Name	Mickaël Piétrus
Width	200px
Position	Small forward/Shooting guard
Nationality	French
Height ft	6
Height in	6
Weight lb	215
Team	Phoenix Suns
Number	12
Birth date	February 07, 1982
Birth place	Les Abymes, Guadeloupe
Draft round	1
Draft pick	11
Draft year	2003
Draft team	Golden State Warriors
Career start	1999
Teams
Profile	mickael_pietrus

Mickaël Piétrus (born on February 7, 1982 in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe) is a Caribbean-French professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He is listed at 6'6", 215 pounds and plays both the small forward and shooting guard positions. Piétrus was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, and is originally from Guadeloupe, a Caribbean island that is a part of France. His older brother, Florent Piétrus, is a professional basketball player in Spain.

In September 2005 he won the Bronze Medal at the 2005 European Championship with the French national team. With ÉB Pau-Orthez he won the French championship in 2001 and 2003, as well as the national cup in the year 2002. During the 2008 off-season, he was signed by the Orlando Magic.

Piétrus is also known by the nicknames MP, Air France, and Puma. He speaks French and English fluently.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | align="left" | 2003–04 | align="left" | Golden State | 53 || 22 || 14.1 || .416 || .333 || .693 || 2.2 || .5 || .6 || .2 || 5.3 |- | align="left" | 2004–05 | align="left" | Golden State | 67 || 3 || 20.0 || .427 || .344 || .698 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .7 || .3 || 9.5 |- | align="left" | 2005–06 | align="left" | Golden State | 52 || 18 || 22.7 || .404 || .318 || .608 || 3.1 || .8 || .6 || .2 || 9.3 |- | align="left" | 2006–07 | align="left" | Golden State | 72 || 38 || 26.9 || .488 || .388 || .648 || 4.5 || .9 || .7 || .8 || 11.1 |- | align="left" | 2007–08 | align="left" | Golden State | 66 || 16 || 19.9 || .439 || .361 || .673 || 3.7 || .7 || 1.0 || .6 || 7.2 |- | align="left" | 2008–09 | align="left" | Orlando | 54 || 25 || 24.6 || .413 || .359 || .709 || 3.3 || 1.2 || .6 || .4 || 9.4 |- | align="left" | 2009–10 | align="left" | Orlando | 75 || 24 || 22.5 || .432 || .379 || .633 || 2.9 || 0.7 || 0.71 || 0.41 || 8.7 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 439 || 146 || 21.7 || .435 || .359 || .664 || 3.3 || .9 || .7 || .4 || 8.7

Playoffs

|- | align="left" | 2006–07 | align="left" | Golden State | 11 || 0 || 19.0 || .347 || .259 || .694 || 3.8 || .5 || .4 || .8 || 6.0 |- | align="left" | 2008–09 | align="left" | Orlando | 24 || 0 || 25.8 || .483 || .385 || .723 || 2.6 || .6 || .8 || .5 || 10.5 |- | align="left" | 2009–10 | align="left" | Orlando | 14 || 0 || 20.1 || .438 || .459 || .667 || 1.4 || .7 || .6 || .4 || 8.4 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 49 || 0 || 22.6 || .449 || .391 || .702 || 2.5 || .6 || .6 || .6 || 8.9

See also

List of French NBA players

References

External links

NBA.com profile

Official Website

NBA.com: Prospect Profile: Mickael Pietrus

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:People from Les Abymes Category:French people of Guadeloupean descent Category:Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez players Category:French basketball players Category:French expatriate basketball people in the United States Category:Golden State Warriors draft picks Category:Golden State Warriors players Category:Guadeloupean basketball players Category:Orlando Magic players Category:Phoenix Suns players Category:Shooting guards Category:Small forwards

Caption	Carter with the Suns
Number	25
Name	Vince Carter
Height ft	6
Height in	6
Weight lb	220
Position	Shooting Guard
Birth date	January 26, 1977
Birth place	Daytona Beach, Florida
Team	Phoenix Suns
College	North Carolina
Nationality	American
Draft round	1
Draft pick	5
Draft team	Golden State Warriors
Draft year	1998
Career start	1998
Teams
Highlights

Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter (born January 26, 1977) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward.

A high school McDonald's All-American, Carter went on to star for three years at the University of North Carolina before being selected as the #5 pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to the Toronto Raptors. The NBA Rookie of the Year his first season, he shot to fame as the winner of the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest the next season, competing alongside his third cousin and then-teammate, Tracy McGrady.

An eight-time NBA All-Star, Carter joined NBA icons Julius Erving and Michael Jordan as the only players to lead the NBA All-Star Game fan voting three or more times. He helped lead the Raptors to three consecutive playoff appearances before various injuries and losing seasons caused relations between Carter and the Raptors to deteriorate. In 2004, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he spent five years before being moved to the Orlando Magic on the day of the 2009 NBA Draft. In December 2010 he was traded by the Magic to the Phoenix Suns.

Collegiate career

Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, Carter was a 1995 McDonald's All-American at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach before spending three seasons playing college basketball at North Carolina under Dean Smith and later, Bill Guthridge. During the 1997–1998 season, he was a member of new coach Guthridge's successful rotation of Antawn Jamison, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota, Ademola Okulaja, and Makhtar N'diaye.

Carter also became a pioneer of the Internet during his collegiate career. In 1995 he followed teammate Shammond Williams as the second collegiate athlete to have his own website.

NBA career

Toronto Raptors (1998–2004)

In 1998, Carter was drafted by the NBA's Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick, and then traded to the Toronto Raptors for the fourth overall pick, Antawn Jamison, his college teammate and good friend. His first agent was National Football League super agent William "Tank" Black who was later imprisoned in connection with money laundering and other charges. Carter's rookie season was the shortened 50-game 1999 season, after the NBA locked out its players in 1998–99. Carter started almost every game for coach Butch Carter, averaged 18.3 points per game (ppg), and eventually won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The next year, Carter was selected to an All-Star Team for the first time, averaged 25.7 ppg, made the Third Team All-NBA, and showcased his athleticism and dunking abilities in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He won the contest by performing an array of dunks including a 360° windmill, a between the legs bounce dunk, and an "elbow in the rim" dunk (also known as a "cookie jar" dunk or the "honey dip").

In Carter's first two seasons, he and his distant cousin Tracy McGrady formed a formidable one-two punch as Raptor teammates. The two led the Raptors to their first playoff berth in the 2000 NBA Playoffs, but they were swept in the first round by the New York Knicks, in 3 games. Upon McGrady's departure to the Orlando Magic the following season, Carter became the Raptors' franchise player.

In 2000–01, his third season, Carter averaged a career-high 27.6 ppg, made the Second Team All-NBA, and was voted in as a starter in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, while the Raptors finished the regular season with a franchise-record 47 wins. In the playoffs, the Raptors beat the New York Knicks 3–2 in the first round, and advanced to the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they took the Philadelphia 76ers to a decisive seventh game. On the morning of the day of Game 7, May 20, 2001, Carter attended his university graduation. In that game, Carter missed a game-winning shot with 2.0 seconds remaining, and afterwards, he was criticized for his decision to attend his graduation by media and fans.

In the summer of 2001, Carter signed a $94 million, six-year extension with the Raptors. In addition, Carter announced that he would be hosting a charity basketball game featuring fellow NBA stars that would be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on August 3, 2001. The success of the first game encouraged Carter to make the game an annual summer event.

The next season was an injury-riddled one for Carter. He started in 60 games and he averaged 24.7 ppg. He was voted into the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, but he could not participate due to injury. The Raptors did not fare well without their All-Star player. The team lost 17 of 18 games to drop to 30–38, then won 12 of their last 14 to finish at 42–40. Carter was injured during the 2002 NBA Playoffs, and his team was defeated in the first round by the Detroit Pistons, in 5 games.

During the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, as a sign of respect, Carter gave up his starting All-Star spot to the Washington Wizards' Michael Jordan to allow Jordan to make his final start as an All-Star. During his Raptors tenure, Carter developed jumper's knee in his left knee.

