_by_Sandro_Halank%25E2%2580%2593132.jpg) Splitter in 2024 | |
| Portland Trail Blazers | |
|---|---|
| Title | Interim head coach |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1985-01-01)January 1, 1985 (age 40) Joinville,Santa Catarina, Brazil |
| Nationality | Brazilian / Spanish |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 2007: 1st round, 28th overall pick |
| Drafted by | San Antonio Spurs |
| Playing career | 1999–2017 |
| Position | Center /power forward |
| Number | 22, 11, 47 |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1999–2000 | Ipiranga |
| 2000–2010 | Saski Baskonia |
| 2000–2001 | →Araba Gorago Alava |
| 2001–2003 | →Bilbao Basket |
| 2010–2015 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2011 | Valencia |
| 2015–2017 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2017 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2017 | →Delaware 87ers |
Coaching | |
| 2019–2023 | Brooklyn Nets (assistant) |
| 2023–2024 | Houston Rockets (assistant) |
| 2024–2025 | Paris Basketball |
| 2025 | Portland Trail Blazers (assistant) |
| 2025–present | Portland Trail Blazers (interim HC) |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 2,816 (7.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,779 (5.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 423 (1.2 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Medals | |
Tiago Splitter Beims (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation:[tʃiˈagu(i)ˈspliteʁˈbẽjs]; born January 1, 1985)[1] is a Brazilian professionalbasketball coach and former player who is the interim head coach for thePortland Trail Blazers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). A three-timeAll-EuroLeague Team selection prior to his NBA career, he became the first Brazilian-born player to win anNBA championship, in2014, as a member of theSan Antonio Spurs.
Splitter was born inJoinville,Santa Catarina, Brazil.[2]
Splitter began his professional career in 1999. In 2000, he began to play in Spain's top-level league, theLiga ACB. In 2004, Splitter became a naturalised citizen of Spain.[3] Splitter was named theMVP of theSpanish Supercup tournament in both 2006 and 2007. He was also named to theAll-EuroLeague First Team for theEuroLeague's2007–08 season, after helpingSaski Baskonia make it to the2008 EuroLeague Final Four. The following year, Splitter reached theEuroLeague 2008–09 season's playoffs, but failed to make anotherEuroLeague Final Four participation. Nevertheless, his performances earned him a spot on the 2008–09 All-EuroLeague Second Team. Splitter was named theSpanish League MVP in 2010.[4]
Splitter was expected to declare for the2006 NBA draft, but because the expensive buyout of his contract discouragedNBA teams with high draft picks from drafting him, he remained in theSpanish ACB League for that season. Splitter was automatically eligible for the2007 NBA draft, as he was at least 22 years of age at the time of the draft. He was selected by theSan Antonio Spurs, in the first round of the draft, with the 28th overall draft pick.
On May 28, 2008,ESPN Brasil reported that Splitter had re-signed withSaski Baskonia, on a two-year contract that would keep him in the Spanish ACB League through the2009–10 NBA season. The contract allowed the Brazilian to make eight times more than the NBA rookie scale salary cap would have allowed him to make with theSan Antonio Spurs at that time.[5] On June 7, 2008, theSan Antonio Express-News reported that Spurs General ManagerR.C. Buford, had stated that Splitter had informed the team that he would not be coming to San Antonio for the2008–09 NBA season.
Splitter had instead signed an extension with Saski Baskonia, that would keep him in the Spanish ACB League through 2010.[6] It was announced on July 9, 2010, that Splitter had opted out of his contract with Saski Baskonia, in order to sign in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs.[7]
On July 12, 2010, Splitter signed a contract with the San Antonio Spurs.[8] The deal was believed to be worth $11 million over three years.
He earned his first start of hisNBA career on March 19, against theCharlotte Bobcats, in place of the injuredTim Duncan. In this game, Splitter recorded eight points and six rebounds.[9]
On February 8, 2012, Splitter and teammateKawhi Leonard, were selected to play in the2012 Rising Stars Challenge. On February 17, it was revealed that both Splitter and Leonard would be teammates for TeamChuck. However, due to an injury, he was released from Team Chuck and was replaced byDerrick Favors.
