.jpg) Thabeet withHsinchu JKO Lioneers in 2021 | |
| No. 34 – Dar City | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Road to BAL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1987-02-16)16 February 1987 (age 38) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
| Listed height | 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Cypress Christian School (Houston, Texas) |
| College | UConn (2006–2009) |
| NBA draft | 2009: 1st round, 2nd overall pick |
| Drafted by | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Playing career | 2009–present |
| Career history | |
| 2009–2011 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2010 | →Dakota Wizards |
| 2011–2012 | Houston Rockets |
| 2011 | →Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2012 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2012–2014 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2014–2015 | Grand Rapids Drive |
| 2017–2018 | Yokohama B-Corsairs |
| 2019–2020 | Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| 2020–2021 | Hsinchu JKO Lioneers |
| 2021 | Savio |
| 2022–2023 | Sichuan Blue Whales |
| 2023 | TaiwanBeer HeroBears |
| 2023 | Pazi |
| 2024 | Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers |
| 2024–present | Dar City |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Hasheem Thabeet (bornHashim Thabit Manka; 16 February 1987)[1] is a Tanzanian professionalbasketball player forDar City. He playedcollege basketball for theUConn Huskies before being drafted second overall in the2009 NBA draft by theMemphis Grizzlies. Thabeet's performance as a second overall draft pick has led many analysts to label him as one of the "biggest busts" in NBA history.[2][3]
Thabeet did not begin to play basketball until the age of 15, when he began to watch pick-up games inTanzania. He started playing basketball while attending Makongo Secondary School inDar es Salaam.[4] When first recruited from Tanzania, Thabeet was fluent inSwahili but knew little English.[5] He played high school basketball atCypress Christian School inHouston,Texas, where Thabeet graduated in 2006.
As a freshman for theConnecticut Huskies, Thabeet averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 blocks per game.[6] On 3 December 2006, he tied a UConn record for blocks in a game with 10.[7] Thabeet was named to the 2007 All-Big East Rookie Team, along with teammateJerome Dyson.
As a sophomore, Thabeet saw increased minutes and he averaged 10.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 blocks on the season.[6] On 5 January 2008, Thabeet tied his career high in blocks with 10 in the Huskies' 73–67 loss atUniversity of Notre Dame.[8] He was namedBig East Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Big East second team.
As a junior, Thabeet emerged on the national scene, averaging 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds. He earned his first careertriple-double againstProvidence College on 31 January 2009, with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks.[9] Thabeet finished with 152 blocks on the season. He was namedBig East Defensive Player of the Year and was co-Big East Player of the Year withPitt'sDeJuan Blair.[10] Thabeet was also named second team All-America and National Defensive Player of the Year.
Thabeet surpassed the 1,000-point mark againstPurdue on 26 March 2009. He was the third UConn player that season to do so (Jerome Dyson andA. J. Price were the others). Thabeet helped lead UConn to their firstFinal Four appearance since 2004.
In April 2009, Thabeet declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final year of college eligibility.
Thabeet was selected with the second overall pick in2009 NBA draft by theMemphis Grizzlies, ahead of two future NBA MVPsJames Harden andStephen Curry, becoming the first Tanzanian-born NBA player. On 13 December 2009, Thabeet had a season-high five blocks.[11]
On 25 February 2010, Thabeet was assigned to theDakota Wizards of theNBA Development League,[12] becoming the tallest and then-highest-drafted player (surpassed byAnthony Bennett in 2015, the first overall pick in the2013 NBA draft) to be sent to the D-League. On 8 March, he was recalled by the Grizzlies.[13]
On 24 February 2011, Thabeet was traded, along with a future first-round pick, to theHouston Rockets in exchange forShane Battier andIsh Smith.[14] On 21 March, he was assigned with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. On 11 April, he was recalled by the Rockets.