In the 2004 off-season, Carter became frustrated with the Raptors' management for their desire to rebuild. In particular, Carter was unhappy with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), especially president Richard Peddie. In a private meeting, Peddie gave the impression to Carter that MLSE was serious in building a contender in Toronto, would pursue players like Steve Nash and Jamaal Magloire, and consider a G.M. like Julius Erving, who could attract players to Toronto. During the early part of the 2004–05 season, Carter posted a career-low 15.9 ppg on reduced playing time, under new head coach Sam Mitchell. Mitchell often benched Carter in the 4th quarter to emphasize his new coaching philosophy, spurring rumors of fights between Carter and Mitchell. Mitchell would later deny them.

New Jersey Nets (2004–2009)

On December 17, 2004, new Raptors General Manager Rob Babcock traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two future first-round draft picks.

In early January 2005, when asked by TNT's John Thompson if he always pushed himself as hard as he should, Carter replied, "In years past, no. I was fortunate to have the talent. You get spoiled when you're able to do a lot of things. You see that you don't have to work at it." Though Carter's comments were perceived by Raptors fans as his confession to not giving his all as a Raptor, Thompson said the comments were misinterpreted, saying, "That boy never said to me, 'Coach, I just laid down and quit.' ...I was embarrassed and felt awful about it for his sake, because I knew what he was communicating to me. I think he was more expressing a desire of wanting to do better, as we all do." Despite Thompson's defense, the Toronto Star's Dave Feschuk wrote that Carter "cheated on (the Raptors). He quit on the floor.", and Carter is still booed by Raptors fans each time he has returned to play in Toronto. On the eve of the Raptors and Nets' playoff series in 2007, Carter told New York's WFAN radio station, "One day, maybe the fans will understand how it all went down. That's all I can say." Both Carter and Kidd made their eighth All-Star game appearance.

In a 120–114 overtime win over the Washington Wizards, April 7, 2007, Carter and Jason Kidd became the first teammates in over 18 years to record triple-doubles in the same game since the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen achieved this feat against the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989. Carter finished with 46 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kidd finished with 10 points, tied a career-high with 16 rebounds, and tied a season-high with 18 assists. Carter's triple double is the second highest total for a triple double, second only to Alvan Adams of the Phoenix Suns who tallied 47 points and 18 rebounds and 12 assists over 30 years ago.

in 2009.]] After the Nets eliminated the Raptors, the Nets were eliminated from the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers (lost series 4–2). In the offseason, rumors of the Nets trading Carter again arose. After the New York Knicks and Nets discussed a trade around February of Carter (which was ended with the trading deadline), the two teams again revisited the subject. Carter, who opted out of his contract on June 30, reportedly wanted a three-year, $60 million deal however, which the Knicks were wary of. On July 1, 2007 Carter signed a 4-year, $61.8 million contract with the Nets.

On January 24, 2008, the Nets played on the road against the Golden State Warriors. The game was broadcast on TNT, and at the half-time show, Magic Johnson claimed that Carter's game was on the decline due to chronic injuries to his knees. This was proven to be unfounded as Carter had hurt his ankle in an October game against the Boston Celtics which would hinder him throughout the 2007–2008 season. Hampered by injuries, Carter was not named as one of the reserves for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. This marked the first time in his NBA career Carter was not named as an All-Star since his rookie season, when the game was canceled due to the NBA lockout. Despite playing with an ankle injury, Carter finished the season strong with averages of 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists after the All-Star break. He was one of only three NBA players, along with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, to average at least 21 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the year, with averages of 21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He led the Nets in freethrow percentage, assists and steals per game (81.6%, 5.1, 1.2). Rod Thorn credited Carter for becoming a leader since the All-Star break, and said he believed that Carter could lead the Nets back to the playoffs the following year. Carter's injury was confirmed after undergoing a successful arthroscopic ankle surgery in the off-season.

For the 2008–09 season, Carter was voted team captain, a title that had been given to Jason Kidd for the previous 6 years.

Orlando Magic (2009–2010)

.]]

On June 25, 2009, the day of the NBA Draft, Carter was traded to his hometown-team, the Orlando Magic with Ryan Anderson for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee; the Magic were searching for a go-to scorer who could take pressure off Dwight Howard. The Nets without Carter ended up going 12-70.

Carter made his season debut with the Magic on October 28, 2009 against the Philadelphia 76ers at home, recording 15 points and 2 assists to help the Magic defeat the Sixers. On February 8, 2010, Carter scored a season-high 48 points in a 123-117 win against the New Orleans Hornets, including 34 points in the second half to help rally the Magic back from a 17-point deficit.

Vince Carter helped lead the Magic to the 2010 NBA Playoffs, sweeping the Charlotte Bobcats and the Atlanta Hawks in the first two rounds, before falling to the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals in 6 games. This marked the first time Carter made it to the Conference Finals.

Phoenix Suns (2010–present)

On December 18, 2010, Carter was traded to the Phoenix Suns along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round draft pick, and $3 million, for Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson, and Earl Clark.

2000 Summer Olympics

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During the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Carter performed a memorable dunk when he jumped over 7-foot-2 (2.18 m) French center Frédéric Weis. Carter stole the ball, sprinted, took off—legs spread in midair, and hit Weis's head as he bent over to avoid the collision, before slamming the ball. Teammate Jason Kidd said it was "One of the best plays I've ever seen." The French media later dubbed it "le dunk de la mort" ("the Dunk of Death"). The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal that year.

Awards and achievements

8× NBA All-Star selection: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (did not play in 2002 due to injury)

2× All-NBA:

*Second Team: 2001

*Third Team: 2000

NBA Slam Dunk Champion: 2000

NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1999

NBA Rookie of the Year Award: 1999

The Sporting News NBA Rookie of the Year: 1999

NBA playoff records

Co-holds NBA playoff record for most three-point field goals made in one game: 9 (May 11, 2001 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Eastern Conference Semifinals)

Most three-point field goals made in one half: 8 (same game as above)

Most consecutive three-point field goals made in one game: 8 (same game as above)

Most consecutive three-point field goals made in one half: 8 (same game as above)

New Jersey Nets franchise records

Most three-point field goals made in one game: 9 (December 11, 2006 vs. Memphis Grizzlies)

Most points scored in one season: 2,070 (2006–07)

Most consecutive 20 or more point games: 23 (2005–06)

He is the first Net to score at least 2,000 points in a single season. (2006–07)

Career highs

Points: 51 (2 times)

Field goals made: 20 vs. Milwaukee 01/14/00

Field goals attempted: 36 at Philadelphia 01/21/01

Three point field goals made: 9 vs. Memphis 12/11/06

Three point field goals attempted: 20 vs. Memphis 12/11/06

Free throws made: 23 at Miami 12/23/05

Free throws attempted: 27 at Phoenix 12/30/00

Offensive rebounds: 8 vs. Chicago 11/05/05

Defensive rebounds: 13 (2 times)

Total rebounds: 16 vs. Washington 04/07/07

Assists: 14 at Milwaukee 01/09/09

Steals: 6 (3 times)

Blocks: 6 vs. Chicago 03/28/99

Minutes played: 63 vs. Sacramento 02/23/01 Appeared on the cover of NBA Inside Drive 2002.

Appeared in the 2002 film Like Mike, where the fictional Los Angeles Knights had to beat Carter and the Toronto Raptors in order to gain the 8th seed in the playoffs.

Appeared in Fabolous' 2002 music video for "This Is My Party", and Glenn Lewis' 2003 music video for "Back for More".

Personal life

Carter has donated to his high school, Mainland, as well as the foundation he established upon being drafted into the NBA in 1998, The Embassy of Hope. The foundation's slogan, "Believing in Your Dreams", is Carter's personal mantra for success. On February 3, 2007, a statue of Carter was unveiled at the Mainland.

Carter visited with the Duquesne University basketball team in Pittsburgh as a show of support after its shooting incident in September 2006.

He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Carter married Ellen Rucker, a doctor of chiropractic medicine, in July 2004; the couple divorced in 2006. They have one daughter, Kai Michelle Carter. born on June 1, 2005.

In Spring 2010, a restaurant opened in Daytona Beach located on LPGA Boulevard named "Vince Carter's Restaurant".

