Marcin Gortat
Encyclopedia
Marcin Gortat, pronounced "MAHR-cheen GOR-taht" (born February 17, 1984 in Łódź), also known as the Polish Hammer, is a Polish
professional basketball
player who plays the center
position for the Phoenix Suns
of the NBA
. The 6'11", 240 pound power forward
/center
is the son of boxer
Janusz Gortat
. He was a second-round draft choice of the Phoenix Suns
in the 2005 NBA Draft
and was traded for future cash considerations to the Orlando Magic
. Gortat started his career in ŁKS Łódź, then he played 3 seasons in RheinEnergie Cologne in Germany
's Basketball Bundesliga
. RheinEnergie Cologne won the domestic championship in 2006.
and football. His father Janusz Gortat
was a Polish boxer and a bronze medalist in light heavyweight
during the Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976 Olympics
, and the mother Alicja Gortat was a representative of the Polish national team in volleyball
. He has an older brother Robert, who is also a boxer.
Gortat grew up in Łódź together with his brother Filip. He graduated from Technical School
in Łódź, Poland. Apart from Polish, he is fluent in English, German and Serbian.
in the NBA Development League
. He was recalled from the D-League on December 2 and he played his first NBA game, for the Orlando Magic on March 1, 2008 against the New York Knicks. As of the end of the 2007–08 season, Gortat had appeared in 14 NBA games for the Orlando Magic, including eight playoff appearances. On April 16, 2008, in the Magic's last game of the 2007-08 NBA season
, little-used Gortat played 28 minutes and registered a career-high 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 103-83 Magic win over the Washington Wizards
. On December 15, 2008, starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard
, Gortat played 28 minutes and topped his career highs with 16 points and 13 rebounds. On April 13, 2009, again starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard
, Gortat played almost 43 minutes and topped his career high in rebounding with 18 rebounds and 10 points. On April 30, 2009, Gortat made his first playoff start in Game 6 against Philadelphia 76ers
replacing Howard, who was suspended because of his actions in game 5. He had 11 points and 15 rebounds as the Magic eliminated their opponent 4-2. Later that year, the Magic made a run all the way to the NBA Finals
, making Gortat the first Polish-born player to ever appear in the championship series.
On July 8, 2009, Gortat, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet for five years and $34 million with the Dallas Mavericks
. The Magic retained Gortat by matching the offer sheet on July 13, 2009. Gortat was "very disappointed" to have to stay with the Magic, since serving as backup to Howard would mean limited playing time, whereas playing for Dallas would likely mean being the starting center.
On December 18, 2010, Gortat was traded to the Phoenix Suns
along with Vince Carter
, Mickael Pietrus
, a 2011 first-round draft pick, and $3 million, for former Magic player Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson
, and Earl Clark
.
On March 25, 2011, Gortat sustained a nasal fracture against the New Jersey Nets
in a home game when he banged his nose into the back of teammate Steve Nash
's head in the fourth quarter. He left the game for good after scoring 18 pts and grabbing 10 rebs. The Suns lost 106-100 to deal a severe blow to its sinking playoff
hopes. He returned on March 28, 2011.
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Orlando
| 6 || 0 || 6.8 || .471 || .000 || .667 || 2.7 || .3 || .2 || .2 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Orlando
| 63 || 3 || 12.6 || .569 || 1.000 || .578 || 4.6 || .2 || .3 || .8 || 3.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Orlando
| 81 || 0 || 13.4 || .533 || .000 || .680 || 4.2 || .2 || .2 || .9 || 3.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Orlando
Phoenix
| 25
55 || 2
12 || 15.8
29.7 || .543
.563 || .000
.250 || .667
.731 || 4.7
9.3 || .7
1.0|| .3
.5 || .8
1.3 || 4.0
13.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 230 || 17 || 17.2 || .554 || .250 || .693 || 5.5 || .4 || .3 || .9 || 5.9
| align="left" | 2008
| align="left" | Orlando
| 8 || 0 || 6.0 || .833 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .5 || 1.3
|-
| align="left" | 2009
| align="left" | Orlando
| 24 || 1 || 11.3 || .654 || .000 || .625 || 3.2 || .1 || .4 || .6 || 3.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | Orlando
| 14 || 0 || 15.1 || .654 || .000 || .727 || 4.4 || .6 || .2 || .3 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 46 || 1 || 11.5 || .667 || .000 || .667 || 3.2 || .3 || .3 || .5 || 2.8
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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 plays the center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
position for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The 6'11", 240 pound power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
/center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
is the son of boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Janusz Gortat
Janusz Gortat
Janusz Gortat is a retired boxer from Poland, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1972. In both tournaments he won the bronze medal in the light heavyweight division , in 1976 after being defeated in the semifinals by eventual winner Leon Spinks of...
