 Douthit withSmart Gilas in 2011 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1980-04-15)April 15, 1980 (age 45) Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | Filipino / American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 233 lb (106 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Notre Dame Prep (Fitchburg, Massachusetts) |
| College | Providence (2000–2004) |
| NBA draft | 2004: 2nd round, 56th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Playing career | 2004–2019 |
| Position | Center |
| Career history | |
| 2004–2005 | Verviers-Pepinster |
| 2005 | Spirou Charleroi |
| 2005–2006 | Albuquerque Thunderbirds |
| 2006 | Champville SC |
| 2006–2007 | Albuquerque Thunderbirds |
| 2007 | Daegu Orions |
| 2007–2009 | Antalya Büyükşehir Belediyesi |
| 2009 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2009 | Marinos de Anzoategui |
| 2009–2010 | Krasnye Krylya Samara |
| 2011–2012 | Foshan Dralions |
| 2012 | Air21 Express |
| 2015 | Blackwater Elite |
| 2017 | Hanoi Buffaloes |
| 2017 | Nakhon Pathom Mad Goat |
| 2018 | Mekong United BC |
| 2019 | Kabayan Pilipinas |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Marcus Eugene Douthit (born April 15, 1980) is a Filipino-American formerbasketball player. He graduated fromProvidence College.[1] After his stint with theProvidence Friars, he was selected by theLos Angeles Lakers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA) in the2004 NBA draft.[2] Born inSyracuse, New York, he became anaturalized Filipino citizen on March 11, 2011, thus allowing him to play for thePhilippines'men's national basketball team.[3]
Douthit was born inSyracuse, New York to his mother, Melody Douthit. He played high school basketball atNotre Dame Preparatory School, aprivate, co-educationalCatholic high school located inFitchburg, Massachusetts. The school is primarily known for its basketball program, which has produced notable players such asMichael Beasley,Paul Harris,Lazar Hayward, andDerrick Caracter, to name a few. Before transferring to Notre Dame Prep for his senior year, Douthit played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School inNew Britain, Connecticut, the same school that producedLamar Odom, where he averaged 18 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks per game.[4]
On November 18, 1999,Providence Friars head coachTim Welsh announced that Douthit has signed a national letter-of-intent to attendProvidence College for the 2000–01 school year.[5] Eventually, Douthit would stay at Providence for four consecutive years, taking up abachelor's degree inSocial Science. During his freshman year, he was able to record his first career double-double againstBrown University by scoring a career-high 22 points and collecting 11 rebounds.
As a junior in Providence, Douthit finished 11th in theNCAA Men's Division I with an average of 3.0 blocks per game. The following year as a senior, he improved to seventh with an average of 3.2 blocks per game, third in theBig East Conference. He finished his college career ranking second all-time in blocks at his school with 295.
Douthit spent four years playing for the Friars. Along with teammateRyan Gomes, a former member of theLos Angeles Clippers, he was a member of the2003–04 Providence Friars team that finished with an 11–5 conference record, 20–9 overall. During his junior and senior years playing for Providence, Douthit was awarded the team'sMarvin Barnes Defensive Player Award.[6]
Douthit was selected by theLos Angeles Lakers in the second round of the2004 NBA draft with the 56th overall pick.[7] However, he decided to play ball inBelgium instead since the Lakers already had 15 players on the roster, and it was still awaiting the decision ofKarl Malone if he would join the team.[8] Although he never played in the NBA, Douthit had several close stints in signing with a couple of ball clubs, specifically theLos Angeles Lakers and theLos Angeles Clippers.
During the2006–07 NBA season, the Lakers announced that they would sign Douthit after playing professional ball in Europe.[9] Shortly after, the team placed him on waivers.[10] Douthit along with other aspirants such asJ. R. Pinnock,Mamadou N'diaye, andDevin Green were all cut by the Lakers before the start of the regular season.[11]
TheLos Angeles Clippers, on the other hand, signed Douthit andJamaican professional basketball playerKimani Ffriend in the2007–08 NBA season, including them in the team's training camp roster.[12] After not playing in the first two preseason games of the team, Douthit was waived by the Clippers.[13]
Douthit played for theAlbuquerque Thunderbirds in theNBA Development League, the officialminor league organization of theNational Basketball Association, during the 2005–06 season. Playing under coachMichael Cooper, he was part of the team's starting lineup along withTony Bland,T. J. Cummings,Andreas Glyniadakis, andTierre Brown.[14]
While playing for the Thunderbirds, Douthit averaged 16.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest.[15] Douthit also helped the team defeat theFort Worth Flyers, 119–108, to win the2005–06NBA Development League Championship, scoring 11 points and collecting 15 rebounds during the championship game.[16]
Before playing in the NBA D-League, Douthit played in theBasketball League Belgium, also known as the Ligue Ethias, which is the highest professional basketball league in the country.[17] InBelgium, he played forRBC Verviers-Pepinster andSpirou Charleroi, and averaged 7.9 points and 6.0 rebounds while playing for these ball clubs.