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 50 || 49 || 35.2 || .450 || .288 || .761 || 5.7 || 3.0 || 1.1 || 1.5 || 18.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 82 || 82 || 38.1 || .465 || .403 || .791 || 5.8 || 3.9 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 25.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 75 || 75 || 39.7 || .460 || .408 || .765 || 5.5 || 3.9 || 1.5 || 1.1 || 27.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 60 || 60 || 39.8 || .428 || .387 || .798 || 5.2 || 4.0 || 1.6 || .7 || 24.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 43 || 42 || 34.2 || .467 || .344 || .806 || 4.4 || 3.3 || 1.1 || .9 || 20.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 73 || 73 || 38.2 || .417 || .383 || .806 || 4.8 || 4.8 || 1.2 || .9 || 22.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 20 || 20 || 30.4 || .411 || .322 || .694 || 3.3 || 3.1 || 1.2 || .8 || 15.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 57 || 56 || 38.9 || .462 || .425 || .817 || 5.9 || 4.7 || 1.5 || .6 || 27.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 79 || 79 || 36.8 || .430 || .341 || .799 || 5.8 || 4.3 || 1.2 || .7 || 24.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 82 || 82 || 38.1 || .454 || .357 || .802 || 6.0 || 4.8 || 1.0 || .4 || 25.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 76 || 72 || 38.9 || .456 || .359 || .816 || 6.0 || 5.1 || 1.2 || .4 || 21.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 80 || 80 || 36.8 || .437 || .385 || .817 || 5.1 || 4.7 || 1.0 || .5 || 20.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10 | style="text-align:left;"| Orlando | 75 || 74 || 30.8 || .428 || .367 || .840 || 3.9 || 3.1 || .7 || .2 || 16.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11 | style="text-align:left;"| Orlando | 22 || 22 || 30.2 || .470 || .346 || .747 || 4.1 || 2.9 || .9 || .1 || 15.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11 | style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix | 51 || 41 || 27.2 || .422 || .366 || .735 || 3.6 || 1.6 || .9 || .3 || 13.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 925 || 907 || 36.4 || .445 || .374 || .797 || 5.2 || 4.0 || 1.2 || .7 || 22.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| All-Star | style="text-align:left;"| | 7 || 5 || 20.7 || .477 || .375 || .600 || 2.6 || 1.9 || .9 || .1 || 10.1

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 3 || 3 || 39.7 || .300 || .100 || .871 || 6.0 || 6.3 || 1.0 || 1.3 || 19.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| Toronto | 12 || 12 || 44.9 || .436 || .410 || .784 || 6.5 || 4.7 || 1.7 || 1.7 || 27.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 4 || 4 || 44.8 || .365 || .316 || .861 || 8.5 || 5.8 || 2.2 || .0 || 26.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 11 || 11 || 40.9 || .463 || .241 || .796 || 7.0 || 5.3 || 1.8 || .6 || 29.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 12 || 12 || 40.6 || .396 || .389 || .693 || 6.8 || 5.3 || .9 || .6 || 22.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10 | style="text-align:left;"| Orlando | 14 || 14 || 34.4 || .402 || .235 || .826 || 4.2 || 2.3 || .9 || .2 || 15.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 56 || 56 || 40.3 || .415 || .312 || .788 || 6.2 || 4.5 || 1.3 || .7 || 23.3

See also

List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association players with 50 or more points in a playoff game

Notes

External links

Official Website

Profile at NBA.com

U.S. Olympic Team bio

Vince Carter Sanctuary

Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:African American basketball players Category:American basketball players Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada Category:Basketball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Basketball players from Florida Category:Golden State Warriors draft picks Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans Category:Male basketball guards Category:NBA Slam Dunk Contest champions Category:New Jersey Nets players Category:North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States Category:Olympic basketball players of the United States Category:Orlando Magic players Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Category:Phoenix Suns players Category:People from Bergen County, New Jersey Category:People from Volusia County, Florida Category:Shooting guards Category:Small forwards Category:Toronto Raptors players Category:United States men's national basketball team members

Name	Marcin Gortat
Caption	Gortat with the Suns in 2011
Position	Power forward/Center
Height ft	6
Height in	11
Weight lb	240
Team	Phoenix Suns
Number	4
Nationality	Polish
Birth date	February 17, 1984
Birth place	Łódź, Poland
Draft round	2
Draft pick	57
Draft year	2005
Draft team	Phoenix Suns
Career start	2003
Teams

Marcin Gortat, pronounced "MAHR-cheen GOR-taht" (born February 17, 1984 in Łódź), also known as the Polish Hammer, is a Polish professional basketball player in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns. A 6'11", 240 pound power forward/center, he is the son of boxer Janusz Gortat. He was a second-round draft choice of the Phoenix Suns in the 2005 NBA Draft and was traded for future cash considerations to the Orlando Magic. Gortat started his career in ŁKS Łódź, then he played 3 seasons in RheinEnergie Cologne in Germany's Basketball Bundesliga. RheinEnergie Cologne won the domestic championship in 2006.

Early life

In his youth, Marcin was frequent in athletics such as high jump and football. His father Janusz Gortat was a Polish boxer and a bronze medalist in light heavyweight during the Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976 Olympics, and the mother Alicja Gortat was a representative of the Polish national team in volleyball. He has an older brother Robert, who is also a boxer. Gortat grew up in Łódź together with his brother Filip. He graduated from Technical School in Łódź, Poland. Apart from Polish, he is fluent in English, German and Serbian.

NBA career

On November 20, 2007, Gortat was assigned to play with the Anaheim Arsenal in the NBA Development League. He was recalled from the D-League on December 2 and he played his first NBA game, for the Orlando Magic on March 1, 2008 against the New York Knicks. As of the end of the 2007–08 season, Gortat had appeared in 14 NBA games for the Orlando Magic, including eight playoff appearances. On April 16, 2008, in the Magic's last game of the 2007-08 NBA season, little-used Gortat played 28 minutes and registered a career-high 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 103-83 Magic win over the Washington Wizards. On December 15, 2008, starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard, Gortat played 28 minutes and topped his career highs with 16 points and 13 rebounds. On April 13, 2009, again starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard, Gortat played almost 43 minutes and topped his career high in rebounding with 18 rebounds and 10 points. On April 30, 2009, Gortat made his first playoff start in Game 6 against Philadelphia 76ers replacing Howard, who was suspended because of his actions in game 5. He had 11 points and 15 rebounds as the Magic eliminated their opponent 4-2. Later that year, the Magic made a run all the way to the NBA Finals, making Gortat the first Polish-born player to ever appear in the championship series.

On July 8, 2009, Gortat, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet for five years and $34 million with the Dallas Mavericks. The Magic retained Gortat by matching the offer sheet on July 13, 2009. Gortat was "very disappointed" to have to stay with the Magic, since serving as backup to Howard would mean limited playing time, whereas playing for Dallas would likely mean being the starting center.

On December 18, 2010, Gortat was traded to the Phoenix Suns along with Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round draft pick, and $3 million, for former Magic player Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson, and Earl Clark .

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | align="left" | 2007–08 | align="left" | Orlando | 6 || 0 || 6.8 || .471 || .000 || .667 || 2.7 || .3 || .2 || .2 || 3.0 |- | align="left" | 2008-09 | align="left" | Orlando | 63 || 3 || 12.6 || .569 || 1.000 || .578 || 4.6 || .2 || .3 || .8 || 3.8 |- | align="left" | 2009-10 | align="left" | Orlando | 81 || 0 || 13.4 || .533 || .000 || .680 || 4.2 || .2 || .2 || .9 || 3.6 |- | align="left" | 2010-11 | align="left" | OrlandoPhoenix | 2554 || 211 || 15.829.6 || .543.561 || .000.250 || .667.738 || 4.79.3 || .71.0|| .3.5 || .81.3 || 4.012.9 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 229 || 16 || 17.1 || .553 || .250 || .696 || 5.5 || .4 || .3 || .9 || 5.9

Playoffs

|- | align="left" | 2007–08 | align="left" | Orlando | 8 || 0 || 6.0 || .833 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .5 || 1.3 |- | align="left" | 2008–09 | align="left" | Orlando | 24 || 1 || 11.3 || .654 || .000 || .625 || 3.2 || .1 || .4 || .6 || 3.3 |- | align="left" | 2009–10 | align="left" | Orlando | 14 || 0 || 15.1 || .654 || .000 || .727 || 4.4 || .6 || .2 || .3 || 3.0 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 46 || 1 || 11.5 || .667 || .000 || .667 || 3.2 || .3 || .3 || .5 || 2.8

Notes

External links

Marcin Gortat Official Site

Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Anaheim Arsenal players Category:Expatriate basketball people in the United States Category:Polish basketball players Category:Polish expatriates in Germany Category:Polish expatriates in the United States Category:Phoenix Suns draft picks Category:Orlando Magic players Category:Phoenix Suns players Category:Centers (basketball) Category:People from Łódź

Name	Kobe Bryant
Width	233px
Caption	Bryant greeting some fans in February 2007
Position	Shooting guard
Height ft	6
Height in	6
Weight lb	205
Team	Los Angeles Lakers
Number	24
Birth date	August 23, 1978
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nationality	American
High school	Lower Merion HS, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Draft year	1996
Draft round	1
Draft pick	13
Draft team	Charlotte Hornets
Career start	1996
Years1	–present
Team1	Los Angeles Lakers
Highlights

}} Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.

Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals led to O'Neal's departure following the 2003–04 season. In 2003, Bryant was accused of sexual assault after having sex with a hotel employee in Edwards, Colorado. In September 2004, prosecutors dropped the case after his accuser refused to testify, and Bryant had to rebuild his image while becoming the cornerstone of the Lakers. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting numerous scoring records in the process. second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point performance in 1962. After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010 and was named NBA Finals MVP on both occasions.

, Bryant ranks third and sixth on the league's all-time post-season scoring and all-time regular season scoring lists, respectively. He is also the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. Since his second year in the league, Bryant has started in every NBA All-Star Game that has been held with thirteen All-Star appearances, winning the All-Star MVP Award four times (2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011). He is a thirteen-time member of the All-NBA team and eleven-time All-Defensive team, and is the youngest player ever to receive defensive honors. At the 2008 Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the USA national team. In 2009, Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the NBA player of the 2000s decade.

Early years

Childhood and youth

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the youngest of three children and the only son of former Philadelphia 76ers player and former Los Angeles Sparks head coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. Bryant was raised Roman Catholic. When Bryant was six, his father left the NBA and moved his family to Italy to begin playing professional basketball. Bryant became accustomed to his new lifestyle and learned to speak Italian and Spanish fluently. During summers, Bryant would come back to the United States to play in a basketball summer league. He started playing basketball when he was 3 years old, and his favorite team growing up was the Lakers. Bryant's grandfather would mail him videos of NBA games, which Bryant would study. He has said that if he had stayed in Italy, he would have tried to become a professional soccer player; Upon Joe Bryant's retirement from playing basketball in 1991, the Bryant family moved back to the United States.

High school

Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. As a freshman, he played for the varsity (junior and senior) basketball team. His father coached him his sophomore year of high school. Although during his first year the team was mediocre, the following three years the Aces compiled a 77–13 record, with Bryant playing all five positions. while playing alongside future NBA teammate Lamar Odom. While in high school, then 76ers coach John Lucas invited Bryant to work out and scrimmage with the team, where he played one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse. In his senior year of high school, Bryant led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 years. During the run, he averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.0 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots in leading the Aces to a 31–3 record. He ended his career as Southeastern Pennsylvania's all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points, surpassing both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons. Bryant received several awards for his performance his senior year including being named Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Men's National Basketball Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American, and a USA Today All-USA First Team player. Bryant's varsity coach, Greg Downer, commented that Bryant was "a complete player who dominates". though the two were, and remain, just friends. His SAT score of 1080 would have ensured his basketball scholarship to various top-tier colleges. Ultimately, however, the 17-year-old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA, only the sixth player in NBA history to do so.

NBA career

1996 NBA Draft

The first guard to ever be taken out of high school, Bryant was chosen as the 13th overall draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996. According to Arn Tellem, Bryant's agent at the time, Bryant playing for the Charlotte Hornets was "an impossibility". However, Bill Branch, the Hornets' head scout at the time, said that the Hornets agreed to trade their draft selection to the Lakers before picking Bryant. The teams agreed to the trade the day before the draft and the Lakers did not tell the Hornets who to select until five minutes before the pick was made. Branch said that prior to the trade agreement, the Hornets never even considered drafting Bryant. Prior to the draft, Bryant had worked out in Los Angeles, in which he scrimmaged against former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper, and according to then-Laker manager Jerry West "marched over these people". On July 1, 1996, West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac, to the Hornets in exchange for Bryant's draft rights. Since he was still 17 at the time of the draft, his parents had to cosign his contract with the Lakers until he was able to sign his own when he turned 18 before the season began.

First three seasons (1996–99)

During his rookie season, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. At the time he became the youngest player ever to play in an NBA game (a record since broken by Jermaine O'Neal and Andrew Bynum), and also became the youngest NBA starter ever. Initially, Bryant played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he began to see some more playing time. By the end of the season, he averaged 15.5 minutes a game. During the All-Star weekend, Bryant was the winner of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest player to be named the slam dunk champion at the age of 18. Bryant's performance throughout the year earned him a spot on the NBA All Rookie second team with fellow bench teammate Travis Knight. His final minutes of the season ended in disaster when he shot 3 air balls at crucial times in the game.

In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. As a result Bryant's point averages more than doubled from 7.6 to 15.4 points per game. Bryant would see an increase in minutes when the Lakers "played small", which would feature Bryant playing small forward along side the guards he'd usually back up. Bryant was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, and through fan voting, he also became the youngest NBA All-Star starter in NBA history. He was joined by fellow team mates Shaquille O'Neal, Nick Van Exel, and Eddie Jones, making it the first time since 1983 that four players on the same team were selected to play in the same All-Star Game. Bryant's 15.4 points per game was the highest of any non-starter in the season.

The 1998–99 season marked Bryant's emergence as a premiere guard in the league. With starting guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones traded, Bryant started every game for the lockout-shortened 50 game season. During the season, Bryant signed a 6-year contract extension worth $70 million. The playoff results, however, were no better, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals.

Three-peat (1999–2002)

Bryant's fortunes would soon change when Phil Jackson became coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999. After years of steady improvement, Bryant became one of the premier shooting guards in the league, earning appearances in the league's All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams. The Los Angeles Lakers became true championship contenders under Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who formed a legendary center-guard combination. Jackson utilized the triangle offense he used to win six championships with the Chicago Bulls, which would help both Bryant and O'Neal rise to the elite class of the NBA. The three resulting championships won consecutively in 2000, 2001, and 2002 further proved such a fact.

Bryant started the 1999–2000 season sidelined for six weeks due to an injury to his hand in a preseason game against the Washington Wizards. With Bryant back and playing over 38 minutes a game, he saw an increase in all statistical categories in the 1999–2000 season. This included leading the team in assists per game and steals per game. The duo of O'Neal and Bryant backed with a strong bench led to the Lakers winning 67 games, tied for fifth-most in NBA history. This followed with O'Neal winning the MVP and Bryant being named to the All-NBA Team Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the first time in his career (the youngest player ever to receive defensive honors). While playing second fiddle to O'Neal in the playoffs, Bryant had some clutch performances including a 25 point, 11 rebound, 7 assist, 4 block game in game 7 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. He also threw an alley-oop pass to O'Neal to clinch the game and the series. In the 2000 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant injured his ankle in the second quarter of game 2 and missed the rest of the game and game 3. In game 4, Bryant scored 22 points in the second half, and led the team to an overtime victory as O'Neal fouled out of the game. Bryant scored the winning shot to put the Lakers ahead 120–118. With a game 6 victory, the Lakers won their first championship since 1988.

Statistically, the 2000–01 season saw Bryant perform similarly to the previous year except Bryant was averaging 6 more points a game (28.5). It was also the year when disagreements between Bryant and O'Neal began to surface. Once again he led the team in assists with 5 per game. The Lakers however, only won 56 games, an 11 game drop off from last year. The Lakers would respond by going 15–1 in the playoffs. They easily swept the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs, before losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime. They would go on to win the next 4 games and bring their second championship to Los Angeles in as many seasons. During the playoffs Bryant played heavy minutes which brought his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. In the playoffs teammate O'Neal declared Bryant the best player in the league. Bryant ended up making the All NBA Second team and All NBA Defensive Team for the second year in a row. In addition, he was also voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the 3rd year in a row (no game in 1999).