On 15 March 2012, Thabeet was traded, along withJonny Flynn and a future second-round pick, to thePortland Trail Blazers in exchange forMarcus Camby.[15]
On 11 July 2012, Thabeet signed with theOklahoma City Thunder.[16] On 26 November, in a 114–69 victory over theCharlotte Bobcats, he recorded his first career double-double with 13 points (a career high) and 10 rebounds.[17]
On 26 August 2014, Thabeet was traded to thePhiladelphia 76ers in exchange for a trade exception and a 2015 protected second-round draft pick.[18][19] Six days later, he was waived by the 76ers.[20]
On 25 September 2014, Thabeet signed with theDetroit Pistons.[21] However, he was later waived on 20 October.[22]
On 1 November 2014, Thabeet was acquired by theGrand Rapids Drive of theNBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Pistons.[23] In 49 games for the Drive, he averaged 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
In July 2015, Thabeet joined the NBA D-League Select Team for the2015 NBA Summer League.[24]
On 29 September 2017, Thabeet signed with theYokohama B-Corsairs of the JapaneseB.League.[25]
For the 2019–20 season, Thabeet signed with theFort Wayne Mad Ants of theNBA G League.[26] He was cut on 16 January 2020.[27]
On 25 September 2020, Thabeet signed with theHsinchu JKO Lioneers of the TaiwaneseP. League+.[28] He was the league's rebounding leader, blocks leader and Defensive Player of Year for the 2020–21 season.[29][30]
On 28 October 2021, Thabeet signed with theTainan TSG GhostHawks of the TaiwaneseT1 League.[31] Chien Wei-Cheng, the general manager of the Tainan TSG GhostHawks, indicated that Thabeet would not join the Tainan TSG GhostHawks on 24 December.[32]
In 2021, Thabeet played forSavio in his native Tanzania and guided the team to theDar es Salaam Regional Basketball League (RBA) title and was named the Finals MVP.[33]
On 8 March 2023,TaiwanBeer HeroBears registered Thabeet as import player.[34] Five days later, Thabeet signed with theTaiwanBeer HeroBears of theT1 League.[35]
In September 2023, Thabeet joined the roster of Tanzanian championsPazi for the2024 BAL qualification tournaments.[36]
In December 2024, Thabeet was on the roster of Tanzania'sDar City and played in the inauguralEast Africa Basketball Championship Cup (EABCC). He guided them to the second place with a 4–1 record.[37]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Memphis | 68 | 13 | 13.0 | .588 | — | .581 | 3.6 | .2 | .2 | 1.3 | 3.1 |
| 2010–11 | Memphis | 45 | 0 | 8.2 | .436 | — | .543 | 1.7 | .1 | .2 | .3 | 1.2 |
| 2010–11 | Houston | 2 | 0 | 2.0 | .000 | — | — | .0 | .0 | .0 | .5 | .0 |
| 2011–12 | Houston | 5 | 0 | 4.6 | 1.000 | — | — | 1.4 | .0 | .0 | .4 | 1.2 |
| 2011–12 | Portland | 15 | 3 | 7.7 | .444 | — | .650 | 2.3 | .0 | .1 | .5 | 1.9 |
| 2012–13 | Oklahoma City | 66 | 4 | 11.7 | .604 | — | .604 | 3.0 | .2 | .5 | .9 | 2.4 |
| 2013–14 | Oklahoma City | 23 | 0 | 8.3 | .565 | — | .200 | 1.7 | .0 | .2 | .4 | 1.2 |
| Career | 224 | 20 | 10.5 | .567 | — | .578 | 2.7 | .1 | .3 | .8 | 2.2 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Oklahoma City | 4 | 0 | 6.5 | .500 | — | — | 1.5 | .0 | .3 | .0 | .5 |
| 2014 | Oklahoma City | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | — | — | — | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 6 | 0 | 5.5 | .500 | — | — | 1.0 | .0 | .2 | .0 | .3 | |
Source[38]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Dakota | 6 | 4 | 31.3 | .500 | – | .690 | 11.2 | .7 | .7 | 3.2 | 13.8 |
| 2010–11 | Rio Grande | 6 | 5 | 27.8 | .615 | – | .571 | 8.0 | .7 | .8 | 2.7 | 10.0 |
| 2014–15 | Grand Rapids | 48 | 42 | 22.3 | .593 | – | .654 | 6.2 | .4 | .4 | 2.4 | 8.6 |
| 2019–20 | Fort Wayne | 9 | 2 | 16.4 | .577 | – | .600 | 4.3 | .7 | .1 | 1.8 | 4.0 |
| Career | 68 | 53 | 22.8 | .582 | – | .652 | 6.6 | .4 | .4 | 2.4 | 8.6 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Rio Grande | 1 | 1 | 22.0 | .000 | – | .750 | 6.0 | 2.0 | .0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
Thabeet isMuslim and fasts duringRamadan.[39]