On May 29, 2012, in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals,Oklahoma City Thunder head coachScott Brooks attempted to slow San Antonio's offense through continually fouling Splitter, sending him to the free throw line with the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy.
He played his most productive season with the Spurs in2012–13, averaging 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while playing all but the final game of the regular season. He started 58 games, as the Spurs finished the West as the two-seed, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs would advance to the2013 NBA Finals, only to lose to theMiami Heat in seven games, as Miami won their second straight NBA championship.
On July 13, 2013, he re-signed with the Spurs.[10] On June 15, 2014, Splitter won his first NBA championship, after the Spurs defeated the Miami Heat, 4 games to 1 in the2014 NBA Finals.
After missing 20 out of the first 21 games of the2014–15 season with a back injury, Splitter played out the rest of the season, until missing the final six games of the regular season, with a calf injury. He returned for the playoffs, but the Spurs were knocked out in the first round by theLos Angeles Clippers, in seven games.[11][12]
On July 9, 2015, Splitter was traded to theAtlanta Hawks, in exchange for the draft rights toGeorgios Printezis, and a future second-round pick.[13] On February 16, 2016, he was ruled out for the rest of the season, after electing to have surgery to repair his right hip.[14]
On October 11, 2016, Splitter was ruled out for four weeks with a grade 2 hamstring strain.[15] He was ruled out for a further six weeks, on November 26, after anMRI exam revealed a grade 2 right calf strain.[16]
On February 22, 2017, Splitter was traded, along with a second-round draft pick, to thePhiladelphia 76ers, in exchange forErsan İlyasova.[17] On March 21, 2017, he was assigned to theDelaware 87ers, the 76ers'D-League affiliate.[18] He was recalled six days later.[19] On March 28, 2017, he made his debut for the 76ers, recording two points and three rebounds, in seven minutes of playing time, in a 106–101 win over theBrooklyn Nets. Splitter, who had been nursing a right calf injury, entered the game late in the first quarter, and played in his first game since January 31, 2016, when he was a member of the Atlanta Hawks, before undergoing hip surgery.[20][21] He played a handful of games with a prosthetic hip.[22]
On February 19, 2018, Splitter announced his retirement from playing professional basketball, due to a hip injury that had hindered the back-end of his career.[23][24]
On May 5, 2024, Splitter's jersey number 21 was retired by Saski Baskonia.[25]
As a member of theBrazil men's national basketball team, Splitter won gold medals at the 2003FIBA South American Championship, the2003 Pan American Games, the2005 FIBA AmeriCup, and the2009 FIBA AmeriCup. He won a silver medal with Brazil at the2011 FIBA AmeriCup.
Splitter also played for Brazil in the2002 FIBA World Cup, the2006 FIBA World Cup, the2010 FIBA World Cup, the2012 Summer Olympics, and the2014 FIBA World Cup.[26]
On April 24, 2018, Splitter was hired by theBrooklyn Nets, as apro scout, with added duties related to on-court player development.[27] On September 23, 2019, he was promoted by the Nets to player development coach.[28] Splitter parted ways with the Nets on May 1, 2023.[29]
On July 3, 2023, Splitter was hired by theHouston Rockets as an assistant coach under new head coachIme Udoka.[30]
On June 12, 2025, Splitter was named an assistant coach for thePortland Trail Blazers under head coachChauncey Billups.[31] On October 23, after Billups was arrested in afederal gambling investigation and placed on leave by the NBA, Splitter was announced to be the team's interim head coach.[32]
On July 16, 2024, Splitter was named the head coach forParis Basketball in theLNB Élite and theEuroLeague.[33] They ended up winning the French championship and theFrench Cup in 2025, and qualified for the play-offs through play-in in EuroLeague. He left the team after one season.
