Michael Wright (January 7, 1980 – November 10, 2015) was an American-Turkish professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player. He also held
Turkish citizenship
Turkish nationality law is based primarily on the principle of '' jus sanguinis''. Children who are born to a Turkish mother or a Turkish father (in or out of marriage) are Turkish citizens from birth. The intention to renounce Turkish citi ...
. His Turkish name was Ali Karadeniz. He played professional basketball in Poland, Spain, Israel, South Korea, France, Germany, and Turkey. He was murdered in 2015.
High school career
Wright played his high school basketball at
Farragut Academy
Farragut Career Academy High School is a public 4–year high school located in the Little Village neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. As a career academy, Farragut emphasizes a curriculum that combines academic i ...
, where, as a
freshman
A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions.
Ara ...
, he was part of one of the best teams in the country, which boasted future professionals
Willie Farley
Willie Deshon Farley (born August 22, 1975) is an American professional basketball player. He has played around the world, including stops in France, the Philippines and Australia.
Early life
As a youngster, Farley played competitive table tennis ...
and
Ronnie Fields
Ronnie Fields (born February 28, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player.
High school
Born and raised in Chicago, Fields played at Farragut Academy in Chicago from 1992–1996 and was a teammate of Kevin Garnett during the 199 ...
, as well as
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
superstar
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett ( ; born May 19, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed KG by his initials, and the "Big Ticket" for his emphatic dunki ...
. At 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in), Wright played
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
after Garnett's departure, and moved to
power forward
The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...
in
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
.
College career
At the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
, Wright started for the Wildcats in the 2001
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
championship against the
Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio ...
. However, undersized for that position at the pro level, and too slow to be a
small forward
The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronger t ...
,he dropped to the second round of the
2001 NBA draft
The 2001 NBA draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted with the first overall pick in the history of the NBA. The selection of Kwame Brown by the Washington Wizards, ...
where he was drafted by the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
.
Professional career
Wright was drafted as the 39th pick in the
2001 NBA draft
The 2001 NBA draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted with the first overall pick in the history of the NBA. The selection of Kwame Brown by the Washington Wizards, ...
by the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. After not joining the Knicks or any other NBA team, Wright moved overseas and switched teams almost every season. He was one of 8 players selected in the 2001 NBA Draft who never played in a single NBA game.
Wright started with
Polish league champions
Śląsk Wrocław
Wrocławski Klub Sportowy Śląsk Wrocław Spółka Akcyjna, commonly known as WKS Śląsk Wrocław, Śląsk Wrocław () or simply Śląsk, is a Polish football club based in Wrocław that plays in Ekstraklasa, the highest level of the Polish fo ...
, that also participated in the
Euroleague, moving to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
's
CB Granada
Club Baloncesto Granada, S.A.D. was a professional basketball team based in Granada, Andalusia. The team was founded in 1994 and has had notable players during its history, including Curtis Borchardt, Darvin Ham, Giorgos Sigalas, Scott Padgett, P ...
the following year.
After the team was relegated to the
LEB (Spain's second division), Wright moved to
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
and signed with
Hapoel Tel Aviv. A year later he signed with
ALBA Berlin
Alba Berlin is a German professional basketball club that is based in Berlin, Germany. The club was founded in 1991, and is today the largest German national basketball club by membership figures. Alba Berlin hosts its home games at the Mercedes ...
.
In 2005, he moved to
Beşiktaş Cola Turka
Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and Şişli, on the west by Kağıthane and Şişli, on the south by Beyoğlu, a ...
of the
Turkish Basketball League
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
. He started the 2006–07 season in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
with
Jeonju KCC Egis
The Jeonju KCC Egis is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League.
Current roster
Enlisted players
Honours
Domestic
Korean Basketball League
*KBL Championship
:: Winners (5): 1997–98, 1998– ...
; in October signed with French and Euroleague's
EB Pau Orthez.
In May 2007, he moved back to Turkey and signed for
Türk Telekom B.K.
Türk Telekom Basketbol Kulübü (English language, English: Turk Telekom Basketball Club) is a professional basketball team that is based in Ankara, Turkey. The team is currently playing in the Turkish Basketball Super League. It is a branch of t ...
In September 2009 he has signed a contract with
Turów Zgorzelec
PGE Turów Zgorzelec is a Polish a basketball team based in Zgorzelec.
The club played in the Polish League (PLK) and won the Polish championship once, in the 2013–14 season. The club was sponsored by the PGE Group, and they are also the clu ...
from Poland for the 2009–10 season.
