Hasheem Thabeet

Last updated

Hasheem Thabeet
Hasheem Thabeet basketball (cropped).jpg
Thabeet with Hsinchu JKO Lioneers in 2021
Personal information
Born (1987-02-16) 16 February 1987 (age 37)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Listed height7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Listed weight260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school Cypress Christian School
(Houston, Texas)
College UConn (2006–2009)
NBA draft 2009: 1st round, 2nd overall pick
Selected by the Memphis Grizzlies
Playing career2009–present
Position Center
Career history
20092011 Memphis Grizzlies
2010Dakota Wizards
20112012 Houston Rockets
2011Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2012 Portland Trail Blazers
20122014 Oklahoma City Thunder
2014–2015 Grand Rapids Drive
2017–2018 Yokohama B-Corsairs
2019–2020 Fort Wayne Mad Ants
2020–2021 Hsinchu JKO Lioneers
2021Savio
2022–2023 Sichuan Blue Whales
2023 TaiwanBeer HeroBears
2023 Pazi
2024 Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference

Hasheem Thabeet (born Hashim Thabit Manka; 16 February 1987) [1] is a Tanzanian professional basketball player. He played college basketball for UConn before being drafted second overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. His performance as a second overall draft pick has led many analysts to label him as one of the "biggest busts" in NBA history. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life

Thabeet did not begin to play basketball until the age of 15, when he began to watch pick-up games in Tanzania. He started playing basketball while attending Makongo Secondary School in Dar es Salaam. [4] When first recruited from Tanzania, Thabeet was fluent in Swahili but knew little English. [5] He played high school basketball at Cypress Christian School in Houston, Texas where he graduated in 2006.

College career

As a freshman for the Connecticut Huskies, he averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 blocks per game. [6] On 3 December 2006, Thabeet tied a UConn record for blocks in a game with 10. [7] Thabeet was named to the 2007 All-Big East Rookie Team, along with teammate Jerome Dyson.

As a sophomore, he saw increased minutes and he averaged 10.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 blocks on the season. [6] On 5 January 2008, he tied his career high in blocks with 10 in the Huskies' 73–67 loss at University of Notre Dame. [8] Thabeet was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Big East second team.

As a junior, Thabeet emerged on the national scene, averaging 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds. He earned his first career triple-double against Providence College on 31 January 2009, with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks. [9] He finished with 152 blocks on the season. He was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and was co-Big East Player of the Year with Pitt's DeJuan Blair. [10] He was named second team All-America and National Defensive Player of the Year.

Thabeet surpassed the 1,000-point mark against Purdue on 26 March 2009. He was the third UConn player that season to do so (Jerome Dyson and A. J. Price were the others). Thabeet helped lead UConn to their first Final Four appearance since 2004.

In April 2009, Thabeet declared for the NBA draft, foregoing his final year of college eligibility.

Professional career

Memphis Grizzlies (2009–2011)

Thabeet was selected with the second overall pick in 2009 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, ahead of two future NBA MVPs James Harden and Stephen Curry, becoming the first Tanzanian-born NBA player. On 13 December 2009, he had a season-high five blocks. [11]

On 25 February 2010, he was assigned to the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League, [12] becoming the tallest and then-highest-drafted player (surpassed by Anthony Bennett in 2015, the first overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft) to be sent to the D-League. On 8 March 2010, he was recalled by the Grizzlies. [13]

Houston Rockets (2011–2012)

On 24 February 2011, Thabeet was traded, along with a future first-round pick, to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Shane Battier and Ish Smith. [14] On 21 March 2011, he was assigned with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. On 11 April 2011, he was recalled by the Rockets.

Portland Trail Blazers (2012)

On 15 March 2012, Thabeet was traded, along with Jonny Flynn and a future second-round pick, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Marcus Camby. [15]

Oklahoma City Thunder (2012–2014)

On 11 July 2012, Thabeet signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. [16] On 26 November 2012, in a 114–69 win over the Charlotte Bobcats, Thabeet recorded his first career double-double with 13 points (a career high) and 10 rebounds. [17]

Grand Rapids Drive (2014–2015)

On 26 August 2014, Thabeet was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a trade exception and a 2015 protected second-round draft pick. [18] [19] On 1 September 2014, he was waived by the 76ers. [20]

On 25 September 2014, Thabeet signed with the Detroit Pistons. [21] However, he was later waived by the Pistons on 20 October 2014. [22]

On 1 November 2014, Thabeet was acquired by the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Pistons. [23] In 49 games for the Drive, he averaged 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

In July 2015, Thabeet joined the NBA D-League Select Team for the 2015 NBA Summer League. [24]

Yokohama B-Corsairs (2017–2018)

On 29 September 2017, Thabeet signed with the Yokohama B-Corsairs of the Japanese B.League. [25]

Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2019–2020)

For the 2019–20 season, Thabeet signed with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League. [26] He was cut on 16 January 2020. [27]

Hsinchu JKO Lioneers (2020–2021)

On September 25, 2020, Thabeet signed with the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers of the Taiwanese P. League+. [28] He was the league's rebounding leader, blocks leader and Defensive Player of Year for the 2020–21 season. [29] [30]

On October 28, 2021, Thabeet signed with the Tainan TSG GhostHawks of the Taiwanese T1 League. [31] Chien Wei-Cheng, the general manager of the Tainan TSG GhostHawks, indicated that Thabeet would not join the Tainan TSG GhostHawks on December 24. [32]

Savio (2021)

In 2021, Thabeet played for Savio in his native Tanzania, and guided the team to the Dar es Salaam Regional Basketball League (RBA) title and was named the Finals MVP. [33]

TaiwanBeer HeroBears (2023)

On March 8, 2023, TaiwanBeer HeroBears registered Thabeet as import player. [34] On March 13, Thabeet signed with the TaiwanBeer HeroBears of the T1 League. [35]

Pazi (2023-present)

In September 2023, Thabeet joined the roster of Tanzanian champions Pazi for the 2024 BAL qualification tournaments. [36]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2009–10 Memphis 681313.0.588.5813.6.2.21.33.1
2010–11 Memphis 4508.2.436.5431.7.1.2.31.2
2010–11 Houston 202.0.000.0.0.0.5.0
2011–12 Houston 504.61.0001.4.0.0.41.2
2011–12 Portland 1537.7.444.6502.3.0.1.51.9
2012–13 Oklahoma City 66411.7.604.6043.0.2.5.92.4
2013–14 Oklahoma City 2308.3.565.2001.7.0.2.41.2
Career2242010.5.567.5782.7.1.3.82.2

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2013 Oklahoma City 406.5.5001.5.0.3.0.5
2014 Oklahoma City 203.5.0.0.0.0.0
Career605.5.5001.0.0.2.0.3

NBA G League

Source [37]

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2009–10 Dakota 6431.3.500.69011.2.7.73.213.8
2010–11 Rio Grande 6527.8.615.5718.0.7.82.710.0
2014–15 Grand Rapids 484222.3.593.6546.2.4.42.48.6
2019–20 Fort Wayne 9216.4.577.6004.3.7.11.84.0
Career685322.8.582.6526.6.4.42.48.6

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2011 Rio Grande 1122.0.000.7506.02.0.01.03.0

Personal life

Thabeet is Muslim and fasts during Ramadan. [38]

See also

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