In 2021, Splitter was named an assistant coach of the Brazilian national team.[34]
In 2022, Splitter was named head coach of the Brazilian U23 national team at the GLOBL Jam Tournament in Toronto, Canada, where the team won the gold medal.[35]
| 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 |
| † | Won anNBA championship |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | San Antonio | 60 | 6 | 12.3 | .529 | .000 | .543 | 3.4 | .4 | .5 | .3 | 4.6 |
| 2011–12 | San Antonio | 59 | 2 | 19.0 | .618 | .000 | .691 | 5.2 | 1.1 | .4 | .8 | 9.3 |
| 2012–13 | San Antonio | 81 | 58 | 24.7 | .560 | .000 | .730 | 6.4 | 1.6 | .8 | .8 | 10.3 |
| 2013–14† | San Antonio | 59 | 50 | 21.5 | .523 | .000 | .699 | 6.2 | 1.5 | .5 | .5 | 8.2 |
| 2014–15 | San Antonio | 52 | 35 | 19.8 | .558 | .000 | .750 | 4.8 | 1.5 | .7 | .7 | 8.2 |
| 2015–16 | Atlanta | 36 | 2 | 16.1 | .523 | .000 | .813 | 3.3 | .8 | .6 | .3 | 5.6 |
| 2016–17 | Philadelphia | 8 | 0 | 9.5 | .452 | .333 | .818 | 2.8 | .5 | .1 | .1 | 4.9 |
| Career | 355 | 153 | 19.2 | .555 | .143 | .697 | 5.0 | 1.2 | .6 | .6 | 7.9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | San Antonio | 3 | 0 | 16.7 | .625 | .000 | .000 | 4.7 | .3 | 1.0 | .3 | 6.7 |
| 2012 | San Antonio | 13 | 0 | 12.9 | .638 | .000 | .372 | 2.8 | .8 | .4 | .3 | 5.8 |
| 2013 | San Antonio | 19 | 15 | 20.4 | .536 | .000 | .788 | 3.1 | 1.2 | .8 | .7 | 6.1 |
| 2014† | San Antonio | 23 | 18 | 22.4 | .610 | .000 | .718 | 6.1 | 2.0 | .7 | .5 | 7.5 |
| 2015 | San Antonio | 7 | 7 | 17.6 | .375 | .000 | .316 | 4.4 | 1.3 | .6 | .1 | 3.4 |
| Career | 65 | 40 | 19.1 | .572 | .000 | .586 | 4.3 | 1.4 | .7 | .5 | 6.3 | |
| 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 | PIR | Performance index rating |
| Bold | Career high | * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Baskonia | 16 | 1 | 11.2 | .619 | — | .632 | 2.4 | .3 | .4 | .3 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| 2004–05 | 19 | 2 | 17.8 | .533 | — | .487 | 4.5 | .9 | .7 | .7 | 7.0 | 7.6 | |
| 2005–06 | 24 | 11 | 21.6 | .599 | — | .547 | 4.6 | .6 | 1.3 | .5 | 9.5 | 10.8 | |
| 2006–07 | 20 | 12 | 24.7 | .580 | — | .529 | 6.0 | .8 | 1.4 | .3 | 10.7 | 13.2 | |
| 2007–08 | 25* | 13 | 22.5 | .618 | .000 | .645 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | .8 | 14.0 | 16.1 | |
| 2008–09 | 17 | 12 | 24.7 | .655 | .000 | .602 | 5.4 | 1.6 | .6 | 1.6 | 14.0 | 17.8 | |
| 2009–10 | 16 | 14 | 26.7 | .535 | .000 | .636 | 5.4 | 1.8 | .8 | .5 | 13.0 | 15.8 | |
| Career | 137 | 65 | 21.5 | .593 | .000 | .582 | 4.8 | 1.0 | .9 | .7 | 10.5 | 12.3 | |
Splitter is the son of Cassio and Elisabeth Splitter. He was raised a Christian, although his father is ofJewish descent.[36] In 2009, Splitter's sister Michelle,[37] also a basketball player, died ofleukemia at the age of 19.[38][39] Splitter married his first wife, Amaia Amescua, in 2010. They have two children and divorced in 2016.[40] In 2017, Splitter married his second wife, Fernanda.[41]
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