In the 2001–02 season, Bryant played 80 games for the first time in his career. He continued his all-round play by averaging 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He also had a career high 46.9% shooting and once again led his team in assists. While making the All-Star team and All-NBA Defensive team again, he was also promoted to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career. The Lakers won 58 games that year and finished second place in the Pacific Division behind in-state rival Sacramento Kings. Bryant was suspended one game after he punched Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers after the Lakers' March 1, 2002 victory over the Pacers.

The road to the Finals would prove a lot tougher than the record run the Lakers had the previous year. While the Lakers swept the Trail Blazers and defeated the Spurs 4–1, the Lakers did not have home court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. The series would stretch to 7 games, the first time this happened to the Lakers since the Western Conference Finals in the 2000 NBA Playoffs. However, the Lakers were able to beat their division rivals and make their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance. In the 2002 Finals, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game, which included scoring a quarter of the teams points. At age 23, Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships. This cemented Bryant's reputation as a clutch player.

Coming up short (2002–04)

In the 2002–03 season, Bryant averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career highs up to that point. Bryant was once again voted on to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st teams,

In the following 2003–04 season, the Lakers were able to acquire NBA All-Stars Karl Malone, and Gary Payton to make another push at the NBA Championship. Before the season began, Bryant was arrested for sexual assault. This caused Bryant to miss some games due to court appearances or attend court earlier in the day and travel to play games later in same day. In the final game of the regular season the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers. Bryant made two buzzer beaters to win the game and the Pacific Division title. At the end of the fourth quarter, Bryant made a three-pointer as time ran out to tie the game and send it into over time. The game eventually went to a second over time and Bryant made another three pointer as time expired to lift the Lakers past the Trail Blazers 105–104. In the Finals, they were defeated in five games by the Detroit Pistons, who won their first championship since 1990. In that series, Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game and 4.4 assists. He shot a mere 35.1% from the field. Phil Jackson's contract as coach was not renewed, and Rudy Tomjanovich took over. Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant. The following day, Bryant declined an offer to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed with the Lakers on a seven-year contract.

Playoffs disappointments (2004–07)

in October 2005]] Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 2004–05 season with his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year. A particularly damaging salvo came when Phil Jackson wrote . The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 2003–04 season and has a number of criticisms of Bryant. In the book Jackson called Bryant "uncoachable". Midway through the season, Rudy Tomjanovich suddenly resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion. Without Tomjanovich, stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen. Despite the fact that Bryant was the league's second leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, the Lakers floundered and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The year signified a drop in Bryant's overall status in the NBA, as he did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was also demoted to the All-NBA Third Team. During the season, Bryant also engaged in public feuds with Ray Allen and Karl Malone.

The 2005–06 NBA season would mark a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Phil Jackson returned to coach the Lakers. Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. Bryant's individual scoring accomplishments posted resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant had outscored the entire Mavericks team 62–61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the advent of the 24-second shot clock. When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying a change in the feud that had festered between the two players. A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two were seen laughing together.

in Staples Center, second highest single scoring performance in NBA history, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.]] On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a victory against the Toronto Raptors. In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81-point game was the second highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. In that same month, Bryant also became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players ever to do so. For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game, the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain. By the end of the 2005–06 season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832). He won the league's scoring title for the first time, posting a scoring average of (35.4). Bryant finished in fourth place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but received 22 first place votes—second only to winner Steve Nash. The Los Angeles Lakers posted a 45–37 record, an eleven-game improvement over the previous season, and the entire squad seemed to be clicking.

Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006–07 NBA season. Bryant's first high school number was 24 before he switched to 33. After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers. Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down, and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games. In the 2006 off-season, Bryant had knee surgery, preventing him from participating in the 2006 FIBA World Championship tournament.

During the 2006–07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy. Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in a number of on court incidents. On January 28 while attempting to draw contact on a potential game winning jumpshot, he flailed his arm striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili in the face with his elbow. Following a league review, Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. The basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backwards. Later, on March 6, he seemed to repeat the motion, this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jarić. In his first game back on March 9, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retroactively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul. The following game, Bryant recorded 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after which he scored 60 points in a road win against the Memphis Grizzlies—becoming the second Laker to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat not seen since Michael Jordan last did it in 1987. The only other Laker to do so was Elgin Baylor, who also scored 50+ in three consecutive contests in December 1962. Bryant finished the year with a total of ten 50-plus point games, becoming the only player beside Wilt Chamberlain in 1961–62 and 1962–63 to do so in one season. He also won his second straight scoring title that season. Throughout the 2006–07 season, Bryant's jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China. A number of journalists have attributed the improved sales to Bryant's new number, as well as his continuing All-Star performance on the court. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers were once again eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, 4–1.

MVP year (2007–08)

On May 27, 2007, ESPN reported that Bryant stated that he wanted to be traded if Jerry West did not return to the team with full authority. Bryant later confirmed his desire for West's return to the franchise, but denied stating that he would want to be traded if that does not occur. However, three days later, on Stephen A. Smith's radio program, Bryant expressed anger over a Lakers "insider" who claimed that Bryant was responsible for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and publicly stated, "I want to be traded." Three hours after making that statement, Bryant stated in another interview that after having a conversation with head coach Phil Jackson, he has reconsidered his decision and backed off his trade request. Bryant would later be shown on an infamous amateur video saying that center Andrew Bynum should have been traded for All-Star Jason Kidd.

in 6 games during the 2008 NBA Finals.]] On December 23, 2007, Bryant became the youngest player (29 years, 122 days) to reach 20,000 points, in a game against the New York Knicks, in Madison Square Garden. Despite an injury to his shooting hand's small finger, described as "a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint" that occurred in a game on February 5, 2008, Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season instead of opting for surgery. Regarding his injury, he stated, "I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis." In early September 2008, Bryant decided not to have surgery to repair the injury.

Leading his team to a West best 57–25 record, they swept the Nuggets in the first round and on May 6, 2008, Bryant was officially announced as the NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first for his career. Jerry West, who was responsible for bringing Bryant to the Lakers, was on hand at the press conference to observe Bryant receive his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern. He stated, "Kobe deserved it. He's had just another great season. Doesn't surprise me one bit." In addition to winning his MVP award, Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team on May 8, 2008 for the third straight season and sixth time in his career. He would then headline the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett, receiving 52 points overall including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth selection.

The Lakers concluded the 2007–08 regular season with a 57–25 record, finishing first in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Nuggets. In Game 1, Bryant, who said he made himself a decoy through most of the game, scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 minutes to keep Los Angeles safely ahead. That made Denver the first 50-win team to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs since the Memphis Grizzlies fell in four to the San Antonio Spurs in 2004. In the first game of the next round against the Jazz, Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1. The Lakers won the next game as well, but dropped Games 3 and 4, even with Bryant putting up 33.5 points per game. The Lakers then won the next two games to win the semifinals in 6. The Lakers then lost to the Boston Celtics in 6 games.

Repeat (2008–10)

record with 61 points]]

In the 2008–09 season, the Lakers opened the campaign by winning their first seven games. Bryant led the team to tie the franchise record for most wins to start the season going 17–2, and by the middle of December they compiled a 21–3 record. He was selected to his eleventh consecutive All-Star Game as a starter, and was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the week three times. In a game against the Knicks on February 2, 2009, Bryant scored 61 points, setting a record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden. During the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant who tallied 27 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals was awarded All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal. The Lakers finished the regular season with the best record in the west with a 65–17 record. Bryant was runner-up in the MVP voting behind LeBron James, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team for the seventh time in his career.

NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers]] In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz in five games and the Houston Rockets in seven games in the opening two rounds. After finishing off the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals in six games, the Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals where they defeated the Orlando Magic in five games. Bryant was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP trophy upon winning his fourth championship, achieving series averages: 32.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. He became the first player since Jerry West in the 1969 NBA Finals to average at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists for a finals series and the first since Michael Jordan to average 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for a title-winning team in the finals.

