, Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Matthews, started nearly every game together from their freshman year onwards. With the lack of height in the 2008–2009 season at Marquette, Matthews learned to play bigger and became one of the most dominant players in the nation while driving to the basket. He grabbed 13 rebounds in a Marquette 48-point win over Division II opponent Lewis Flyers on December 28, 2005.^[2]

Matthews missed a shot with 0.4 seconds left in the first half of a game against the Tennessee Volunteers on December 16, 2008. The shot would have given Marquette the lead; instead the teams went into the locker room with the scored tied at 32–32. He avenged this miss with a three-point play to open the second half, and another basket on the following possession. Matthews scored a career-high^[3] 30 points,^[4] making 15 of 18 free throws.^[5] On January 7, 2009, he set a school record for field goal accuracy (minimum 10 attempts) when he went 10-for-10 en route to 23 points in an 81–76 win over Rutgers.^[6]

College statistics[link]

Professional career[link]

Matthews went undrafted in the 2009 NBA Draft, but was invited to play for the Utah Jazz and the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Summer Leagues.

On September 25, 2009, he was signed to the Utah Jazz to a one year deal as a rookie free agent. On October 22, 2009, Matthews made the official Utah Jazz roster, wearing the number 23. In February 2010, after the team's trade of Ronnie Brewer, Head Coach Jerry Sloan made Matthews the team's starting shooting guard.

On June 28, 2010, the Jazz extended Matthews the league-specified qualifying offer, thereby making him a restricted free agent and giving the Jazz the opportunity to match any other free agent offer.^[7] Matthews was actively pursued by the Portland Trail Blazers, who on July 10 signed him to an offer sheet providing for a front-loaded 5 year, $34 million contract.^[8] Although allowed seven days to match the Portland offer sheet under league rules, on July 14 the Jazz announced their decision not to offer Matthews a matching contract, making Matthews a Portland Trail Blazer.^[9] In his first season with Portland he averaged 15.9 points a game. His three point shot improved from 38 percent to 41 percent. After Brandon Roy began missing time due to knee problems, Matthews gained a spot in the Blazers' starting lineup.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Wesley Matthews Marquette men's basketball profile
• Trevor Banks (filmmaker), Wesley Matthews: Overlooked, short documentary. YouTube.com/ Retrieved October 10, 2010.

Serge Ibaka

Ibaka (Left) in action for the Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 9 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1989-09-18) September 18, 1989 (age 22) Brazzaville, People's Republic of the Congo
Nationality	Congolese/Spanish
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Pro career	2007–present
Career history
2007–2008	CB L'Hospitalet (Spain)
2008–2009	Ricoh Manresa (Spain)
2009–present	Oklahoma City Thunder
2011	Real Madrid (Spain)
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Defensive First Team (2012) NBA blocks leader (2012)
Stats at NBA.com
Medals Medal record Competitor for  Spain Men's Basketball FIBA European Championship Gold 2011 Lithuania National Team

Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila^[1][2] (born September 18, 1989), commonly referred to as Serge Ibaka, is a Congolese-Spanish professional basketball player, playing the power forward position for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. Ibaka was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics with the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He is referred to as Air Congo by his teammates.^[3] Serge is the third youngest among eighteen siblings.^[4] Although born in the Republic of the Congo, Ibaka represents Spain in international competition.

Early life[link]

Ibaka was born in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. Both his mother and his father were basketball players. His father played at the Republic of Congo and with the Congolese national team, and his mother played for the Democratic Republic of Congo. He started playing basketball at a very young age with his first club, Avenir du Rail, using the sport as an escape amongst his mother's untimely death and his father's imprisonment during the Second Congo War.^[5]

Ibaka moved to Spain as a teenager and soon found himself playing with several junior basketball clubs, most notably CB L'Hospitalet, with which he won several tournaments.

