Alexis Ajinça facts for kids
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Ajinça with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014
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| Washington Wizards | ||||||||||||||
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| Assistant coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 May 1988 Saint-Étienne, France |
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| High school | INSEP (Paris, France) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 248 lb (112 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Charlotte Bobcats | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2006–2019 | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2023–present | |||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Pau-Orthez | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Hyères-Toulon | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Charlotte Bobcats | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | →Sioux Falls Skyforce | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | →Maine Red Claws | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | Toronto Raptors | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | Hyères-Toulon | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | SIG Strasbourg | |||||||||||||
| 2013–2018 | New Orleans Pelicans | |||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | ASVEL Basket | |||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Capital City Go-Go (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Washington Wizards (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 1,553 (5.3 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,150 (3.9 rpg) | |||||||||||||
| Blocks | 181 (.6 bpg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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Alexis Ajinça (born May 6, 1988) is a French former professional basketball player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for seven seasons in the NBA. His teams included the Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Alexis Ajinça was a very good BMX rider when he was a kid. He often won races in France for his age group. He started playing basketball when he was 12 years old. He thought basketball would help him jump higher for his bike tricks. Later, he became so good at basketball that he stopped BMX riding.
Playing Basketball Professionally
Starting His Career (2006–2008)
After studying at INSEP in France, Ajinça played for a team called Pau-Orthez in the 2006–07 season. He then joined Hyères-Toulon for the 2007–08 season. During that time, he scored about 5.0 points and grabbed 3.1 rebounds per game.
Playing for the Charlotte Bobcats (2008–2010)
The Charlotte Bobcats picked Ajinça as the 20th player in the 2008 NBA draft. The Bobcats wanted a tall player, also known as a big man. They believed Ajinça had a lot of potential to become a great player.
During his first year, he also played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. This team is part of the NBA Development League, which helps players get more experience. In his second year with Charlotte, he played some games with the Maine Red Claws.
Time with the Dallas Mavericks (2010–2011)
On July 13, 2010, Ajinça was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He moved with another player, Tyson Chandler. This trade helped both teams change their rosters.
Joining the Toronto Raptors (2011)
Later, on January 24, 2011, Ajinça was traded again. He went to the Toronto Raptors. This trade also included a future draft pick and some money.
Returning to France (2011–2013)
After his time in the NBA, Ajinça went back to France. He tried out for a team called Paris-Levallois in November 2011. He then joined Hyères-Toulon again.
On December 29, 2011, he signed with SIG Strasbourg. He played with Strasbourg for the 2012–13 season. He signed with them again for the 2013–14 season. However, he left Strasbourg in December 2013 to return to the NBA.
Playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (2013–2018)
On December 20, 2013, Ajinça signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. He signed with them again on July 9, 2015. On April 8, 2016, he had one of his best games. He scored 28 points and got 15 rebounds in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
In December 2017, Ajinça had surgery on his right knee. This injury kept him from playing for the rest of the 2017–18 season. On October 15, 2018, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers then released him right away.
Playing for ASVEL (2018–2019)
On December 28, 2018, Ajinça went back to France once more. He signed with ASVEL Basket, another French team.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Alexis Ajinça started coaching. On October 13, 2023, he became an assistant coach for the Capital City Go-Go. This team is part of the NBA G League.
On July 10, 2024, Ajinça became an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. This is the team he coaches today.
Playing for His Country
In September 2013, Ajinça played for the French national team. They competed in EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. He played well, averaging 9.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for his country.
Personal Life
Alexis Ajinça is married to his wife, Courtney. They have two sons named Carter and Caysen. His cousin, Melvin Ajinça, is also a professional basketball player.
See also
In Spanish: Alexis Ajinça para niños