During the 2009–10 season, Bryant made six game-winning shots including a buzzer-beating, one-legged three point shot against the Miami Heat on December 4, 2009. Bryant considered the shot one of the luckiest he has made. Despite the injury, Bryant elected to continue playing with it, rather than take any time off to rest the injury. Bryant also became the youngest player (31 years, 151 days) to reach 25,000 points during the season, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain. He continued his dominant clutch plays making yet another game winning three-pointer against the Sacramento Kings, and what would be the game-winning field goal against the Boston Celtics. The following day, he surpassed Jerry West to become the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. After being sidelined for five games from an ankle injury, Bryant made his return and made another clutch three-pointer to give the Lakers a one point lead with four seconds remaining against the Memphis Grizzlies. Two weeks later, he made his sixth game-winning shot of the season against the Toronto Raptors.

of the Orlando Magic on January 18, 2010]] On April 2, 2010, Bryant signed a three-year contract extension worth $87 million. Bryant finished the regular season missing four of the final five games, due to injuries to his knee and finger. Bryant suffered multiple injuries throughout the season and as a result, missed nine games. The Lakers began the playoffs as the number one seed in the Western Conference against the Oklahoma City Thunder, eventually defeating them in six games. The Lakers swept the Utah Jazz in the second round and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced Phoenix Suns. In Game 2, Bryant finished the game with 13 assists, setting a new playoff career high; it was the most assists by a Laker in the playoffs since Magic Johnson had 13 in 1996. The Lakers went on to win the series in six games capturing the Western Conference Championship and advancing to the NBA Finals for a third straight season. In a rematch against the 2008 Champions Boston Celtics, Bryant, despite shooting 6 for 24 from the field, led the Lakers back from a thirteen-point third quarter deficit in Game 7 to win the championship; he scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, and finished the game with 15 rebounds. Bryant won his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award. This marked the first time the Lakers won a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Bryant said that this was the most satisfying of all of his five championships.

2010–11 season

The Lakers started the 2010–11 season by winning their first eight games. In his ninth game of the season, playing against the Denver Nuggets, Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 26,000 career points. Bryant also recorded his first triple double since January 21, 2009. On January 30 against the Celtics, he become the youngest player to score 27,000 points. On February 1, 2011, Bryant became one of seven players with at least 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 5,000 assists. In Boston on February 10, Bryant scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half as the Lakers rallied from an early 15-point deficit for a 92–86 win over the Celtics. It was the Lakers' first victory of the season against one of the league's top four teams, as they entered the game 0–5 in previous matchups and had been outscored by an average of 11 points. Bryant, selected to his 13th straight All-Star game after becoming the leading vote-getter, had 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals in the 2011 All-Star Game and won his fourth All-Star MVP, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards. During the season, Bryant moved from 12th to 6th place on the NBA all-time career scoring list, passing John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, and Moses Malone. Bryant finished the season averaging less than 20 shots a game, his fewest since the 2003-04 season.

On April 13, 2011, the NBA fined Bryant $100,000 for calling referee Bennie Adams a derogatory gay term in frustration in the previous day's game. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation praised the NBA's decision to fine Bryant, and the Human Rights Campaign said that Bryant's language was a "disgrace" and "distasteful". Bryant stated that he was open to discussing the matter with gay rights groups and wanted to appeal his fine. He later apologized for the use of the word. Bryant and other Lakers appeared in a Lakers public service announcement denouncing Bryant's behavior.

International career

at the 2008 Summer Olympics]] }}

Kobe Bryant declined to play in the 2000 Olympics due to getting married in the off-season. He also decided not to play in the 2002 FIBA World Championship. Bryant was originally selected for the FIBA Americas Championship 2003 but withdrew due to surgeries and was replaced by Vince Carter. In the following summer, he had to withdraw from the Olympic team because of his legal case. Along with LeBron James, he was one of the first two players to publicly named to the 2006-2008 U.S. preliminary roster in 2006 by Jerry Colangelo. However, he was once again sidelined after knee surgery and didn't participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Bryant's senior international career with the United States national team finally began in 2007. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men's Senior National Team and USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10–0, won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympics. He started in all 10 of the USA's FIBA Americas Championship games. He finished third on the team for made and attempted free throws, ranked fourth for made field goals, made 3-pointers. Among all FIBA Americas Championship competitors, Bryant is ranked 15th in scoring, 14th in assists, and eighth in steals. Bryant scored double-digits in eight of the 10 games played. Bryant also made the game winning jumper above the foul line with seconds left in the game. He currently averages a .530 shooting percentage, with 16.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

As a part of his international expansion, he is also featured in a Chinese reality TV show, called the Kobe Mentu show, which documents Chinese basketball players on different teams going through drills, preparing to play each other while Bryant gives advice and words of encouragement to the players while they practice.

On June 23, 2008, he was named to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. This was his first time going to the Olympics. Bryant scored 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, along with six assists, as Team USA defeated Spain 118–107 in the gold medal game of the 2008 Summer Olympics on August 24, 2008, for its first gold medal in a worldwide international competition since the 2000 Olympics. He averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting .462 from the field in eight Olympic contests.

Bryant has committed to playing for the national team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Player profile

.]] Bryant is a shooting guard who is capable of playing the small forward position. He is considered one of the most complete players in the NBA, has been selected to every All-NBA Team since 1999, and has been featured in the last twelve NBA All-Star games. In 2007, an ESPN poll of sportswriters voted him as the second best shooting guard in NBA history behind Jordan. He is known for his ability to create shots for himself and is a standout three-point shooter, sharing the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with twelve. Bryant is often cited as one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, though his 45.4% career field goal average is considered moderate. He utilizes his wide array of moves and shots to elude defenders and score from virtually anywhere on the floor. Some of Bryant's best moves are his turnaround jump shot, and his ability to post up his defenders and score with a fadeaway jumpshot. Chris Ballard, a Sports Illustrated NBA writer, describes a "jab step-and-pause" as a move Bryant uses where he jabs his non-pivot foot forward to let the defender relax and instead of bringing the jab foot back, he pushes off it and drive around his opponent to get to the basket.

Aside from his scoring ability, he has established himself as a standout defender, having made the All-Defensive first or second team eleven of the last twelve seasons. For nine consecutive seasons, Bryant has been selected by an NBA GM survey as the player they most want taking the shot with the game on the line. Both Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the NBA player of the 2000s decade.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 71 || 6 || 15.5 || .417 || .375 || .819 || 1.9 || 1.3 || .7 || .3 || 7.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 79 || 1 || 26.0 || .428 || .341 || .794 || 3.1 || 2.5 || .9 || .5 || 15.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 50 || 50 || 37.9 || .465 || .267 || .839 || 5.3 || 3.8 || 1.4 || 1.0 || 19.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 66 || 62 || 38.2 || .468 || .319 || .821 || 6.3 || 4.9 || 1.6 || .9 || 22.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 68 || 68 || 40.9 || .464 || .305 || .853 || 5.9 || 5.0 || 1.7 || .6 || 28.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 80 || 80 || 38.3 || .469 || .250 || .829 || 5.5 || 5.5 || 1.5 || .4 || 25.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 41.5 || .451 || .383 || .843 || 6.9 || 5.9 || 2.2 || .8 || 30.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 65 || 64 || 37.6 || .438 || .327 || .852 || 5.5 || 5.1 || 1.7 || .4 || 24.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 66 || 66 || 40.7 || .433 || .339 || .816 || 5.9 || 6.0 || 1.3 || .8 || 27.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 80 || 80 || 41.0 || .450 || .347 || .850 || 5.3 || 4.5 || 1.8 || .4 || 35.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 77 || 77 || 40.8 || .463 || .344 || .868 || 5.7 || 5.4 || 1.4 || .5 || 31.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 38.9 || .459 || .361 || .840 || 6.3 || 5.4 || 1.8 || .5 || 28.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 36.1 || .467 || .351 || .856 || 5.2 || 4.9 || 1.5 || .4 || 26.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 73 || 73 || 38.8 || .456 || .329 || .811 || 5.4 || 5.0 || 1.6 || .3 || 27.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 33.9 || .451 || .323 || .828 || 5.1 || 4.7 || 1.2 || .1 || 25.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 1103 || 955 || 36.4 || .454 || .339 || .837 || 5.3 || 4.7 || 1.5 || .6 || 25.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| All-Star | style="text-align:left;"| | 12 || 12 || 27.3 || .507 || .345 || .808 || 5.3 || 4.5 || 2.8 || .3 || 20.3

