Linas Kleiza facts for kids
Kleiza with Fenerbahçe Ülker in 2013
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | January 3, 1985 Kaunas, Lithuania |
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| High school | Montrose Christian School (Rockville, Maryland) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 236 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Missouri (2003–2005) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 27th overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2005–2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2009 | Denver Nuggets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Olympiacos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Toronto Raptors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Fenerbahçe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Olimpia Milano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 3,561 (8.7 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,470 (3.6 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 321 (0.8 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Linas Kleiza was born on January 3, 1985. He is a Lithuanian basketball expert and a former player. He stands at 6 feet 8 inches tall. Linas played as a small forward and power forward. In 2010, he was the top scorer in the EuroLeague, which is a major European basketball league. He was also chosen for the All-EuroLeague First Team that year.
Kleiza played for the Lithuanian national basketball team. He helped them win a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. He also earned a silver medal at the EuroBasket 2013 and a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2007.
Contents
Linas Kleiza's Early Life and School Years
Linas Kleiza was born in Kaunas, Lithuania. When he was 16, he moved to the United States. He went to Montrose Christian School and finished there in 2003. He played for the Lithuanian Junior National Team. This team won a silver medal at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Linas was the top scorer in that tournament. He averaged 29.1 points per game.
College Basketball Journey
Kleiza played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers. In his second year, he was recognized as an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 player. He also played very well in the 2005 Big 12 tournament. There, he averaged 29.5 points and 9 rebounds per game.
Linas Kleiza's Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Denver Nuggets
The Portland Trail Blazers picked Linas Kleiza in the 2005 NBA draft. He was the 27th player chosen. The Trail Blazers then traded him to the Denver Nuggets. In his first year, he did not play much. He averaged 3.5 points in about 8.5 minutes per game.
In his second year, Linas got better at shooting three-pointers. He also played more often, averaging 7.6 points per game. The Nuggets decided to keep him for another season.
Kleiza became an important player for the Nuggets in the 2007–08 season. He often played as a backup for Carmelo Anthony. On January 17, 2008, Linas scored a career-high 41 points against the Utah Jazz. His scoring average went up to 11.1 points per game. In his fourth year, his numbers were a bit lower. The coach said he played less because he was not a "playmaker."
Time with Olympiacos in Greece
On August 10, 2009, Kleiza signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos, a team in Greece. He averaged 17.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague. He helped his team reach the EuroLeague Finals. Linas was the top scorer in the league that year. He was the first Lithuanian player to win this award.
Joining the Toronto Raptors
On July 7, 2010, Kleiza left Olympiacos. He then signed a four-year contract with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. In January 2011, he had a serious knee injury. This meant he could not play for the rest of the 2010–11 season. He had surgery on February 1, 2011. Linas returned to play on January 11, 2012. On July 16, 2013, the Raptors decided to let Kleiza go.
Playing for Fenerbahçe Ülker
On July 26, 2013, Kleiza signed a two-year contract with Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He played there for one season. On July 1, 2014, he left the team.
Last Stop with Olimpia Milano
On July 21, 2014, Kleiza signed a one-year deal with Olimpia Milano, an Italian team. After this season, he stopped playing professional basketball. He did not officially retire, but he took a break due to knee problems.
Playing for the National Team
Linas Kleiza also played for the senior Lithuanian national basketball team. He played in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He won a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2007 and a silver medal at the EuroBasket 2013. He also played for Lithuania at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
After a tough EuroBasket 2009, Kleiza led his team to a bronze medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. He averaged 19.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He was chosen for the All-Tournament Team. Because of his knee injury, he could not play for Lithuania at EuroBasket 2011.
Life After Playing: Executive Career
On July 13, 2017, Linas Kleiza became part-owner of the BC Rytas basketball club. He was also named the club's vice president and sports director. On February 8, 2020, Kleiza decided to leave BC Rytas. This was due to disagreements with other leaders of the team. In May 2020, he gave up his shares in the team.
Personal Life
Linas Kleiza married his wife in June 2014. They have one son together.
Awards and Achievements
Linas Kleiza won many awards and medals during his career:
- Silver medal at the FIBA Under-19 World Championship: 2003
- Bronze medal at EuroBasket: 2007
- Winner of the Greek Basketball Cup: 2010
- Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy: 2010
- Chosen for the All-EuroLeague First Team: 2010
- Bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship: 2010
- Chosen for the FIBA World Championship All-Tournament Team: 2010
- Silver medal at EuroBasket: 2013
- Chosen for the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team: 2013
Images for kids
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Linas Kleiza in 2007 as a Nuggets player
