Kornel David

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Kornel David
Position Power forward
Height ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Weight 235 lb (107 kg)
Team CB Gran Canaria
Nationality Flag of Hungary Hungary
Born October 22, 1971
Nagykanizsa, Hungary
Pro career 1987–present


Kornel David (born October 22, 1971 in Nagykanizsa, Hungary) is a Hungarian professional basketball player. He was the first and only Hungarian to play in the NBA. He has played for four teams between 1998 and 2001.

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[edit] Early life

David grew up with Honved Budapest (Hungary) juniors squad and made his debut with Honved Budapest during the 1987-88 season. He was signed for the 1988-89 by Malev SC and played there also the 1989-90 season. In the 1990-91 season, he went to Honved Budapest and played there till the 1993-94 championship. In 1994, Albacomp Szekesfehervar recruited David and was his team up to 1996-97 championship season.

[edit] NBA career

Kornel was signed by the Chicago Bulls on October 1, 1997 and waived on October 28. He then spent the next part of the 1997-98 season with the Rockford Lightning in the CBA but was released on December 1997. He later moved back to Hungary, signed for the remainder of the season by Albacomp Szekesfehervar, winning the 1997-98 Hungarian National Championship in the process. He would also spend part of the next season with Albacomp Szekesfehervar.

On 21 January 1999, David was signed as a free agent by Chicago Bulls and was waived on January '00. A few days later, he signed to the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts after which he moved back to Hungary on February signed for the remainder of the season by Albacomp Szekesfehervar. Again David would bring accolades by leading the Albacomp Szekesfehervar to the 2000 Hungarian National Cup. Next, David signed as free agent by Toronto Raptors on August '00 and was then traded to Detroit on February '01.

David played 109 NBA games, starting 11, averaging 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

[edit] Post-NBA career

He moved to France for the 2001-02 season, signed on November, by IG Strasbourg. Later, David moved to BC Žalgiris of Lithuania for the 2002-03 season, and promptly captured Lithuanian National Championship.

He went to Spain for the 2003-04 season, donning jersey number 18 for TAU Cerámica. David played a decisive role in the team's first Final Four. appearance. He averaged 10.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in the regular season, but his numbers went up to 14.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in the Top 16, helping Tau to reach the playoffs. When Euroleague.net sat down with David in Vitoria days after the team made it to the Final Four and asked him about his feelings of reaching the big event. "I think it's an unbelievable feeling," David told Euroleague.net. "I am a European player, and as you know, from a small country, Hungary, that is not a big basketball country. To achieve this goal is one of the best moments of my career." He has won the 2004 and 2006 Spanish National Cup (King's Cup) with Tau Cerámica Saski Baskonia Vitoria.

[edit] Current career

Recently, Kornel David has signed a contact to play in ACB team CB Gran Canaria for two seasons, starting in the season 2006-2007.

[edit] External links