In July 2011, he returned to
Türk Telekom B.K.
Türk Telekom Basketbol Kulübü (English language, English: Turk Telekom Basketball Club) is a professional basketball team that is based in Ankara, Turkey. The team is currently playing in the Turkish Basketball Super League. It is a branch of t ...
for one season with an option for a second one. In the summer of 2012, he signed a contract with
Mersin BB.
On February 3, 2015, he signed with
Cholet Basket
Cholet Basket is a professional basketball club that is based in Cholet, France. The club plays in the French League. Their home arena is La Meilleraie. Established in 1975, Cholet won its first French championship in the 2009–10 season. In 19 ...
of the French
LNB Pro A
The LNB Pro A, currently known for sponsorship reasons as Betclic Élite, is the top-tier men's professional basketball league in France. The competition has existed since 1921. Since 1987, the Ligue Nationale de Basket has governed the league. ...
. After averaging 1.7 points and 2 rebounds in 3 contests, Wright and Cholet parted ways.
Murder
On November 10, 2015, Wright was found dead in his car in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York, covered in trash bags in the vehicle's back seat. The medical examiner determined that his death was a homicide.
Two men were charged in his death.
According to a family member interviewed after his death, Wright intended to return to Europe to play another two seasons before retirement.
[
Two men were charged on November 1, 2016 – Mark A. Holdbrooks, 59, and alleged accomplice David Victor, 35, were charged with murder and other offenses after a yearlong investigation. Holdbrooks, Wright's longtime roommate, allegedly reported him missing on November 8, 2015. Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal did not specify a motive or mention how Wright was killed but said he had suffered "head trauma." Later, authorities said Victor and Holdbrooks drugged Wright with ]gamma hydroxybutyrate
''gamma''-Hydroxybutyric acid (or γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), also known as 4-hydroxybutanoic acid) is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter and a depressant drug. It is a precursor to GABA, glutamate, and glycine in certain brain areas. ...
(GHB), a date rape
Date rape is a form of acquaintance rape and dating violence. The two phrases are often used interchangeably, but date rape specifically refers to a rape in which there has been some sort of romantic or potentially sexual relationship between ...
drug, and killed him with an axe in Closter, New Jersey
Closter (Westergaard, Barbara"Closter: Bergen" ''New Jersey: A Guide to the State'', p. 78. Rutgers University Press, 2006. . Accessed July 22, 2011. "Known locally as the "hub of the Northern Valley," Closter (pronounced with a long ''o'') was ...
, and that Victor then drove Wright's Lexus SUV to Brooklyn, leaving it with his body in it parked on East 16th Street near Avenue J
A street name is an identifying name given to a street or road. In toponymic terminology, names of streets and roads are referred to as hodonyms (from Greek ‘road’, and ‘name’). The street name usually forms part of the address (t ...
in Midwood
Midwood is a neighborhood in the south-central part of the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded on the north by the Bay Ridge Branch tracks just above Avenue I and by the Brooklyn College campus of the City ...
.
See also
* List of basketball players who died during their careers
This is a list of notable basketball players who died while still on a team roster or as a free agent. A majority died of accidents such as car or plane crashes. Some suffered sudden cardiac death, which has a higher incidence in basketball among y ...
References
External links
College stats
Eurobasket.com profile
ACB profile
TBLStat.net Profile
Euroleague & Eurocup Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Michael
1980 births
2015 deaths
African-American basketball players
Alba Berlin players
All-American college men's basketball players
American emigrants to Turkey
American expatriate basketball people in France
American expatriate basketball people in Germany
American expatriate basketball people in Israel
American expatriate basketball people in Poland
American expatriate basketball people in South Korea
American expatriate basketball people in Spain
American expatriate basketball people in Turkey
American men's basketball players
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players
Basketball players from Chicago
Beşiktaş men's basketball players
CB Granada players
Cholet Basket players
Élan Béarnais players
Farragut Career Academy alumni
Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. players
Israeli Basketball Premier League players
Jeonju KCC Egis players
Liga ACB players
Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K. players
Naturalized citizens of Turkey
New York Knicks draft picks
Power forwards (basketball)
Śląsk Wrocław basketball players
Türk Telekom B.K. players
Turkish men's basketball players
Turkish people of African-American descent
Turów Zgorzelec players
People murdered in New York City
Male murder victims
20th-century African-American people
21st-century African-American sportspeople