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 (born January 3, 1985) is a famous Lithuanian basketball player who later became a sports executive. He is 6 feet 8 inches tall. He played as a small forward and power forward. In 2010, he won the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy. This award goes to the player who scores the most points in the EuroLeague. He was also chosen for the All-EuroLeague First Team.
Linas Kleiza also played for the senior Lithuanian national basketball team. He helped them win a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. He was even picked for the All-Tournament Team at that event. He also won a silver medal at the EuroBasket 2013 and a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2007.
Contents
Early Years and High School Basketball
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 in 2003.
He played for the Lithuanian Junior National Team. They won a silver medal at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Linas was the top scorer in that tournament. He averaged an amazing 29.1 points per game! In his last year of high school, he was named a third-team Parade All-American.
College Basketball Career
After high school, Linas played college basketball at the University of Missouri. In his second year, he was recognized as an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 player. This means he was one of the best players in his college league.
He also played very well in the 2005 Big 12 tournament. He averaged 29.5 points and 9 rebounds per game. Because of his great play, he earned All-Tournament honors.
Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the Denver Nuggets
The Portland Trail Blazers picked Linas Kleiza in the 2005 NBA draft. He was the 27th player chosen overall. However, the Trail Blazers traded his draft rights to the Denver Nuggets.
In his first year with the Nuggets, Linas didn't play much. But he worked hard and improved his skills. In his second year, he got more playing time. He also became much better at shooting three-pointers.
Linas became a key player for the Nuggets in the 2007–08 season. He often played as a backup for star player Carmelo Anthony. On January 17, 2008, Linas scored his career-high of 41 points in a game against the Utah Jazz. His scoring average went up to 11.1 points per game that season.
Moving to Olympiacos
In 2009, Linas Kleiza signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos, a team in the Greek League. He played very well in the EuroLeague. He averaged 17.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
He helped Olympiacos reach the EuroLeague Finals. Linas was the top scorer in the entire league that season. This made him the first Lithuanian player to win the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy.
Time with the Toronto Raptors
On July 7, 2010, Linas left Olympiacos and joined the Toronto Raptors. He signed a four-year contract with the NBA team.
In January 2011, Linas had a serious knee injury. He had to miss the rest of the 2010–11 season. He had surgery on his right knee. Linas returned to play on January 11, 2012. He scored 10 points in his first game back. In 2013, the Raptors decided to release Linas from his contract.
Playing in Turkey and Italy
After leaving the Raptors, Linas signed a two-year contract with Fenerbahçe in Turkey in 2013. He played there for one season.
In 2014, Linas signed a one-year deal with Olimpia Milano, an Italian team. After this season, he stopped playing professional basketball. This was because of ongoing knee problems. He didn't officially retire, but he took a break from the sport.
National Team Career
Linas Kleiza also proudly 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. In 2010, Linas led his team to a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. He averaged 19.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in that tournament. He was chosen for the All-Tournament Team.
Executive Career
After his playing career, Linas Kleiza became involved in basketball management. In 2017, he became part-owner of the BC Rytas basketball club. He was also named the club's vice president and sports director.
In 2020, Linas decided to leave BC Rytas. This was due to some disagreements with other leaders of the team. He later gave up his shares in the club.
Personal Life
Linas Kleiza is married. He and his wife got married in June 2014. They have one son together.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Silver medal at the FIBA Under-19 World Championship: 2003
- Bronze medal at the EuroBasket: 2007
- Winner of the Greek Basketball Cup: 2010
- Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy: 2010
- Member of the All-EuroLeague First Team: 2010
- Bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship: 2010
- Member of the FIBA World Championship All-Tournament Team: 2010
- Silver medal at the EuroBasket: 2013
- Member of the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team: 2013
Images for kids
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Linas Kleiza in 2007 as a Nuggets player.
