Esteban Batista

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Batista and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.
Esteban Batista

Batista with Anadolu Efes
No. 15 – Panathinaikos Athens
Position Center
League Greek Basket League
Euroleague
Personal information
Born September 2, 1983
Montevideo, Uruguay
Nationality Uruguayan
Listed height 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight 270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
NBA draft 2005 / Undrafted
Pro career 2001–present
Career history
2001–2003 Welcome
2003–2004 Salto Uruguay
2004 Pozuelo de Alarcón
2004 Nacional
2004–2005 Trouville
2005 Aguas de Calpe
2005–2007 Atlanta Hawks
2007–2008 Maccabi Tel Aviv
2008 Triumph Lyubertsy
2009 Libertad
2009–2011 Fuenlabrada
2011 Caja Laboral
2011–2013 Anadolu Efes
2013–2014 Pınar Karşıyaka
2014–present Panathinaikos
Career highlights and awards
  • Turkish Cup champion (2014)
  • Greek Cup winner (2015)

Esteban Damián Batista Hernández (born September 2, 1983) is an Uruguayan professional basketball player who currently plays for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League. He is the first ever Uruguayan to play in the NBA.

Professional career

Batista began his pro career in the Uruguayan League in 2001. He then moved to the second division of Spain, the Spanish LEB League in 2003.

NBA

Batista was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Hawks on September 12, 2005. He made his NBA debut on November 2 of that year, going scoreless in 6 minutes of play time against the Golden State Warriors. In his first NBA season, Batista averaged 1.8 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game in 8.7 minutes per game, in 57 games played.

On September 26, 2007, Batista signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Boston Celtics.[1] On October 16, 2007, however, Batista was waived by the team.[2]

Israel

On the same day that he was released by the Celtics, he signed with the Euroleague team Maccabi Tel Aviv.[3][4]

Russia

Batista joined the Russian Super League team Triumph Lyubertsy in December 2008, but left the club shortly thereafter for personal reasons.

Spain

Batista signed a three-year contract with Alta Gestión Fuenlabrada at the summer of 2009.[5] In January 2011, he signed with the Euroleague team Caja Laboral.[6]

Turkey

In July 2011, he signed a two-year contract with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball League.[7]

In August 2013, he signed a contract with Pınar Karşıyaka of the Turkish Basketball League.[8]

Greece

On 18 July, 2014, Panathinaikos announced the signing of Batista.[9] On 5 April 2015 he won the Greek Cup.

Uruguayan national team

Batista is a member of the Uruguayan national basketball team. During the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, which was held from August 22 through September 2, in Las Vegas, Batista averaged 20.8 points per game and 12.4 rebounds per game.

References

  1. ↑ Peter May, Camp Roster Set, The Boston Globe.
  2. ↑ Marc Spears, Batista Waived, The Boston Globe.
  3. ↑ Maccabi signs center Esteban Batista October 22, 2007.
  4. ↑ http://www.sport5.co.il/Articles/Article.274.26664.html (Hebrew)
  5. ↑ "Conoce a Esteban Batista". Baloncestofuenlabrada.com. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  6. ↑ "CAJA LABORAL bulks up with Batista at center". Euroleague.net. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Anadolu Efes also lands Batista". Euroleague.net. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Batista moves to Pınar Karşıyaka". Sportando.net. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Panathinaikos lands Esteban Batista". paobc.gr. Retrieved 18 July 2014.

External links