Gert Kullamäe
Encyclopedia
Gert Kullamäe is a retired Estonia
n professional basketball
player who mostly played in a shooting guard position and was a great 3-point shooter. Gert Kullamäe is seven-time Estonian Champion and USSR, Lithuanian, Belgian and Dutch champion. Currently he is an assistant coach of his last team Tartu Ülikool/Rock
and of the Estonia national basketball team
.
, Estonia
, and made his senior club debut with TPI (Tallinn University of Technology
) team in Estonian SSR Championship (today Korvpalli Meistriliiga). This happened in autumn 1985 when he was only 14 years and 4 months old. After some seasons, he signed with Tallinna Kalev team and he has played in USSR Championships; Korać Cup
in 1990–91 and FIBA European Champions Cup in 1991–92.During this period Kullamäe won USSR Championship in 1991 and Estonian Championships in 1992 and 1993. Then he moved to Lithuanian BC Zalgiris
and won the Lithuanian Championship in 1994. In Lithuania
he was coached by Jaak Salumets,ex- coach of Tallinn "Kalev" and the Estonia national basketball team
. After a successful season with the Lithuanian club Kullamäe came back to Estonia and played for "BC Kalev" and "Kamee" teams in Meistriliiga. He won the Estonian Championships again in 1995 and 1998. Eurobasket.com
voted him a Meistriliiga MVP in 1998; 1999; 2000. Kullamäe signed a contract with Telindus Oostende
in 2000–01 season and won the Belgian League with the team. After a serious knee injury and one season in an Estonian team "BC Hotronic" he moved back to Europe. Kullamäe signed to a Bundesliga team Brose Baskets. With this team he won two German Championships silver medals and then moved to EiffelTowers
. Kullamäe was voted Dutch Eredivisie All-Bosman Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, he also won the Dutch Championship in 2006. In summer of 2006 Kullamäe came back to Estonia and joined Tartu Ülikool/Rock
. In 2007 and 2008 he won his 5th and 6th Estonian Championship title with Tartu team. He has also finished Baltic Basketball League on third place in 2008–09 season with Rock. In July 2009 he announced his retirement from active career and became an assistant coach in Tartu Rock.
) and the U-19 USSR Basketball team (coached by Stanislav Eremin
). He won bronze medal with the USSR team in the U-17 European Championship in 1988. Kullamäe was a member of Estonia national basketball team
in 1993–95; 1998–2001; 2004 and 2007(captain). His National team career-high score was 32 points against Lithuania
in autumn 1994,during the EuroBasket 1995
qualifaying round. Kullamäe was also a member of the Estonian EuroBasket 1993
squad.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who mostly played in a shooting guard position and was a great 3-point shooter. Gert Kullamäe is seven-time Estonian Champion and USSR, Lithuanian, Belgian and Dutch champion. Currently he is an assistant coach of his last team Tartu Ülikool/Rock
Tartu Ülikool/Rock
Tartu Ülikool is an Estonian professional basketball club, based in Tartu, currently participating in the Korvpalli Meistriliiga, the Baltic Basketball League and the EuroChallenge. The basketball team belongs to The University of Tartu and plays their home games at the Tartu Ülikooli Spordihoone ...
and of the Estonia national basketball team
Estonia national basketball team
The Estonian National Basketball Team is the basketball team that represents Estonia in international competitions.-Eurobasket 1937:The Estonians took fifth place, with an overall record of 3–2, at the second European basketball championship, the Eurobasket 1937 held by the International Basketball...
.
Club career
Kullamäe was born in TallinnTallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, and made his senior club debut with TPI (Tallinn University of Technology
Tallinn University of Technology
Tallinn University of Technology is the only university of technology in Estonia, and one of the three most important institutions of higher education in Estonia generally. It is located in the capital city of Tallinn, Estonia...
) team in Estonian SSR Championship (today Korvpalli Meistriliiga). This happened in autumn 1985 when he was only 14 years and 4 months old. After some seasons, he signed with Tallinna Kalev team and he has played in USSR Championships; Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
in 1990–91 and FIBA European Champions Cup in 1991–92.During this period Kullamäe won USSR Championship in 1991 and Estonian Championships in 1992 and 1993. Then he moved to Lithuanian BC Zalgiris
BC Žalgiris
BC Žalgiris is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania. It is one of the oldest teams in the Euroleague and plays domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga , and regionally in the VTB United League...
and won the Lithuanian Championship in 1994. In Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
he was coached by Jaak Salumets,ex- coach of Tallinn "Kalev" and the Estonia national basketball team
Estonia national basketball team
The Estonian National Basketball Team is the basketball team that represents Estonia in international competitions.-Eurobasket 1937:The Estonians took fifth place, with an overall record of 3–2, at the second European basketball championship, the Eurobasket 1937 held by the International Basketball...