Douthit has played for basketball clubAntalya Büyükşehir Belediyesi inTurkey during the 2007–08 season. That year, the team finished sixth in the league with a total 18 wins, qualifying them to theplayoffs. The club was eventually eliminated by Turkish teamFenerbahçe Ülkerspor. While playing forAntalya in Turkey's top men's professional basketball league,Turkish Basketball League, Douthit averaged 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds.[18]
After several stints in a number of professional leagues in Europe, Douthit suited up forBC Krasnye Krylya Samara inRussia. Based in the city ofSamara, the club plays in theRussian Basketball Super League. During the 2009–10 season, the club also participated in the 2010EuroChallenge, organized byFIBA Europe. Douthit averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 11 games in that year's EuroChallenge.[19]
To cap the 2006–07 season, after playing in the NBA D-League, Douthit joined theDaegu Orions in theKorean Basketball League, which is the professional basketball league ofSouth Korea.[20]
In May 2010,Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas announced that Douthit has been invited to try out for a spot in thePhilippines men's national basketball team, Smart Gilas. He suited up for the team, spearheaded by formerIran national team head coachRajko Toroman, in the2010 MVP Invitational Champions' Cup.[21]
Douthit joins notableFilipino basketball playersMarcio Lassiter,J.V. Casio,Japeth Aguilar,Dylan Ababou, andChris Tiu, who are members of the Gilas squad.[22] On February 25, 2011, he scored 16 points and collected 26 rebounds in his debut game with Gilas in thePhilippine Basketball Association against theTalk 'N Text Tropang Texters.[23] He played for theAir21 Express as an import during the2012 PBA Commissioner's Cup.[24]
In October 2011, it was reported that Douthit has come to terms on a five-month contract to play for theFoshan Dralions, a club based inFoshan,Guangdong that plays in theChinese Basketball Association.[25] The team is coached by former NBA playerJay Humphries.
In January 2015, he signed forBlackwater Elite as an import and replacedChris Charles who was injured. His team got their first win for the2015 PBA Commissioner's Cup against the defending champions,San Miguel Beermen, in a score of 88–77.
In September 2016, Douthit was signed in byMighty Sports to play for the club in the2016 Merlion Cup in Singapore where the team finished second.[26] and in February 2017 he was re-signed in byMighty Sports to play for the club in the 2017 Dubai International Basketball Championship.[27]
On January 3, 2017, it was reported that Douthit signed a contract to play for theHanoi Buffaloes, a Vietnamese ball club which will compete at the Thailand Basketball Super League.[28] He stayed in that league, playing for the Mekong United Raptors and Kabayan Philippines.[29][30]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | 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 |
Correct as of 10 May 2012[31]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | Smart Gilas | 12 | 39.25 | .540 | 0.000 | .521 | 17.67 | 2.17 | 0.92 | 3.25 | 22.33 |
| 2011–12 | Air21 Express | 9 | 42.00 | .365 | 0.000 | .639 | 20.33 | 3.78 | 1.22 | 2.22 | 20.33 |
| 2011–12 | Foshan Dralions | 29 | 29.40 | .522 | 0.000 | .751 | 10.70 | 2.00 | 1.50 | 1.60 | 19.80 |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Jones Cup | Smart Gilas | 8 | 29.13 | .630 | 0.000 | .725 | 10.87 | 1.75 | 1.38 | 1.38 | 16.13 |
| 2012 FIBA Asia Cup | Smart Gilas | 6 | 31.00 | .655 | 1.000 | .581 | 11.30 | 1.20 | 0.83 | 1.66 | 15.20 |
| 2013 FIBA Asia Championship | Philippine National Basketball Team | 8 | 25.62 | .432 | 0.000 | .758 | 9.38 | 1.62 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 11.80 |
Douthit first suited up as an import forGilas at the2010 MVP Invitational Champions' Cup, which was held from June 24 to 27 at theNinoy Aquino Stadium.[32] He helped the nationals beat theJordan national basketball team in the championship game, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Toroman, a former assistant coach of the national squad ofYugoslavia from 1991 to 1995, was impressed with Douthit's performance and recommended him to be Gilas’ top prospect for naturalization.[33]
In June 2010, theSamahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced that Douthit agreed to sign a one-year contract and undergo thenaturalization process.[34] After the process, he would be allowed to represent the Philippines as a full-fledged Filipino in international competitions such as the2011 FIBA Asia Championship, a qualifying tournament of the2012 Summer Olympics inLondon.
