Vitaly Potapenko

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In this Eastern Slavic naming convention, the patronymic is Nikolaevich and the family name is Potapenko.
Vitaly Potapenko
Vitaly Potapenko in 2016.jpg
Potapenko in 2016
Memphis Grizzlies
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1975-03-21) March 21, 1975 (age 46)
Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
NationalityUkrainian
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight280 lb (127 kg)
Career information
CollegeWright State (1994–1996)
NBA draft1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12th overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Playing career1992–2008
PositionCenter
Number52, 9, 20
Coaching career2009–present
Career history
As player:
1992–1994Budivelnyk
1996–1999Cleveland Cavaliers
1999–2002Boston Celtics
2002–2006Seattle SuperSonics
2006–2007Sacramento Kings
2007–2008MMT Estudiantes
As coach:
2009–2010Fort Wayne Mad Ants (assistant)
2010–2011Indiana Pacers (assistant)
2011–2012Dakota Wizards (assistant)
2012–2013Santa Cruz Warriors (assistant)
2013–2017Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant)
2018–presentMemphis Grizzlies (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player:
  • 2× Ukrainian champion (1993, 1994)
  • 2× First-team All-MCC (1995, 1996)

As assistant coach:

Career NBA statistics
Points3,995 (6.5 ppg)
Rebounds2,725 (4.5 rpg)
Assists418 (0.7 apg)
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Vitaly Nikolaevich Potapenko[1] (Ukrainian: Віталій Миколайович Потапенко, pronounced vee-TAH-lee poe-TAH-pen-koe,[1] born March 21, 1975) is a Ukrainian former professional basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at Wright State University and was selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1996 NBA draft, also the last pick before Kobe Bryant, believed by many as the best player from the 1996 draft. Nicknamed "The Ukraine Train",[1] he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Sacramento Kings of the NBA, as well as MMT Estudiantes in the Spanish ACB.[2][3]

Since retiring as a player, Potapenko has been serving as an assistant coach for several teams, among them the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Indiana Pacers, the Dakota Wizards,[4] and the Santa Cruz Warriors and later as an assistant director of player development for the Cleveland Cavaliers,[5] helping them win their first ever NBA championship.

NBA transactions[]

Other[]

  • Potapenko was a sociology major at Wright State.[1]
  • His second-favorite sport is soccer.[1]
  • Favorite food is Swedish meatballs.[1]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Vitaly Potapenko Bio". NBA. Archived from the original on April 5, 2008.
  2. ^ MMT Estudiantes former players
  3. ^ "What the Hell Happened to...Vitaly Potapenko?".
  4. ^ Dakota Wizards Hire Potapenko As Assistant Coach
  5. ^ "Vitaly Potapenko returning to Cleveland Cavaliers as player-development coach". 4 June 2013.
  6. ^ Trade deadline: Watson, Patterson move in four-team deal

External links[]

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