. He was a second-round draft choice of the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
and was traded for future cash considerations to the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. Gortat started his career in ŁKS Łódź, then he played 3 seasons in RheinEnergie Cologne in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Basketball Bundesliga
Basketball Bundesliga
The Basketball Bundesliga — commonly abbreviated BBL — is the highest level league of club basketball in Germany. The league comprises 18 teams. A BBL season is split into a league stage and a playoff stage...
. RheinEnergie Cologne won the domestic championship in 2006.
Early life
In his youth, Marcin was frequent in athletics such as high jumpHigh jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
and football. His father Janusz Gortat
Janusz Gortat
Janusz Gortat is a retired boxer from Poland, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1972. In both tournaments he won the bronze medal in the light heavyweight division , in 1976 after being defeated in the semifinals by eventual winner Leon Spinks of...
was a Polish boxer and a bronze medalist in light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
during the Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976 Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, and the mother Alicja Gortat was a representative of the Polish national team in volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. He has an older brother Robert, who is also a boxer.
Gortat grew up in Łódź together with his brother Filip. He graduated from Technical School
Technical school
Technical school is a general term used for two-year college which provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, culinary arts and office management.-Associations supporting technical schools:...
in Łódź, Poland. Apart from Polish, he is fluent in English, German and Serbian.
NBA career
On November 20, 2007, Gortat was assigned to play with the Anaheim ArsenalAnaheim Arsenal
The Anaheim Arsenal was a professional basketball team which played in NBA Development League from 2006-2009. They played their home games at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, California....
in the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
. He was recalled from the D-League on December 2 and he played his first NBA game, for the Orlando Magic on March 1, 2008 against the New York Knicks. As of the end of the 2007–08 season, Gortat had appeared in 14 NBA games for the Orlando Magic, including eight playoff appearances. On April 16, 2008, in the Magic's last game of the 2007-08 NBA season
2007-08 NBA season
The 2007–08 NBA season was the 62nd season of the National Basketball Association. The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, and ended on Wednesday, April 16, 2008...
, little-used Gortat played 28 minutes and registered a career-high 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 103-83 Magic win over the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
. On December 15, 2008, starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
, Gortat played 28 minutes and topped his career highs with 16 points and 13 rebounds. On April 13, 2009, again starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
, Gortat played almost 43 minutes and topped his career high in rebounding with 18 rebounds and 10 points. On April 30, 2009, Gortat made his first playoff start in Game 6 against Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
replacing Howard, who was suspended because of his actions in game 5. He had 11 points and 15 rebounds as the Magic eliminated their opponent 4-2. Later that year, the Magic made a run all the way to the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
, making Gortat the first Polish-born player to ever appear in the championship series.
On July 8, 2009, Gortat, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet for five years and $34 million with the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. The Magic retained Gortat by matching the offer sheet on July 13, 2009. Gortat was "very disappointed" to have to stay with the Magic, since serving as backup to Howard would mean limited playing time, whereas playing for Dallas would likely mean being the starting center.
On December 18, 2010, Gortat was traded to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
along with Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, Mickael Pietrus
Mickaël Piétrus
Mickaël Piétrus is a Caribbean-French professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He is listed at 6'6", 215 pounds and plays both the small forward and shooting guard positions...
, a 2011 first-round draft pick, and $3 million, for former Magic player Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson
Jason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.A 6'6", 225 lb...
, and Earl Clark
Earl Clark
Earl Rashad Clark is an American professional basketball player. Clark played collegiate basketball for the University of Louisville men's basketball team and was drafted 14th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2009 NBA Draft....
.
On March 25, 2011, Gortat sustained a nasal fracture against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in a home game when he banged his nose into the back of teammate Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
's head in the fourth quarter. He left the game for good after scoring 18 pts and grabbing 10 rebs. The Suns lost 106-100 to deal a severe blow to its sinking playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
hopes. He returned on March 28, 2011.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| 6 || 0 || 6.8 || .471 || .000 || .667 || 2.7 || .3 || .2 || .2 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Orlando
| 63 || 3 || 12.6 || .569 || 1.000 || .578 || 4.6 || .2 || .3 || .8 || 3.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Orlando
| 81 || 0 || 13.4 || .533 || .000 || .680 || 4.2 || .2 || .2 || .9 || 3.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Orlando
Phoenix
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
| 25
55 || 2
12 || 15.8
29.7 || .543
.563 || .000
.250 || .667
.731 || 4.7
9.3 || .7
1.0|| .3
.5 || .8
1.3 || 4.0
13.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 230 || 17 || 17.2 || .554 || .250 || .693 || 5.5 || .4 || .3 || .9 || 5.9
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| 8 || 0 || 6.0 || .833 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .5 || 1.3
|-
| align="left" | 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Orlando
| 24 || 1 || 11.3 || .654 || .000 || .625 || 3.2 || .1 || .4 || .6 || 3.3
|-
| align="left" | 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Orlando
| 14 || 0 || 15.1 || .654 || .000 || .727 || 4.4 || .6 || .2 || .3 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 46 || 1 || 11.5 || .667 || .000 || .667 || 3.2 || .3 || .3 || .5 || 2.8