Hasheem Thabeet (born Hashim Thabit Manka on 16 February 1987) is a Tanzanian professional basketball player for the
Sichuan Blue Whales
The Sichuan Jinqiang Blue Whales (sometimes spelled Whale) (四川金强蓝鲸), also known as Sichuan Jinqiang or Sichuan Jinrong Industry, are a professional basketball team based in Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, which plays in th ...
of the
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association (), often abbreviated as the CBA, is the first-tier professional men's basketball league in China.
The league is commonly known by fans as the CBA, and this acronym is even used in Chinese on a regular basis ...
(CBA). He played college basketball for
UConn
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from ...
before being drafted second overall in the
2009 NBA draft by the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
. His performance as a second overall draft pick has led many analysts to label him as one of the "biggest busts" in NBA history.
Early life
Thabeet did not begin to play basketball until the age of 15, when he began to watch pick-up games in Tanzania. When first recruited from Tanzania, Thabeet was fluent in
Swahili but knew little English.
He played high school basketball at
Cypress Christian School
Cypress Christian School (CCS), formerly Cypress Community Christian School, is a private, non-profit, K-12 Christian school located in unincorporated northwest Harris County, Texas, near Cypress and Houston.[Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...]
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
where he graduated in 2006.
College career
As a freshman for the
Connecticut Huskies
The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's fo ...
, he averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 blocks per game.
On 3 December 2006, Thabeet tied a UConn record for blocks in a game with 10. 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.
[ On 5 January 2008, he tied his career high in blocks with 10 in the Huskies' 73–67 loss at ]University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main c ...
. Thabeet was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year
The Big East Conference gave five football awards at the conclusion of every season. The awards were first given in 1991 following the conference's first football season, and last given in 2012 before the conference was restructured as the American ...
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
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
against Providence College
Providence College is a private Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order and the local diocese, it offers 47 undergraduate majors and 17 graduate programs.
It requires all of its undergraduat ...
on 31 January 2009, with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks. He finished with 152 blocks on the season. He was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year
The Big East Conference gave five football awards at the conclusion of every season. The awards were first given in 1991 following the conference's first football season, and last given in 2012 before the conference was restructured as the American ...
and was co- Big East Player of the Year with Pitt's DeJuan Blair
DeJuan Lamont Blair (born April 22, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2007 to 2009. Blair entered the 2009 NBA draft where he was selected as the 37th overall ...
. He was named second team All-America and National Defensive Player of the Year.
Thabeet surpassed the 1,000-point mark against Purdue
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and mo ...
on 26 March 2009. He was the third UConn player that season to do so (Jerome Dyson and A. J. Price
Anthony Jordan Price (born October 7, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player. He was born in Orange, New Jersey and raised in East Massapequa, New York. He is the son of former NBA player Tony Price.
High school career
Price a ...
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
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
, ahead of two future NBA MVPs James Harden
James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Harden is regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in N ...
and Stephen Curry
Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...
, becoming the first Tanzanian-born NBA player. On 13 December 2009, he had a season-high five blocks.
On 25 February 2010, he was assigned to the Dakota Wizards
The Dakota Wizards were an American professional basketball team based in Bismarck, North Dakota. They played in the NBA Development League from 2006 until 2012. After the 2011–12 season, the team relocated to Santa Cruz, California, and now pl ...
of the NBA Development League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Dev ...
, 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.
Houston Rockets (2011–2012)
On 24 February 2011, Thabeet was traded, along with a future first-round pick, to the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
in exchange for Shane Battier
Shane Courtney Battier (born September 9, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. He's also worked for ESPN and recently joined the board of Yext.
Battier is best known for his four years playing basketball at Duke, his 13 y ...
and Ish Smith. 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
Jonny William Flynn (born February 6, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. A three-year National Basketball Association (NBA) veteran, he last played for the Orlandina Basket of the Lega Basket Serie A and played collegia ...
and a future second-round pick, to the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
in exchange for Marcus Camby Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to:
* Marcus (name), a masculine given name
* Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name
Places
* Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44
* Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl ...
.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2012–2014)
On 11 July 2012, Thabeet signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
. On 26 November 2012, in a 114–69 win over the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...
, Thabeet recorded his first career double-double with 13 points (a career high) and 10 rebounds.
Grand Rapids Drive (2014–2015)
On 26 August 2014, Thabeet was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Ea ...
in exchange for a trade exception and a 2015 protected second-round draft pick. On 1 September 2014, he was waived by the 76ers.
On 25 September 2014, Thabeet signed with the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
. However, he was later waived by the Pistons on 20 October 2014.
On 1 November 2014, Thabeet was acquired by the Grand Rapids Drive
The Grand Rapids Gold are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and are affiliated with the Denver Nuggets. The Gold play their home games at Van Andel Arena. They began play as the Anaheim ...
of the NBA Development League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Dev ...
as an affiliate player of the Pistons. 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.