NBA career[link]

Transition to the NBA[link]

He was selected by the Seattle Supersonics with the 24th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He became the first player from the Republic of Congo to be selected in the draft, although the Oklahoma City Thunder (the team that inherited the Sonics' place in the NBA) agreed to keep him in Europe. He then signed a three year contract with Ricoh Manresa from the ACB League in Spain, keeping the option to leave for the NBA after each season. In the ACB, he averaged 7.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1 block in 16 minutes per game.

In July 2009, the Oklahoma City Thunder paid the buyout, and signed him to a two year contract with two more optional seasons.

Ibaka, who spoke no English when he first arrived in the NBA, depended on the help of summer league teammate Moses Ehambe to translate for him.^[6] After a lengthy, dedicated year of learning English in addition to the NBA game, Ibaka now speaks a total of five languages: Lingala (native language), French, Catalan, English and Spanish.^[7]

Oklahoma City Thunder (2009–present)[link]

Although coming to the NBA as a raw talent, Ibaka has managed to become a starter in the Thunder rotation. Ibaka is often used for his energy in the paint, whether on defense or rebounding. In his first NBA season, Ibaka played 18.1 minutes per game in 73 games, averaging 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. His blocks average led all rookies in the 2009–2010 season, and he ranked number 20 overall. In the first round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers, he played in 6 games, averaging 25.5 minutes, 7.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. His 7 blocks in game two in Los Angeles was a record (youngest player to have 7 blocks in playoff game).

On February 19, 2011, Serge Ibaka participated in the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.^[8] He began the contest with a dunk from the free-throw line. In the second round, Ibaka grabbed a stuffed animal from the rim with his mouth and dunked in one motion.

During 2011 NBA lockout he signed a two-month contract with Real Madrid in Spain with an option to return to the NBA at the end of the lockout.^[9][10] Over 6 games in the Euroleague, he averaged 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 15 minutes per game.^[11]

After the lockout, Ibaka returned to the NBA after playing in Spain. On February 19, 2012, he recorded his first career triple-double against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 14 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and getting a career-high 11 blocks. Ibaka became the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double with double-digit blocks.^[12] He played all 66 games in the shortened season as a starter, averaging the most blocks in the league, 3.6 per game. In voting for the Defensive Player of the Year, he finished second, in front of Orlando's Dwight Howard, who had won the award each of the previous three seasons, but behind Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks.^[13]

Spanish national team[link]

Ibaka in action for the Spain national basketball team

Internationally, Ibaka plays for the Spain national basketball team as he was granted Spanish citizenship on July 15, 2011.^[14] His team won the gold medal in the Eurobasket 2011, beating France in the final by a score of 98–85.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association players with 10 or more blocks in a game

References[link]

External links[link]

• Highlights from a Spanish junior tournament on YouTube
• Serge Ibaka at Adidas Nations on YouTube
• Serge Ibaka wins the 2008 ACB Concurso de mates (Dunk contest)
• NBADraft.net Profile
• DraftExpress Profile

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Raymond Felton

Felton during his tenure with the Knicks
No. 5 – Portland Trail Blazers
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1984-06-26) June 26, 1984 (age 28) Marion, South Carolina
Nationality	American
High school	Latta High School(Latta, South Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College	North Carolina (2002–2005)
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the Charlotte Bobcats
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
2005–2010	Charlotte Bobcats
2010–2011	New York Knicks
2011	Denver Nuggets
2011–present	Portland Trail Blazers
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2006) NCAA Champion (2005) Bob Cousy Award winner (2005) Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2002)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Raymond Bernard Felton, Jr. (born June 26, 1984 in Marion, South Carolina) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A point guard, Felton is listed at 6'1 and 205 lbs. Felton played college basketball for the North Carolina under head coach Roy Williams. At North Carolina, Felton led the Tar Heels to a national championship before declaring for the NBA Draft. Felton was drafted 5th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft. Over his career, Felton has been a member of the Charlotte Bobcats, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers.

