Jake Tsakalidis
Encyclopedia
Iakovos "Jake" Tsakalidis ' onMouseout='HidePop("88728")' href="/topics/Rustavi">Rustavi
, Soviet Georgia) is a Georgian
, naturalized Greek
professional basketball player.
Tsakalidis, a 7 foot, 290 lb (131.5 kg) center
, holds dual citizenship in Georgia
, where he was born, and in Greece
, where he was raised and became famous.
club AEK Athens
. With AEK, he was a 2-time Greek Cup
finalist (1998, 1999), a Saporta Cup
winner (2000) and a Greek Cup winner (2000). In those years with AEK, Tsakalidis played at a great level, especially in the painted zone area, where he complemented his fellow teammates Michalis Kakiouzis
and Dimosthenis Dikoudis
in that area.
In the year 2000, Tsakalidis left Greece and moved to the United States. He began his NBA career that year when he signed with the Phoenix Suns
. He would spend the next 7 seasons playing with various NBA teams. In 2007, he returned to Greece after leaving the NBA club the Houston Rockets
. He joined the Greek Euroleague
club Olympiacos
. He is now a free agent.
in the 1st round (25th overall) of the 2000 NBA Draft
. On September 30, 2003, Tsakalidis was traded by the Suns with teammate Bo Outlaw
to the Memphis Grizzlies
for Brevin Knight
, Robert Archibald
, and Cezary Trybański
.
In his NBA
career, he has averaged 5.1 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game. He was traded by the Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets
on February 13, 2007 for small forward
Scott Padgett
.
at the 1998 FIBA World Championship
, where his team finished in 4th place, at the 1999 FIBA European Championship
, where his team finished in 16th place, and at the 2003 FIBA European Championship
, where his team finished in 5th place.
Rustavi
Rustavi is a city in the southeast of Georgia, in the province of Kvemo Kartli, situated southeast of the capital Tbilisi. It stands on the Mtkvari River at...
, Soviet Georgia) is a Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, naturalized Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
professional basketball player.
Tsakalidis, a 7 foot, 290 lb (131.5 kg) center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, holds dual citizenship in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, where he was born, and in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, where he was raised and became famous.
Greece
Tsakalidis began his professional career in 1996 at the age of 17 with the Greek LeagueA1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
club AEK Athens
AEK Athens BC
AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
. With AEK, he was a 2-time Greek Cup
Greek basketball Cup
The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is an annual pro basketball national cup competition. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation .-History and format:...
finalist (1998, 1999), a Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
winner (2000) and a Greek Cup winner (2000). In those years with AEK, Tsakalidis played at a great level, especially in the painted zone area, where he complemented his fellow teammates Michalis Kakiouzis
Michalis Kakiouzis
Michalis Kakiouzis is a Greek professional basketball player.-Pro career:...
and Dimosthenis Dikoudis
Dimosthenis Dikoudis
Dimosthenis "Dimos" Dikoudis , is a Greek professional basketball player, currently playing for PAOK in Greek League. He is 2.08 m tall and he plays as a forward-center....
in that area.
In the year 2000, Tsakalidis left Greece and moved to the United States. He began his NBA career that year when he signed with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. He would spend the next 7 seasons playing with various NBA teams. In 2007, he returned to Greece after leaving the NBA club the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. He joined the Greek Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
club Olympiacos
Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
. He is now a free agent.
NBA
Tsakalidis was selected by the Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the 1st round (25th overall) of the 2000 NBA Draft
2000 NBA Draft
The 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
. On September 30, 2003, Tsakalidis was traded by the Suns with teammate Bo Outlaw
Bo Outlaw
Charles "Bo" Outlaw is a former American professional basketball player. Outlaw was known for his athleticism, tenacious defensive approach and sub-par free-throw shooting .-High School:...
to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
for Brevin Knight
Brevin Knight
Brevin Adon Knight is an American retired professional basketball point guard who played with nine teams in the NBA from 1997 to 2009. Knight played college basketball at Stanford University and was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1997...
, Robert Archibald
Robert Archibald
Robert Michael Archibald Jr. is a Scottish professional basketball player. A 6'11" power forward-center from the University of Illinois, he was selected by the NBA club the Memphis Grizzlies with the third pick of the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft...
, and Cezary Trybański
Cezary Trybanski
Cezary Trybański is a Polish basketball player who currently plays for the NH Ostrava of the Czech Republic League...
.
In his NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
career, he has averaged 5.1 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game. He was traded by the Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
on February 13, 2007 for small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
Scott Padgett
Scott Padgett
Scott Anthony Padgett is a retired American professional basketball player. He played for the NBA's Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, and Memphis Grizzlies.-High school:...
.
Greek national basketball team
Tsakalidis played for the Greek national basketball teamGreece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
at the 1998 FIBA World Championship
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
, where his team finished in 4th place, at the 1999 FIBA European Championship
EuroBasket 1999
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:-5th place bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
, where his team finished in 16th place, and at the 2003 FIBA European Championship
Eurobasket 2003
-5th to 8th place:-Awards:-All-Tournament Team : Tony Parker Šarūnas Jasikevičius Saulius Štombergas Andrei Kirilenko Pau Gasol-Top scorers :# Pau Gasol 25.8# Andrei Kirilenko 23.1# Dirk Nowitzki 22.5# Mehmet Okur 18.7...
, where his team finished in 5th place.