Viktor Sanikidze

Viktor Sanikidze
No. 13 – UNICS Kazan
Position Small forward / Power forward
League VTB United League
Euroleague
Personal information
Born April 1, 1986
Tbilisi, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR
Nationality Georgian
Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College Globe Tech JC (2001–2002)
NBA draft 2004 / Round: 2 / Pick: 42nd overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Pro career 2003–present
Career history
2003–2006 SAOS JDA Dijon
2006–2007 MMT Estudiantes
2008 Dinamo Tbilisi
2008–2009 Tartu Ülikool/Rock
2009–2012 Virtus Bologna
2012–2013 Montepaschi Siena
2013–2014 CAI Zaragoza
2014–present UNICS Kazan
Career highlights and awards
  • Georgian League All-Star Game MVP (2008)
  • Georgian League Slam Dunk Champ (2008)
  • Estonian League Slam Dunk Champ 2009

Viktor Sanikidze (born April 1, 1986) is a Georgian professional basketball player who currently plays for UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League. He plays at both the small forward and power forward positions.

Early years

Sanikidze began his career with the Academy Tbilisi youth teams in the Georgian Republic. In the 2001–02 season, Sanikidze attended and played basketball for Globe Tech Junior College in New York City. In the 2002–03 season, he returned home to Georgia to play once again for Academy Tbilisi.

Professional career

Europe

In 2003, Sanikidze signed with SAOS JDA Dijon, a pro club in the French Pro A League and a club competing in the European third tier league, the FIBA Euro Cup, at the time he joined the team. JDA Dijon made the Euro Cup finals, where they lost to Mitteldeutscher BC during Sanikidze's first season with the club. He spent three seasons in France (2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06).

Sanikidze spent the 2006–07 season with the Spanish ACB League club MMT Estudiantes, a team that was also competing in the European third tier league, the FIBA Euro Cup, at the time he joined the team. He missed the entire the 2007–08 season due to injury.

Sanikidze joined the Estonian League club Tartu Ülikool/Rock for the 2008–09 season. Tartu Ülikool/Rock also competed in the EuroChallenge League, the third tier level of European-wide basketball and the regional Baltic League. In August 2009, he moved to the Italian League club Virtus Bologna. On July 11, 2012, Sanikidze signed multi-year deal with the Italian club Montepaschi Siena.[1]

On September 20, 2013, he signed a one-year deal with CAI Zaragoza.[2] On July 31, 2014, he signed a one-year deal with UNICS Kazan of Russia.[3]

NBA

Sanikidze was selected with the 42nd pick of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, but his draft rights were traded the same day to the San Antonio Spurs for a 2005 second-round pick and cash considerations.[4] The Spurs still hold his NBA player rights, but they have yet to sign him to a contract, and he continues to play in Europe. In July 2007, Sanikidze played for San Antonio's summer league squad during the Rocky Mountain Revue Summer League, scoring 15 points in a Spurs loss to the Philadelphia 76ers' summer league squad.[5][6]

Georgian national team

Sanikidze also played with the Republic of Georgia's junior national teams. With Georgia's junior teams, he played at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in 2004,[7] and also at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship B Division Tournament at Ostchem in 2006.[8]

He is currently a member of the senior Georgian national basketball team, which currently competes in the European A Division. With Georgia's senior team, he played at the 2008–09 European Championship B Division Qualifying Tournament.

References

  1. ↑ "Montepaschi signs Sanikidze to multi-year deal". Euroleague. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "CAI ZARAGOZA announces Viktor Sanikidze". Eurocupbasketball.com. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "Unics Kazan lands forward Sanikidze". Eurolague.net. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Trade details from NBA.com.
  5. ↑ Rocky Mountain notebook: Horford proving "he is ready for this level".
  6. ↑ Jazz guards take their shot.
  7. ↑ Profile at NBA.com.
  8. ↑ Game story from Ostchem U20 European Championship Division B.

External links