High school career[link]

Felton began his basketball career at Latta High School in Latta, South Carolina. There he led his high school to two state championships and a career record of 104–9. In the process, he set state scoring records with 2,992 points and 117 3 pointers.

Felton won the South Carolina Mr. Basketball award as both a junior and senior, and was named Naismith Prep Player of the Year in 2002. He was MVP of the 2002 Roundball Classic at the United Center in Chicago, and was named to the 2002 McDonald's All-American Team. Felton played in the McDonald's All-American game with two future Tar Heel teammates, Sean May and Rashad McCants.

College career[link]

In his freshman year, he was voted Carolina Player of the Year and ACC Freshman of the Week three times. He had 236 assists, and averaged 12.0 points a game. During his sophomore year, he was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award and the Naismith College Player of the Year Award, had 213 assists, and led the Tar Heels in steals (63) and free throw percentage (81%) while averaging 11.5 points per game. Also notable in his second year, Felton set a school-record single-game 18 assists against George Mason on Dec. 7, 2003.

In his third and final season at North Carolina, Felton led the Tar Heels along with fellow juniors Rashad McCants and Sean May and freshman Marvin Williams to the 2005 National Championship over the University of Illinois Fighting Illini on April 4, 2005 in St. Louis. This was the fourth men's basketball championship in UNC's history ( 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005). Felton hit a key three-pointer over Deron Williams to break a 65–65 tie late in the game, and then came up with a crucial steal in the final seconds when Illinois had a chance to either tie the game or take the lead. His two free throws after the steal provided the final scoring in the game.

Felton averaged 12.9 points and 6.9 assists per game during his junior season and showed a much-improved shooting touch. In recognition of his efforts, he was voted to the All-ACC First Team that season. Felton also won the Bob Cousy Award that honors the best collegiate point guard.^[1] Due to his excellent junior campaign EA Sports awarded Felton the cover of NCAA March Madness 06.

Professional career[link]

2005–2010: Charlotte Bobcats[link]

Felton defends Rodney Stuckey as a member of the Bobcats.

Felton was selected 5th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. Felton was drafted after point guards Chris Paul and Deron Williams. University of North Carolina teammates Marvin Williams, Rashad McCants and Sean May were also selected in the draft. Felton showed promise right out of college, having his breakout game scoring 31 points against the Phoenix Suns in a Bobcats loss. Felton's best all-around game of his rookie year occurred January 28, 2006, when he recorded 18 points and 13 assists against the Washington Wizards. Felton started 54 of 82 games for the Bobcats and averaged 11.9 points per game, 5.6 assists per game, and 3.3 rebounds per game. In his rookie year, Felton recorded 13 double-doubles.^[2] Felton was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Felton came into his second year as the Bobcats' starting point guard. Felton improved in mostly every statistic category, raising his assist per game tally from 5.6 to 7.0. Instrumental in the increase was the improved play of teammates Gerald Wallace, Sean May, and Emeka Okafor and the addition of then-rookies Adam Morrison and Walter Herrmann. Despite Felton's solid season, the Bobcats missed the playoffs. Coming into his third year, the Bobcats looked for more talent for Felton to distribute to, bringing in popular scoring shooting guard Jason Richardson. The 2007–08 season was still, however, a season of rebuilding for the Bobcats; several players took a step back instead of a step forward. May, Morrison and Herrmann took steps back and the Bobcats were plagued with injuries. The Bobcats once again missed the playoffs. Felton improved on his sophomore campaign, putting up 14.4 points per game, 7.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. Felton also became more efficient, raising his shooting percentage from 38 % to 41 %. Felton still, however, struggled shooting from three-point range, one of his biggest deficiencies coming out of college. In his fourth season in the NBA, the Bobcats had big expectations for Felton and expected him to take a big leap.^{[citation needed]} The Bobcats even put more pressure on Felton by drafting DJ Augustin in the 2008 draft. The Bobcats hired coach Larry Brown to be their head coach. However Felton regressed in scoring, assists and FG%. The Bobcats dealt Richardson and began to rebuild once again. The Bobcats missed the playoffs and hadn't made the playoffs since being created in 2004. During the 2009 off-season, Felton was a restricted free agent. However, he did not sign a contract offer with another team and returned to Charlotte for one more season after signing the qualifying offer on September 23, 2009.^[3] During the 2009 season, the Bobcats had their most successful year. However, Felton did not; he saw his assist and scoring numbers drop to their lowest point since his rookie season. Felton however raised his FG% to a career-high 46% and improved his stroke from the three-point line, shooting 38.5%. In March, Michael Jordan became the majority owner of the Bobcats. The Bobcats added Stephen Jackson and Tyson Chandler via trades, and Tyrus Thomas and Larry Hughes late in the season. The Bobcats made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In the playoffs, Felton averaged 11.8 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game and 5 assists per game. The Bobcats were swept out of the playoffs, and Felton became a free agent at the end of the season.

