Vitaly Potapenko
Encyclopedia
Vitaly Nikolaevich Potapenko ' onMouseout='HidePop("38737")' href="/topics/Kiev">Kiev
, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR
) is a Ukrainian
former professional basketball
player. He played college basketball
at Wright State University
and was selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers
in the 1996 NBA Draft
. Nicknamed "The Ukraine Train", he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers
, the Boston Celtics
, the Seattle SuperSonics
, and the Sacramento Kings
of the NBA, as well as MMT Estudiantes in the Spanish
ACB
.
Since retiring as a player, Potapenko has served as an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants
, the Indiana Pacers
, and the Dakota Wizards
.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) is a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
former professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Wright State University
Wright State University
Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,...
and was selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
in the 1996 NBA Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
. Nicknamed "The Ukraine Train", he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, and the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA, as well as MMT Estudiantes in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
.
Since retiring as a player, Potapenko has served as an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Fort Wayne Mad Ants
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants are a team of the NBA Development League, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the home venue for the team. The team is the first minor league basketball franchise to play in Fort Wayne since the Fort Wayne Fury...
, the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and the Dakota Wizards
Dakota Wizards
The Dakota Wizards are an American basketball team in the NBA Development League, based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Home games are played at the Bismarck Civic Center.-Beginnings in IBA:...
.
NBA transactions
- March 11, 1999 - Traded by the Cavaliers to the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
for Andrew DeClercqAndrew DeClercqAndrew Donald DeClercq is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a center and power forward in the National Basketball Association for ten seasons in the 1990s and 2000s...
and a 1999 first-round draft1999 NBA DraftThe 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
pick.
- July 22, 2002 - Traded by the Celtics with Kenny AndersonKenny AndersonKenneth "Kenny" Anderson is a retired American basketball player. After a college career at Georgia Institute of Technology, he played point guard professionally from 1991 to 2006, mostly in the National Basketball Association....
and Joseph ForteJoseph ForteJoseph Xavier "Joe" Forte is an American professional basketball player.-Beginnings:Forte got his start at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. There, Forte played under the instruction of legendary high school prep coach Morgan Wootten. Forte's teammate at DeMatha, Keith Bogans,...
to the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
for Vin BakerVin BakerVincent Lamont Baker is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was halted due to alcoholism....
and Shammond WilliamsShammond WilliamsShammond Omar Williams is a naturalized Georgian professional basketball player who grew up in the United States . The 6'1" combination point guard/shooting guard is known for his long-range shooting accuracy...
.
- February 23, 2006 - In a four-team, nine-player trade; traded to the Sacramento Kings; the SuperSonics acquired Earl WatsonEarl WatsonEarl Joseph Watson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Watson is a graduate of Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas...
, Bryon RussellBryon RussellBryon Demetrise Russell is an American basketball player. During an NBA career that spanned from 1993 to 2006, he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers and was a key member of the Utah Jazz, helping them reach back-to-back NBA finals appearances in 1997 and 1998...
, a 2008 second-round pick and cash from the Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Nuggets also acquired Ruben PattersonRuben PattersonRuben Nathaniel Patterson is a former American professional basketball player. During his career, he played as a small forward and shooting guard. During his college career at the University of Cincinnati, Patterson earned third-team All-American honors and helped lead the Bearcats to Conference...
from the Trail Blazers, Trail Blazers acquired Voshon LenardVoshon LenardVoshon Kelan Lenard is an American professional basketball player. He is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA . He was listed as 6' 4" and 215 lbs, and was born in Detroit, Michigan...
from the Nuggets and Brian SkinnerBrian SkinnerBrian Skinner is an American professional basketball player. A 6'9", 265 lb forward-center from Baylor University, Skinner was selected by the Clippers in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft...
from the Kings; Kings also acquired Sergei MoniaSergei MoniaSergei Alexandrovich Monia is a Russian professional basketball player. He was selected by the NBA club the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft. He is in height and he weighs...
from the Trail Blazers.
Other
- Potapenko was a sociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
major at Wright State. - His second-favorite sport is soccer.
External links
- NBA.com Profile
- NBA statistics at basketball-reference.com