Yokohama B-Corsairs (2017–2018)
On 29 September 2017, Thabeet signed with the Yokohama B-Corsairs of the Japanese B.League
The B.League is a professional men's basketball league that began in Japan in September 2016. The league is operated by the Japan Professional Basketball League and was formed as a result of a merger between the National Basketball League that ...
.
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2019–2020)
For the 2019–20 season, Thabeet signed with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA D ...
. He was cut on 16 January 2020.
Hsinchu JKO Lioneers (2020–2021)
On September 25, 2020, Thabeet signed with the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers of the Taiwanese P. League+. He was the league's rebounding leader, blocks leader and Defensive Player of Year for the 2020–21 season.
On October 28, 2021, Thabeet signed with the Tainan TSG GhostHawks
The Tainan TSG GhostHawks ( zh, 臺南台鋼獵鷹) are a Taiwanese professional basketball team based in Tainan City, Taiwan. They have competed in the T1 League since the 2021–22 season, and play their home games at the Chia Nan University o ...
of the Taiwanese T1 League
The T1 League is a Taiwanese men's professional basketball league founded in 2021. It is the third professional basketball league in Taiwan after the Chinese Basketball Alliance (CBA) and the P. League+ (PLG). In the 2022–23 season, the T ...
. Chien Wei-Cheng, the general manager of the Tainan TSG GhostHawks, indicated that Thabeet would not join the Tainan TSG GhostHawks on December 24.
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.
Career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
, 68 , , 13 , , 13.0 , , .588 , , , , .581 , , 3.6 , , .2 , , .2 , , 1.3 , , 3.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
, 45 , , 0 , , 8.2 , , .436 , , , , .543 , , 1.7 , , .1 , , .2 , , .3 , , 1.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
, 2 , , 0 , , 2.0 , , .000 , , , , , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .5 , , .0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
, 5 , , 0 , , 4.6 , , 1.000 , , , , , , 1.4 , , .0 , , .0 , , .4 , , 1.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Portland
, 15 , , 3 , , 7.7 , , .444 , , , , .650 , , 2.3 , , .0 , , .1 , , .5 , , 1.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, 66 , , 4 , , 11.7 , , .604 , , , , .604 , , 3.0 , , .2 , , .5 , , .9 , , 2.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, 23 , , 0 , , 8.3 , , .565 , , , , .200 , , 1.7 , , .0 , , .2 , , .4 , , 1.2
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 224 , , 20 , , 10.5 , , .567 , , , , .578 , , 2.7 , , .1 , , .3 , , .8 , , 2.2
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, style="text-align:left;", Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, 4 , , 0 , , 6.5 , , .500 , , , , , , 1.5 , , .0 , , .3 , , .0 , , .5
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
, style="text-align:left;", Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
, 2 , , 0 , , 3.5 , , , , , , , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 6 , , 0 , , 5.5 , , .500 , , , , , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .2 , , .0 , , .3
NBA G League
Source
Regular season
, -
, align="left", 2009–10
, align="left" , Dakota
, 6 , , 4 , , 31.3 , , .500 , , – , , .690 , , 11.2 , , .7 , , .7 , , 3.2 , , 13.8
, -
, align="left" , 2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
, align="left" , Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico.
The length of the Rio G ...
, 6 , , 5 , , 27.8 , , .615 , , – , , .571 , , 8.0 , , .7 , , .8 , , 2.7 , , 10.0
, -
, align="left" , 2014–15
, align="left" , Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
, 48 , , 42 , , 22.3 , , .593 , , – , , .654 , , 6.2 , , .4 , , .4 , , 2.4 , , 8.6
, -
, align="left" , 2019–20
, align="left" , Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Cens ...
, 9 , , 2 , , 16.4 , , .577 , , – , , .600 , , 4.3 , , .7 , , .1 , , 1.8 , , 4.0
, -
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 68 , , 53 , , 22.8 , , .582 , , – , , .652 , , 6.6 , , .4 , , .4 , , 2.4 , , 8.6
, -
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...
, style="text-align:left;", Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico.
The length of the Rio G ...
, 1 , , 1 , , 22.0 , , .000 , , – , , .750 , , 6.0 , , 2.0 , , .0 , , 1.0 , , 3.0
Personal life
Thabeet is Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
and fasts during Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
.
See also
* List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history
*
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thabeet, Hasheem
1987 births
Living people
All-American college men's basketball players
Centers (basketball)
Dakota Wizards players
Expatriate basketball people in the United States
Expatriate basketball people in Japan
Fort Wayne Mad Ants players
Grand Rapids Drive players
Houston Rockets players
Memphis Grizzlies draft picks
Memphis Grizzlies players
National Basketball Association players from Tanzania
Oklahoma City Thunder players
People from Dar es Salaam
Portland Trail Blazers players
Rio Grande Valley Vipers players
Tanzanian expatriates in the United States
Tanzanian men's basketball players
Tanzanian Muslims
UConn Huskies men's basketball players
Yokohama B-Corsairs players
Expatriate basketball people in Taiwan
Hsinchu JKO Lioneers players
P. League+ imports