 Ilgauskas with the Cleveland Cavaliers in November 2009 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 5, 1975 Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | Lithuanian / American |
| Listed height | 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 1996: 1st round, 20th overall pick |
| Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| Playing career | 1993–2011 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 11 |
| Career history | |
| 1993–1996 | Atletas Kaunas |
| 1996–2010 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2010–2011 | Miami Heat |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 10,976 (13.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,191 (7.3 rpg) |
| Blocks | 1,327 (1.6 bpg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Lithuanian: Žydrūnas Ilgauskas; Lithuanian pronunciation: [ʑiːˈdrûːnɐs ɪɫˈɡɐ̂ˑʊ̯skɐs] ; born June 5, 1975) is a Lithuanian-born American former professional basketball player who played the center position. The 7'3" Ilgauskas played for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association from 1997 to 2010[1] and played for the Miami Heat during the 2010–11 season. He was named to the 1997–98 All-Rookie First Team and is a two-time NBA All-Star.
Ilgauskas played in the 2007 NBA Finals as a member of the Cavaliers. He is known for his accurate jump shot, for his rebounding, and for overcoming difficult injury challenges during his career.[2] Nicknamed Big Z,[3][2] Ilgauskas is the Cavaliers' career leader in blocked shots;[4][5] his jersey no. 11 has been retired by the team. In 2012, Ilgauskas joined the Cavaliers' front office, becoming a special advisor to the organization.[6][7]
- ^ Hughes, Grant. "Cleveland Cavaliers to Retire Zydrunas Ilgauskas' Jersey". Bleacher Report.
- ^ a b Delagrange, Dan. "Zydrunas Ilgauskas: The Ups and Downs of the New Mr. Cavalier". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Cavs honor 'Big Z' as LeBron makes cameo". ESPN.com. March 9, 2014.
- ^ "Ilgauskas finally sets Cavs record for games". ESPN.com. December 3, 2009.
- ^ "Cleveland Cavaliers Career Leaders". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ "Zydrunas Ilgauksas returns to Cavaliers in front office role". cleveland19.com. January 18, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors: Zydrunas Ilgauskas making a comeback?". Yahoo! Sports. August 25, 2014. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.