Behdad Sami facts for kids
Behdad Sami
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| No. 20 – Free Agent | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 20, 1986 Iran |
| Nationality | Iranian - American |
| High school | Southridge High School |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Linn-Benton Community College |
| Pro career | 2007–2014 |
| Career history | |
| 2007 | Georgia Gwizzlies |
| 2008 | Kaveh Tehran |
| 2009 | Al Wakrah |
| 2010 | San Diego Surf |
| 2011 | Guifoes Sports Club |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Behdad Sami, born on June 20, 1986, is an Iranian American professional basketball player. He made history as the first Iranian basketball player to play professionally in the United States. This happened in 2007 when he joined the minor-league American Basketball Association (ABA). Later, in October 2010, Behdad also became the first Iranian to play professional basketball in Portugal.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Behdad Sami graduated from Southridge High School in 2005. Before that, he attended Lake Oswego High School for two years. He decided to transfer due to a difficult situation with his coach. After high school, Behdad received a full scholarship to Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon. He played one season there in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) before becoming a professional player.
Professional Basketball Career
Behdad started his professional basketball journey as a point guard for the Georgia Gwizzlies in the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 2007. He also played professionally in other countries. Behdad is known for his amazing athletic skills. He has a vertical leap of 46 inches, which means he can jump very high to dunk the ball. He can also run very fast, completing a 40-yard dash in 4.469 seconds.
Behdad has played for teams in many different countries. These include major professional teams in Iran and Qatar. In 2010, he started the season with the San Diego Surf (ABA). However, within the first month, he was signed to play with the Guifoes Sport Club in Portugal's ProLiga. After his season in Portugal, Behdad found out he had played with a broken shin bone. This injury forced him to take a break from playing basketball from 2011 to 2013. He had to go through a lot of physical therapy to recover.
Gatorade's Quest for G Series
In the spring of 2009, Behdad was chosen for a special project called "Quest for G; The Series" by Gatorade. Thousands of top athletes from around the world were considered. This project was a reality show about training athletes to become ready for the Olympics in their specific sports. Even though Behdad was selected for his basketball skills, he decided to try out for tennis instead. He had a strong background in tennis, and Gatorade approved his choice.
Life Beyond the Court
Personal Life and Creative Work
Behdad has also been involved in acting and production. He was an actor in the film The Winner, which came out in the winter of 2012. In May 2011, Behdad participated in the NOH8 photo campaign. This campaign supports people who have been silenced around the world.
Behdad was also a co-owner and co-founder of KTJB Presents, a production company. In May 2012, KTJB released its first stop-animation music video. It was for rapper David Banner and featured singer Chris Brown. In 2019, Behdad starred in the film Trunkful. This movie was accepted into the Miami Urban Film Festival.
Legendary Rejects Entertainment
In 2014, Behdad founded a company called Legendary Rejects. This company focuses on video games, apps, and other entertainment. Their first video game was Get 'Em, released in 2016 for Apple iOS and Android phones. Behdad wrote, produced, and directed Get 'Em. He also created the music and was a voice actor in the game.
On October 19, 2017, Behdad wrote, designed, and published the Get 'Em children's graphic novel on iBooks. Then, on June 21, 2018, Behdad Sami Interactive released the Get 'Em iMessage stickers app. These stickers use artwork from the video game and graphic novel. In addition to the Get 'Em series, Legendary Rejects also launched a movie streaming app in 2023.
Sponsorships
In February 2011, Behdad received his first sponsorship deal from Kallusive Clothing. He was also endorsed by O.N.E Coconut Water, starting in August 2011. He became an ambassador for the "Liquid Revolution." This movement encourages people to live a healthy lifestyle.