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 9 || 0 || 14.8 || .382 || .261 || .867 || 1.2 || 1.2 || .3 || .2 || 8.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 11 || 0 || 20.0 || .408 || .214 || .689 || 1.9 || 1.5 || .3 || .7 || 8.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 8 || 8 || 39.4 || .430 || .348 || .800 || 6.9 || 4.6 || 1.9 || 1.2 || 19.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 22 || 22 || 39.0 || .442 || .344 || .754 || 4.5 || 4.4 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 21.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 16 || 16 || 43.4 || .469 || .324 || .821 || 7.3 || 6.1 || 1.6 || .8 || 29.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 19 || 19 || 43.8 || .434 || .379 || .759 || 5.8 || 4.6 || 1.4 || .9 || 26.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 12 || 12 || 44.3 || .432 || .403 || .827 || 5.1 || 5.2 || 1.2 || .1 || 32.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 22 || 22 || 44.2 || .413 || .247 || .813 || 4.7 || 5.5 || 1.9 || .3 || 24.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 7 || 7 || 44.9 || .497 || .400 || .771 || 6.3 || 5.1 || 1.1 || .4 || 27.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 5 || 5 || 43.0 || .462 || .357 || .919 || 5.2 || 4.4 || 1.0 || .4 || 32.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 21 || 21 || 41.1 || .479 || .302 || .809 || 5.7 || 5.6 || 1.7 || .4 || 30.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 23 || 23 || 40.8 || .457 || .349 || .883 || 5.3 || 5.5 || 1.7 || .9 || 30.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 23 || 23 || 40.1 || .458 || .374 || .842 || 6.0 || 5.5 || 1.4 || .7 || 29.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 10 || 10 || 35.4 || .446 || .293 || .820 || 3.4 || 3.3 || 1.6 || .3 || 22.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 208 || 188 || 39.3 || .448 || .335 || .815 || 5.1 || 4.8 || 1.4 || .7 || 25.4

Accomplishments and records

Bryant led the NBA in scoring during the and seasons. behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point performance. Bryant was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in the 2007–08 season and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team". He led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions.

Bryant has been selected to 13 All-NBA Team (nine times to the All-NBA First Team) and 11 All-Defensive Team (nine times to the All-Defensive First Team). He was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game on 13 occasions, winning All-Star MVP Awards in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011 (he shared the 2009 award with Shaquille O'Neal). He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997. As of May 2011, he has had 5 sixty-point games, 24 fifty-point games, and 107 forty-point games.

Off the court

Personal life

In November 1999, 21-year-old Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up". Bryant was in the building working on his debut musical album, which was never released. The two began dating and became engaged just six months later in May 2000,

They married on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Neither Bryant's parents, his two sisters, longtime advisor and agent Arn Tellem, nor Bryant's Laker teammates attended. Bryant's parents were opposed to the marriage for a number of reasons. Reportedly Bryant's parents had problems with him marrying so young, especially to a woman who was not African-American. In an early 2007 interview, it was revealed that Bryant still speaks Italian fluently.

Sexual assault allegation

In the summer of 2003, the sheriff's office of Eagle, Colorado arrested Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by 19-year old hotel employee Katelyn Faber. Bryant had checked into The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera hotel in Eagle in advance of undergoing knee surgery nearby. Faber accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room the night before Bryant was to have the procedure. Bryant admitted an adulterous sexual encounter with his accuser, but denied her sexual assault allegation.

The accusation tarnished Bryant's reputation, as the public's perception of Bryant plummeted, and his endorsement contracts with McDonald's and Nutella were terminated. Sales for Bryant's replica jersey fell significantly from their previous highs. However, in September 2004, the assault case was dropped by prosecutors after Faber refused to testify in the trial. Afterward, Bryant agreed to apologize to Faber for the incident, including his public mea culpa: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did." Faber filed a separate civil lawsuit against Bryant, which the two sides ultimately settled with the specific terms of the settlement being undisclosed to the public.

Endorsements

Before starting the 1996–97 NBA season, Bryant signed a 6-year contract with Adidas worth approximately $48 million. His first signature shoe was the Equipment KB 8. Bryant's other earlier endorsements included deals with The Coca-Cola Company to endorse their Sprite soft drink, appearing in advertisements for McDonald's, promoting Spalding's new NBA Infusion Ball, Upper Deck, Italian chocolate company Ferrero SpA's brand Nutella, Russell Corporation, and appearing on his own series of video games by Nintendo. Many companies like McDonald's and Ferrero SpA terminated his contracts when rape allegations against him became public. A notable exception was Nike, Inc., who had signed him to a 5-year, $40–45 million contract just before the incident. However, they refused to use his image or market a new shoe of his for the year, but eventually did start promoting Bryant once his image recovered 2 years later. Bryant was also the cover athlete for NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2 and appeared in commercials for the video games Guitar Hero World Tour (with Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps, and Alex Rodriguez) in 2008 and (alongside Jimmy Kimmel) in 2010.

(left) and Bryant (center) with Barack Obama (right) on January 25, 2010]] In a 2008 video promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Bryant appears to jump over a speeding Aston Martin. The stunt was considered to be fake, and the Los Angeles Times said a real stunt would probably be a violation of Bryant's Lakers contract. After promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Bryant came out with the fourth edition of his signature line by Nike, the Zoom Kobe IV. In 2010 Nike launched another shoe, Nike Zoom Kobe V. In 2009, Bryant signed a deal with Nubeo to market the "Black Mamba collection", a line of sports/luxury watches that range from $25,000 to $285,000. On February 9, 2009, Bryant was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. However, it was not for anything basketball related, rather it was about Bryant being a big fan of FC Barcelona. CNN estimated Bryant's endorsement deals in 2007 to be worth $16 million a year. In 2010, Bryant was ranked third behind Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes with $48 million.

On December 13, 2010, Bryant signed a two-year endorsement deal with Turkey's national airline, Turkish Airlines. The deal involved Bryant being in a promotional film to be aired in over 80 countries in addition to him being used in digital, print and billboard advertising.

Bryant has appeared as the cover athlete for the following video games: Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside NBA Courtside 2002 NBA 3 On 3 Featuring Kobe Bryant NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2

NBA 2K10

Philanthropy

Bryant is the official ambassador for After-School All-Stars (ASAS), an American non-profit organization that provides comprehensive after-school programs to children in 13 US cities. Bryant also started the Kobe Bryant China Fund which partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government. The Kobe Bryant China Fund raises money within China earmarked for education and health programs. On November 4, 2010, Bryant appeared alongside Zach Braff at the launch event at the Santa Monica Airport, where they presented a $1 million check to the Call of Duty Endowment, an Activision-founded nonprofit organization that helps veterans transition to civilian careers after their military service has ended.

See also

Kobe Bryant (song)

Kobe Bryant – Shaquille O'Neal feud

Kobe Doin' Work

List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise

List of 40-plus point games by Kobe Bryant

List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played

List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders

List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders

List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders

List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association players with 50 or more points in a playoff game

List of National Basketball Association players with most championship rings

List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game

List of National Basketball Association season scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association top individual scoring season averages

Notes

External links

Official Site

Kobe Bryant at NBA.com

NBA.com – The Ultimate Kobe Page

Kobe Bryant Video on ESPN Video Archive

Kobe Bryant Video on FoxSports Video Archive

Category:1978 births Category:African American basketball players Category:American basketball players Category:American expatriates in Italy Category:African-American Catholics Category:Basketball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Basketball players from Pennsylvania Category:Charlotte Hornets draft picks Category:Gatorade National Basketball Player of the Year Category:Living people Category:Los Angeles Lakers players Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans Category:National Basketball Association high school draftees Category:NBA Slam Dunk Contest champions Category:NBA Finals MVP Award winners Category:Olympic basketball players of the United States Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Category:People from Newport Beach, California Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Shooting guards Category:United States men's national basketball team members

Name	Darko Miličić
Caption	Miličić with the Timberwolves
Number	31
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves
Height ft	7
Height in	0
Weight lb	275
Position	Center/power forward
Birth date	June 20, 1985
Birth place	Novi Sad, Serbia, Yugoslavia
Nationality	Serbian
Draft round	1
Draft pick	2
Draft team	Detroit Pistons
Draft year	2003
Career start	2001
Teams	Hemofarm (2001–2003) Detroit Pistons (2003–2006)Orlando Magic (2006-2007)Memphis Grizzlies (2007–2009)New York Knicks (2009–2010)Minnesota Timberwolves (2010–present)
Highlights	2001 European Cadet Champion2002 Under-20 World Champion1× NBA Champion (2004)
Profile	darko_milicic

Darko Miličić (; born June 20, 1985) is a Serbian professional basketball center for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft after LeBron James, and ahead of players such as Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. However, Miličić never received significant playing time during his 2½ seasons with the team and was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2006. After stints with the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, Miličić was traded to the Timberwolves in 2010, then signed a four year contract in the off-season. Miličić is the youngest player in NBA history to win the NBA Championship.

