Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Georgian:ნიკოლოზ ცქიტიშვილი; born April 14, 1983) is a Georgian former professionalbasketball player. At 7 feet tall, he played asforward-center. Tskitishvili was selected fifth overall by theDenver Nuggets in the2002 NBA draft. He also played for the seniorGeorgian national basketball team.
From January to July 2002, Tskitishvili played in Italy, forBenetton Treviso, winning theItalian League championship underhead coachMike D'Antoni. He played in 13 games, averaging 6.6 points per game (with a high of 15). Around that time, he was selected as the 5th overall pick of the2002 NBA draft.
On February 25, 2005, Tskitishvili was traded by theNuggets, to theGolden State Warriors, along withRodney White, in exchange forEduardo Nájera,Luis Flores, and a 2007 future first-round draft pick. In three seasons with the Nuggets, Tskitishvili averaged 3.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, and shot 30 percent from the field, while appearing in 143 total games.
After playing just 12 games for the Warriors, he signed as a free agent with theMinnesota Timberwolves, after playing on theirNBA Summer League team. He was traded half-way through the2005–06 season, to thePhoenix Suns, in exchange for a second-round draft pick.
Tskitishvili's final NBA game was Game 4 of the 2006 Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2006, in a 106–86 win over theDallas Mavericks. Tskitishvili only played for a minute and half (substituting at the very end of the game for Leandro Barbosa) and recorded no stats. Phoenix would go on to lose games 5 and 6 (with Tskitishvili not playing in either game), thus losing the series to Dallas 4 - 2.
On June 30, 2006, Tskitishvili was claimed off of waivers by thePortland Trail Blazers. He was waived five days later, after the team announced they would re-sign centerJoel Przybilla. On October 2, 2006, Tskitishvili was signed by theNew York Knicks, and he was later waived by them on October 25.
With career averages of 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, over his first fourNBA seasons,[1] Tskitishvili is widely considered to be a majordraft bust. FormerESPN writerBill Simmons claimed that Tskitishvili is "the worst-case scenario for any foreign pick" in the NBA.[2] Columnist David Schoenfield ofESPN's Page 2, ranked Tskitishvili 30th, on his "100 worst draft picks ever", in 2006,[3] and in 2008, ESPN's Adam Reisinger rated Tskitishvili as the worst NBA draft lottery pick ever selected.[4]
After playing in theNBA, Tskitishvili returned to Europe. In Europe, he had playing stints in theSpanish League (Caja San Fernando,Fuenlabrada,Lagun Aro GBC),Italian League (Teramo Basket), andGreek League (Panionios). After that, he left Europe and went to Asia, in order to continue his playing career.
While playing in Iran, Tskitishvili won anIranian Super League championship in 2012, withMahram. He started the 2012–13 season with Iran'sFoolad Mahan Esfahan, but he was released in November 2012. The next month, he signed withChampville, from Lebanon'sDivision A, and posted 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, in 27 games played.[5] On October 27, 2014, he signed for a second stint with Champville.[6]
On September 25, 2015, Tskitishvili signed with theLos Angeles Clippers, returning to theNBA, after a nine-year absence.[7] However, he was later waived by the Clippers, on October 3, 2015.[8]
On October 11, 2015, Tskitishvili signed with theFujian Sturgeons of theChinese Basketball Association (CBA).[9] However, he left the team before the season began, and signed with the Japanese club,Link Tochigi Brex, on November 2.[10] On December 24, he left Tochigi Brex, after averaging eight points and four rebounds per game.[11]
The next day, he returned toChampville.[12] On April 3, 2016, he left Champville, and signed withChemidor Tehran, of theIranian Super League.[13]
In late December 2017, he signed withByblos Club, of theLebanese Basketball League.[14]
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | Denver | 81 | 16 | 16.3 | .293 | .243 | .738 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 3.9 |
| 2003–04 | Denver | 39 | 0 | 7.9 | .328 | .273 | .793 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.7 |
| 2004–05 | Denver | 23 | 0 | 6.9 | .294 | .000 | .571 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| 2004–05 | Golden State | 12 | 0 | 5.2 | .304 | .200 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| 2005–06 | Minnesota | 5 | 0 | 2.6 | .250 | .000 | .500 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| 2005–06 | Phoenix | 12 | 0 | 7.2 | .364 | .333 | .667 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.8 |
| Career | 172 | 16 | 11.3 | .304 | .235 | .730 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | Phoenix | 4 | 0 | 2.0 | .000 | .000 | .500 | .3 | .5 | .0. | .0 | .3 |
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