Douthit's represented thePhilippines at the2010 William Jones Cup, an international basketball tournament held from July 14 to 22 inTaipei,Taiwan. Smart Gilas finished third in the tournament, improving the country's sixth-place finish from the previous year. In the tournament, Douthit was named a member of the All-Tournament Team along withYuta Tabuse (Japan),Lee Hsueh-lin (Taiwan),Samad Nikkhah Bahrami (Iran), andTakuya Kawamura (Japan).[35]
Because he and Gilas teammateChris Lutz have not secured a Filipinopassport in time for the competition, Douthit did not suit up for the team at theFIBA Asia Stanković Cup 2010, held from August 7 to 15 inBeirut, Lebanon.[36] Douthit first represented the Philippines as a naturalized Filipino in the2011 FIBA Asia Champions Cup, which was held inPasig, Philippines from May 28 to June 5, 2011.[37][38]
Douthit also represented the Philippines in both the2011 William Jones Cup and2011 FIBA Asia Championship.[39][40] In that year's FIBA Asia Championship, he averaged 21.9 points and 12.2 rebounds for Smart Gilas, which finished fourth overall in the tournament.
In 2012, Douthit helped Gilas get as far as the semifinals of the2012 FIBA Asia Cup.[41]
In the2013 FIBA Asia Championship, Douthit led Gilas to the semis. There, against South Korea, he got injured but his teammates stepped up and defeated South Korea to get into the finals. Gilas finished the tournament with a silver medal.[42][43]
For the2014 FIBA World Cup, Douthit wasn't fielded by Gilas, and his spot went toAndray Blatche.[42] Due to Blatche's ineligibility in the2014 Asian Games, he was able to play for Gilas once again.[43] Against Kazakhstan, with Gilas needing to win by 11 to get into the semifinals, he tried scoring on his own goal to send the game to overtime where they could have won by the needed margin, but the basket was nullified and Gilas won by only two points.[44]
In 2015, Douthit was called up for that year'sSEA Games.[45] He helped lead Gilas to a gold medal.[46] In August of that year, he confirmed that the SBP decided not to renew his contract, ending his time with Gilas.[42]
I'll never have Filipino blood, but as far as becoming a Filipino, I'll always have it in my heart."[47]
— Marcus Eugene Douthit
In February 2011, formerSamahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive directorNoli Eala announced that Douthit's application for Filipino naturalization has already been transmitted for signature to the office ofPhilippine PresidentBenigno Aquino III. Thirty days after February 9, the day the application reached the president's office atMalacañan Palace, Douthit would secure his Filipino citizenship with or without Aquino's signature.[48]
On March 11, 2011, Republic Act No. 10148[49] introduced byAntipolo Second DistrictCongressman Robbie Puno, which grants Filipinocitizenship to Douthit, lapsed into law afterPresident Aquino failed to sign it.[50]
Douthit's eligibility to play for the Smart Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team was confirmed by FIBA Sport and Eligibility committee head Ivanka Toteva in June 2011.[51] With the confirmation, Douthit will be allowed to represent the Philippines as a naturalized player in all FIBA sanctioned events.
Douthit is 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) tall, and is usually tasked to play thecenter andpower forward positions. He is often described as a versatile big man who loves to crash the boards and score off garbage points, with a steady perimeter shot. With his 7-4wingspan, Douthit has incredible reach as well, which makes him a prolificshot blocker. Tim Welsh, Douthit's formercoach at Providence, once said that, "Marcus runs the court very well and handles the ball well for a big man. He's not a back-to-the basket player, he's a face-up player which is what makes him perfect for our style of play... He's also a tremendous shot blocker who has great timing and makes it difficult for people to score over him."[52] Douthit is also often compared toHaitian Canadian professionalbasketball playerSamuel Dalembert.
During the 2019–20 season, Douthit joined the coaching staff of theCommunity College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Knights basketball team.[6] In 2022, he had a stint as the head coach of the Beantown Bisons in theAmerican Basketball Association.[53] A month later, he became CCRI's head coach.[6] In his first year, the Knights finished the season 14–15 overall and earned the No. 8 seed in the NJCAA Region XXI Tournament.[54] The following season, they finished 11–10 in league play to earn the No. 6 seed in the NCJAA Region XXI Tournament. After that season, he was replaced as head coach.[55]
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