Timofey Mozgov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Timofey Mozgov

Mozgov with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015
Center
Personal information
Born	(1986-07-16) 16 July 1986 (age 38) Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Russian
Listed height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight	275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2008 / Undrafted
Pro career	2004–2022
Career history
2004–2006	LenVo St. Petersburg
2006	CSK VVS Samara
2006–2010	Khimki
2010–2011	New York Knicks
2011–2015	Denver Nuggets
2011	Khimki
2015–2016	Cleveland Cavaliers
2016–2017	Los Angeles Lakers
2017–2018	Brooklyn Nets
2019–2021	Khimki
2021–2022	Runa Basket Moscow
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2016) Russian Cup champion (2008)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Russia Olympic Games Bronze 2012 London Team EuroBasket Bronze 2011 Lithuania

Timofey Pavlovich Mozgov (born 16 July 1986) is a Russian former professional basketball player. He played as a center, which is usually the tallest player on the team. Mozgov is famous for winning an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. He was one of the first Russian players to achieve this.

Mozgov also played for the Russian national team. With his national team, he won a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He also earned a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2011 tournament.

Timofey Mozgov's Basketball Journey

Early Career in Russia (2004–2010)

Timofey Mozgov started his professional basketball career in Russia. He began playing for LenVo St. Petersburg in the 2004–05 season. This was in Russia's second-tier basketball league.

In 2006, he moved to CSK VVS Samara 2. Later that year, he joined Khimki Moscow Region. He played for Khimki until the 2009–10 season.

Playing in the NBA: New York Knicks (2010–2011)

In 2010, Mozgov moved to the United States to play in the NBA. He signed a contract with the New York Knicks.

On January 30, 2011, Mozgov had a great game against the Detroit Pistons. He scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. A rebound is when a player gets the ball after a missed shot. The fans cheered loudly for him!

Mozgov playing for the New York Knicks

Denver Nuggets (2011–2015)

In February 2011, Mozgov was traded to the Denver Nuggets. This was part of a big trade that also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves.

During an NBA lockout in 2011, Mozgov briefly returned to play for Khimki Moscow Region in Russia. He came back to the Nuggets in January 2012.

On January 17, 2014, Mozgov showed his defensive skills. He made a career-high 5 blocks in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. A block is when a player stops an opponent's shot. On April 10, 2014, he had an amazing game. He scored 23 points and grabbed 29 rebounds. This was his best game for both points and rebounds.

Mozgov playing for the Denver Nuggets

NBA Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers (2015–2016)

On January 7, 2015, Mozgov was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. When he joined the Cavaliers, he had to change his jersey number. He usually wore number 25, but that number was retired by the Cavaliers to honor a former player. So, he chose number 20, which was the number his father used when he played handball.

On June 4, 2015, Mozgov made history. He became the first Russian player to play in the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers played against the Golden State Warriors that year but lost the series.

The Cavaliers exercised their option to keep Mozgov for the 2015–16 season. He played a smaller role that season, but the Cavaliers made it to the NBA Finals again. This time, they won against the Golden State Warriors! Mozgov and his teammate Sasha Kaun became the first Russian players to win an NBA championship.

Los Angeles Lakers (2016–2017)

After winning the championship, Mozgov signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 8, 2016. He made his debut for the Lakers on October 26, 2016. He scored 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in a win against the Houston Rockets.

Brooklyn Nets (2017–2018)

On June 22, 2017, Mozgov was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He was traded again in July 2018 to the Charlotte Hornets, and then to the Orlando Magic a day later.

Mozgov did not play any games for the Orlando Magic due to a knee injury. He was later released by the team.

Return to Khimki (2019–2021)

On July 31, 2019, Mozgov signed a one-year deal to return to his former team, Khimki, in Russia. However, he did not play in the 2019–20 season because of his knee injury.

On April 12, 2021, Mozgov played in his first professional game since 2018. He scored 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a win.

Runa Basket Moscow (2021–2022)

On December 23, 2021, Mozgov signed with Runa Basket Moscow in the Russian Basketball Super League 1.

Playing for Russia: National Team Career

Mozgov playing for the Russian national team

Timofey Mozgov was an important player for the Russian national basketball team. He played in several major tournaments:

• EuroBasket 2009
• EuroBasket 2011 (where he won a bronze medal)
• 2012 Summer Olympics (where he also won a bronze medal)

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

See also

• List of European basketball players in the United States