Kaspars Kambala
Kambala with Latvia in 2009
Personal information
Born (1978-12-13) 13 December 1978
Jelgava, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
NationalityLatvian
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High schoolHomestead (Mequon, Wisconsin)
CollegeUNLV (1997–2001)
NBA draft2001: undrafted
Playing career2001–2017
PositionPower forward / center
Number11, 34
Career history
1993–1995Rīgas Laiks
2001–2003Efes Pilsen
2003–2004Real Madrid
2004–2005UNICS Kazan
2005–2007Fenerbahçe
2009ASK Riga
2009–2010Enisey
2010Lukoil Akademik
2011Aliağa Petkim
2011Mahram Tehran
2011–2012Türk Telekom
2013Pİ Koleji
2013–2014Ankara DSI
2014–2015Barons
2015–2016Adanaspor
2016–2017Near East University
2019Jūrmala
2019–2020Ogres milži
2020–Varenie runči
Career highlights and awards

EuroLeague records since the 2000–01 season

  • Most points in a game
  • Most 2-point field goals made in a game
  • Most 2-point field goals attempted in a game

Kaspars Kambala (born 13 December 1978) is a Latvian semi-professional basketball player, currently for BK Jūrmala, and a former professional boxer. Standing at 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in), he plays at the position of forward-center.

High school

A 1997 graduate of Homestead High School in Mequon, Wisconsin and a native of Riga, Latvia. He averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds in his senior season (1996–97) and earned All-Wisconsin honors, all-state, MVP of the Northshore Conference and all-county. Homestead compiled a 16-9 overall record and finished second in conference. Kambala played in the Eddie Jones Classic All-Star game, which was held at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California, on 15 April 1997.

College

Kambala played college basketball at UNLV from 1997 to 2001. He led the team in scoring in 1999-2000 (18.5 average) and 2000-01 (16.9). He finished up in 2001 as the program's 10th all-time highest scorer and ranks fourth on the school's all-time rebounding list, leading the team in boards in three of his four seasons on campus.

Professional career

Kaspars Kambala actually played professional basketball as a teenager in Latvia before going to America where he attended high school in Wisconsin and played college basketball at UNLV. He continued his career in Europe, playing for such high-level clubs as Efes Pilsen, Real Madrid, UNICS Kazan, Fenerbahçe.

In December 2006 he was suspended for doping. His suspension in basketball ended on 12 December 2008. When his sanction from playing basketball ended, Kas, as he is often called by fans, stated that he was in great shape and that he was once again ready to play at the highest level of European basketball. For few games he joined ASK Riga, but soon after went to Russia to play for Enisey Krasnoyarsk, where he spent next year and a half. In September 2010 Kambala joined Bulgarian team Lukoil Academic.[1] In the middle of the season Kambala returned to Turkey and joined Aliağa Petkim. In July 2011 he signed with Türk Telekom B.K. for one season.[2]

On 11 July 2015 Kambala signed with Adanaspor.[3]

On 7 June 2016 he signed with Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi Spor Kulübü for a one-year $48000 contract.[4][5]

Latvian national men's basketball team

In 2001 was Kaspars Kambala's first appearance for the Latvian national basketball team when he participated in the European Championship. He also participated in two more Eurobasket tournaments (2003, 2009).

Trivia

During his suspension from basketball Kaspars decided to become a professional boxer.

Kambala shares the Euroleague's single-game scoring record for last decade - 41 points against FC Barcelona on 30 October 2002 - with three players, Bobby Brown, Carlton Myers and the late Alphonso Ford.

In April 2014, Kambala released his autobiography "Kambala..., āmen!" that became a bestseller in Latvia.[6]

Honors and awards

Professional boxing record

4 fights 3 wins 0 losses
By knockout 3 0
Draws 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
5 Win 4–0–1 Belarus Aliaksandr Niakhaichyk TKO 4 (4), 2:33 23 Mar 2019 Latvia Arēna Rīga, Riga, Latvia
4 Win 3–0–1 United States Ronnie Weaver TKO 1 (4), 2:08 8 Jul 2008 United States Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
3 Win 2–0–1 United States Emile Whiterock UD 4 9 May 2008 United States Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
2 Win 1–0–1 United States Mike Goins KO 2 (4), 1:48 7 Mar 2008 United States Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
1 Draw 0–0–1 Mexico Álvaro Morales MD 4 11 Jan 2008 United States Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.

References

  1. ↑ Lukoil Academic lands Kaspars Kambala
  2. ↑ Turk Telekom Ankara tabs Kaspars Kambala
  3. ↑ Kaspars Kambala signs with Adanaspor in TB2L
  4. ↑ "Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi'nden Dev Transfer". 7 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Dev pivot YDÜ'de". 7 June 2016.
  6. ↑ Tava grāmatnīca [@JanisRoze] (April 22, 2014). "Apkopots pirktāko grāmatu TOP 10! 1. vietā joprojām @ArmandsPuche grāmata par @KambalaKaspars" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kaspars Kambala.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.