2010–2011: New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets[link]

Felton playing for New York Knicks.

On July 9, 2010, Felton agreed to a contract with the New York Knicks.^[4] On July 11, 2010, the deal was finalized for two years and $15.8 million. ^[5] Felton was selected as co-captain for the 2011 season alongside fellow free agent signee Amar'e Stoudemire. Early in the year, Felton had trouble working the pick-and-roll with Stoudemire. But after a few games, Felton gained confidence and in no time was a fan-favorite in New York. Felton hit a number of clutch shots, including a step-back fade-away three-pointer that pinballed into the net against the Toronto Raptors.^[6] The change of scenery seemed to be helping Felton; his play also saw the Knicks in playoff contention for the first time since 2004. Felton's time in New York, however, would not last long. On February 22, 2011, Felton was traded to the Denver Nuggets in a three-way deal which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves that brought Carmelo Anthony to New York. The deal sent Felton along with teammates Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Timofey Mozgov to the Denver Nuggets.^[7] With the Knicks, Felton was on pace to have his best season ever. Felton also registered a fair number of All-Star votes by fans. Felton averaged 17.1 points, 9.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game in 38.4 minutes a game. In Denver, Felton was utilized mostly off the bench behind fellow University of North Carolina guard Ty Lawson. Felton and the Nuggets made it to the playoffs where the Nuggets went up against Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Felton averaged 11.6 points, 6.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds in the postseason. As a whole, 2010–11 was Felton's best season; he averaged 15.5 points per game and 8.6 assists per game.

On June 23, 2011, during the 2011 NBA Draft, Felton was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for veteran point guard Andre Miller and the #26 overall selection in the draft, Jordan Hamilton from the University of Texas. In the deal, the Trail Blazers also dealt Rudy Fernandez and the rights to Finnish guard Petteri Koponen.

2011–2012: Portland Trail Blazers[link]

In his regular season debut with the Blazers, Felton finished the game with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 1 steal in a 107-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Awards[link]

• All-NBA Rookie Second Team 2005–06
• No. 2 jersey is honored in the rafters of the Dean Dome at UNC
• NCAA All-Tournament Team: 2005
• Associated Press Men's Basketball Third Team: 2004–05
• First Team All-ACC: 2004–05
• Voted Carolina's Most Valuable Player: 2002–03, 2004–05 (Shared with Sean May)
• Winner of Bob Cousy Award: 2005
• First Team All-ACC: 2004–05
• Third Team All-ACC: 2002–03, 2003–04
• First Team All-ACC Tournament: 2003
• ACC All-Defensive Team Honorable Mention: 2004–05
• ACC All-Freshmen Team: 2002–03
• Naismith Prep Player of the Year: 2002

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Raymond Felton

• Raymond Felton at NBA.com
• Raymond Felton at Basketball-Reference.com