Professional career

Detroit Pistons

Unlike most teams with high draft picks, the Pistons were a good team that made the Eastern Conference Finals the season before. They held the pick because of a trade that had been made with the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1996. Miličić saw limited playing time during his tenure with the Pistons, but did become the youngest player to appear in an NBA Finals game (18 years and 356 days) when the Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. He was also the fourth youngest player and the youngest foreign player to play in the NBA.

Under coach Larry Brown (2003-2005), Miličić only played when the Pistons had an insurmountable lead late in the game, and hence was given the nickname "Human Victory Cigar". Pistons team president Joe Dumars repeatedly stated that Miličić would play a big part in the team's future, but he did not see a large increase in playing time during his second season. Miličić has been quoted on numerous occasions as attributing his slow development on his lack of playing time; "I've said it 10,000 times, the best way for me to improve is to play. All the work in practice and individual workouts can only help me so much."

After Brown's departure, Flip Saunders was hired as head coach of the Pistons. It was expected that Miličić would see more playing time due to Saunders's track record of developing young players such as Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury. With Elden Campbell no longer on Detroit's roster and Dale Davis brought in as a mentor, most NBA experts believed that Miličić would see considerably more minutes this season as the Pistons' full-time backup center behind Ben Wallace. While Miličić played well in the NBA's summer leagues and earned the praise of his teammates, little changed in the first half of the 2006 season. Under Saunders, Miličić still averaged only 5.6 minutes per game, and received significant playing time only in blowout wins or blowout losses for the Pistons. Miličić's lack of playing time in Detroit was frequently highlighted in publications like ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated. He later questioned whether the Pistons should have drafted him.

Orlando Magic

On February 15, 2006, just prior to the NBA's All-Star break, Miličić was traded, along with point guard Carlos Arroyo, to the Orlando Magic for Kelvin Cato and a first-round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft (Rodney Stuckey).

During a game against the New York Knicks he played 32 minutes and finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. The 13 points and 32 minutes were season highs, and he led the Magic in minutes for that game. Miličić averaged 2.4 blocks per game in his first 20 games as a member of the Magic. In the 2006-07 playoffs, he increased his scoring by 4 points per game to 12.3 on 58.8% shooting. When his rookie contract expired offseason, Orlando GM Otis Smith did not sign the matching offer on the table, and so he became an unrestricted free agent.

Memphis Grizzlies

On July 12, 2007, the first day of free agency, Miličić was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies to a three-year, $21 million contract. Miličić hurt his Achilles tendon practicing with the Serbian national team in the 2008 offseason but was available to start at the beginning of the season. Miličić began the 2008-09 season starting at power forward but, due to poor play, was moved to the bench. Miličić regained his starting job as his play steadily improved in early December 2008. Miličić's progress was set back by an injury on December 26, 2008 against the Indiana Pacers when he broke a knuckle on his right hand during the game.

He was eventually replaced by Marc Gasol as a starter.

New York Knicks

On June 25, 2009, Miličić was traded to the New York Knicks for Quentin Richardson and cash considerations. On December 17, 2009 Miličić said that he plans to leave the NBA and return to playing basketball in Europe next season.

Minnesota Timberwolves

On February 17, 2010, Miličić was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with cash considerations for Brian Cardinal. The Timberwolves agreed to re-sign Milicic for 4 years and $20 million on July 1, 2010.

International career

In 2006, Miličić led Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Serbia and Montenegro had decided to replace their aging superstars, who had led the team to a gold medal finish in the previous 2002 FIBA World Championship, with young blood. Miličić led the team in rebounds (56) and blocked shots (17) and was second on the team in scoring (16.2 ppg) and assists (11) through six games. In Serbia and Montenegro's sixth and final game against Spain, Miličić matched up against NBA All-Star Pau Gasol and finished with a very respectable 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

After a 68–67 overtime loss to Greece in the EuroBasket 2007 Miličić made vulgar remarks in his native tongue about the referees and their families in front of Serbian media. He got a heavy fine by FIBA and his outburst was heavily criticized by Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace and head coach Marc Iavaroni. Miličić wasn't a member of the Serbia national team in the three following national team actions, the EuroBasket 2009 qualification, EuroBasket 2009, and 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Personal life

Miličić has stated that after his NBA career ends he will fulfill his obligation to military service in his native Serbia. His parents are Milorad and Zora. His sister Tijana is a volleyball player.

On May 23, 2009, he married his girlfriend of 3 years, Zorana Markuš. The two had a son in the summer of 2009.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | align="left" | 2003–04 | align="left" | Detroit | 34 || 0 || 4.7 || .262 || .000 || .583 || 1.3 || .2 || .2 || .4 || 1.4 |- | align="left" | 2004–05 | align="left" | Detroit | 37 || 2 || 6.9 || .329 || .000 || .708 || 1.2 || .2 || .1 || .5 || 1.8 |- | align="left" | 2005–06 | align="left" | Detroit | 25 || 0 || 5.6 || .515 || .000 || .375 || 1.1 || .4 || .1 || .6 || 1.5 |- | align="left" | 2005–06 | align="left" | Orlando | 30 || 1 || 20.9 || .507 || .000 || .595 || 4.1 || 1.1 || .4 || 2.1 || 7.6 |- | align="left" | 2006–07 | align="left" | Orlando | 80 || 16 || 23.9 || .454 || .000 || .613 || 5.5 || 1.1 || .6 || 1.8 || 8.0 |- | align="left" | 2007–08 | align="left" | Memphis | 70 || 64 || 23.8 || .438 || .000 || .554 || 6.1 || .8 || .5 || 1.6 || 7.2 |- | align="left" | 2008–09 | align="left" | Memphis | 61 || 15 || 17.0 || .515 || .000 || .562 || 4.3 || .6 || .4 || .8 || 5.5 |- | align="left" | 2009–10 | align="left" | New York | 8 || 0 || 8.9 || .471 || .000 || .000 || 2.3 || .5 || .5 || .1 || 2.0 |- | align="left" | 2009–10 | align="left" | Minnesota | 24 || 18 || 25.6 || .492 || .000 || .536 || 5.5 || 1.8 || .8 || 1.4 || 8.3 |- | align="left" | 2010–11 | align="left" | Minnesota | 69 || 69 || 24.4 || .469 || .000 || .557 || 5.2 || 1.5 || .8 || 2.0 || 8.8 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 438 || 185 || 18.6 || .460 || .000 || .581 || 4.3 || .9 || .4 || 1.3 || 6.1

Playoffs

|- | align="left" | 2003–04 | align="left" | Detroit | 8 || 0 || 1.8 || .000 || .000 || .250 || .4 || .1 || .1 || .0 || .1 |- | align="left" | 2004–05 | align="left" | Detroit | 9 || 0 || 2.3 || .286 || .000 || 1.000 || .4 || .1 || .0 || .1 || .6 |- | align="left" | 2006–07 | align="left" | Orlando | 4 || 0 || 28.8 || .588 || .000 || .529 || 4.5 || 1.0 || .2 || 1.0 || 12.3 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 21 || 0 || 7.1 || .489 || .000 || .500 || 1.2 || .3 || .1 || .2 || 2.6

References

External links

HoopsWorld GLOBAL Story, 03/26/2007

NBA.com Profile

ESPN.com Profile

interview after Greece - Serbia 07/09/2007

Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Detroit Pistons draft picks Category:Detroit Pistons players Category:KK Hemofarm players Category:Memphis Grizzlies players Category:Minnesota Timberwolves players Category:New York Knicks players Category:Orlando Magic players Category:People from Novi Sad Category:Power forwards (basketball) Category:Serbian basketball players Category:Serbian expatriate basketball people in the United States