Priest Lauderdale facts for kids
Lauderdale in Sofia, Bulgaria, 30 May 2011
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 31, 1973 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Bulgarian |
| High school | Carver (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) |
| Listed weight | 330 lb (150 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Central State (1993–1994) |
| NBA Draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Pro career | 1995–2016 |
| Career history | |
| 1995–1996 | Peristeri |
| 1996–1997 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1997–1998 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2000 | Grand Rapids Hoops |
| 2000 | Fort Wayne Fury |
| 2001 | Connecticut Pride |
| 2001 | Gaiteros del Zulia |
| 2002 | Apollon Limassol |
| 2002–2005 | Lukoil Academic |
| 2005–2006 | Al-Ittihad Jeddah |
| 2006 | Saba Mehr Kazvin |
| 2007 | Al-Ittihad Jeddah |
| 2007 | Al Nasr |
| 2008 | Al-Hilal |
| 2008 | Shandong Lions |
| 2008–2009 | Mahram Tehran |
| 2009–2010 | Saba Mehr Qazvin |
| 2010 | Duhok |
| 2010 | Chernomorets |
| 2011 | Levski Sofia |
| 2011 | Bucaneros de La Guaira |
| 2011 | Chabeb-Zahle |
| 2014–2016 | Oxford City Hoops |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Priest Lauderdale (born August 31, 1973) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was known for being very tall, standing at 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 meters)! He played as a center position, which is usually for the tallest players on a team. Priest Lauderdale also became a citizen of Bulgaria during his career.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Priest Lauderdale grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Carver Military Academy for high school. After high school, he continued his basketball journey in college.
He played college basketball at Central State University in Ohio. He was part of the Central State Marauders team during the 1993–1994 season.
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Priest Lauderdale started his professional basketball career. He was a very big player, weighing about 330 pounds (150 kg).
Playing in Greece
His first professional team was Peristeri Athens in the Greek Basket League. He played there during the 1995–96 season. He was even chosen to play in the HEBA Greek All-Star Game that year, which is a special game for the best players in the league.
Time in the NBA
In 1996, Priest Lauderdale was picked by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1996 NBA draft. He was the 28th player chosen overall in the first round. He played 35 games for the Hawks in the 1996–97 season. He scored about 3.2 points and grabbed 1.2 rebounds per game. He also played in three playoff games for the Hawks.
The next season, 1997–98, he played for the Denver Nuggets. He played 39 games for them, averaging 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. After these two seasons, his time in the NBA ended.
Playing Around the World
After the NBA, Lauderdale played for many different teams in various leagues. He played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Fort Wayne Fury. He also played for the Connecticut Pride in the International Basketball League.
From 2002 to 2005, he played for Lukoil Academic in the Bulgarian Basketball League. During this time, he became a citizen of Bulgaria. He helped his team win the Bulgarian Basketball League championship three times (2003, 2004, 2005). He also helped them win the Bulgarian Basketball Cup twice (2003, 2004).
Priest Lauderdale's career took him to many countries around the world. Besides Greece and Bulgaria, he played basketball in:
He played until 2016, showing how long he loved playing basketball!
Coaching and Beyond
After his playing career, Priest Lauderdale started working as a basketball coach. He has helped teach young players at basketball camps in Germany.
See also
In Spanish: Priest Lauderdale para niños
- List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