. After a successful season with the Lithuanian club Kullamäe came back to Estonia and played for "BC Kalev" and "Kamee" teams in Meistriliiga. He won the Estonian Championships again in 1995 and 1998. Eurobasket.com
Eurobasket.com
Eurobasket.com and its related web sites are a group of global basketball websites covering 242 basketball leagues in 153 countries.The site was opened in March 1997...
voted him a Meistriliiga MVP in 1998; 1999; 2000. Kullamäe signed a contract with Telindus Oostende
Telindus Oostende
BC Oostende is a Belgian basketball team founded in 1970. It was previously known as Sunair Oostende then as Telindus oostende , Base Oostende and is now referred to as Telenet Oostende. The club has won 12 Belgian League titles, including a 6 year in a row sequence...
in 2000–01 season and won the Belgian League with the team. After a serious knee injury and one season in an Estonian team "BC Hotronic" he moved back to Europe. Kullamäe signed to a Bundesliga team Brose Baskets. With this team he won two German Championships silver medals and then moved to EiffelTowers
EiffelTowers
The EiffelTowers is a Dutch professional basketball team that plays in the FEB Eredivisie. The team has also been a regular at international competitions, lastly when it played in the EuroChallenge 2009–10...
. Kullamäe was voted Dutch Eredivisie All-Bosman Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, he also won the Dutch Championship in 2006. In summer of 2006 Kullamäe came back to Estonia and joined Tartu Ülikool/Rock
Tartu Ülikool/Rock
Tartu Ülikool is an Estonian professional basketball club, based in Tartu, currently participating in the Korvpalli Meistriliiga, the Baltic Basketball League and the EuroChallenge. The basketball team belongs to The University of Tartu and plays their home games at the Tartu Ülikooli Spordihoone ...
. In 2007 and 2008 he won his 5th and 6th Estonian Championship title with Tartu team. He has also finished Baltic Basketball League on third place in 2008–09 season with Rock. In July 2009 he announced his retirement from active career and became an assistant coach in Tartu Rock.
National Team career
In the late 80's young Gert Kullamäe was a member of the U-17 USSR Basketball team (coached by Modestas PaulauskasModestas Paulauskas
Modestas Paulauskas is a retired Lithuanian basketball player who won gold with the Soviet basketball team in the 1972 Olympic basketball tournament. He also won a bronze medal with the team at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Paulauskas trained at VSS Žalgiris in Kaunas. He is known as one of the best...
) and the U-19 USSR Basketball team (coached by Stanislav Eremin
Stanislav Eremin
Stanislav Georgiyevich Yeryomin , last name also spelled Eremin and Yeremin, is a prominent retired Soviet basketball player and active Russian basketball coach. Retired Russian Army Colonel...
). He won bronze medal with the USSR team in the U-17 European Championship in 1988. Kullamäe was a member of Estonia national basketball team
Estonia national basketball team
The Estonian National Basketball Team is the basketball team that represents Estonia in international competitions.-Eurobasket 1937:The Estonians took fifth place, with an overall record of 3–2, at the second European basketball championship, the Eurobasket 1937 held by the International Basketball...
in 1993–95; 1998–2001; 2004 and 2007(captain). His National team career-high score was 32 points against Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
in autumn 1994,during the EuroBasket 1995
EuroBasket 1995
EuroBasket 1995 final tournament stage was XXIX European basketball championship and was held in Athens, Greece from 21 June to 2 July, 1995. This European championship was the first one that saw the successful return of Lithuania national basketball team to the tournament, since its last triumph...
qualifaying round. Kullamäe was also a member of the Estonian EuroBasket 1993
EuroBasket 1993
-Venues:-First round:-A - Karlsruhe:-B - Berlin:-C - Karlsruhe:-D - Berlin:-Second round:-E - Karlsruhe:-F - Berlin:-Finals in Munich:-Places 5-8 in Munich:-Finals in Munich:-Final rankings:# # #...
squad.
Honours
As a player
|
As a coach
|
Orders
- Order of the White Star, 5th Class:Order of the White StarThe Order of the White Star was instituted on 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonian citizens and foreigners to give recognition for services rendered to the Estonian state.- Classes :The Order of the White Star comprises five classes:...
2010
External links
- Profile at basket.ee
- Profile at bbl.net
- German Fansite