Hanno Möttölä
Encyclopedia
Hanno Aleksanteri Möttölä (born September 9, 1976 in Helsinki
) is a Finnish professional basketball
player. Möttölä previously played for the Atlanta Hawks
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA), in the power forward
position, where he became the first player from Finland
to play in the NBA.
Möttölä attended the University of Utah
in the USA where he played college basketball. After graduation, he was selected in the second round, with the 40th overall pick, in the 2000 NBA Draft
by the Atlanta Hawks
. He played two seasons with the Hawks. After his time with the Hawks, he returned to Europe
, playing in Spain
with TAU Cerámica
of the ACB
, then in Italy
with Skipper Bologna
(in the 2003-2004 season his team reached the Italian championship
finals and Euroleague
final) and Scavolini Pesaro
(from 2004 to 2005), in the Russian Super League
with Dynamo Moscow
, in the Lithuanian league
with Žalgiris Kaunas
and in the Greek A1 league
with Aris
, after signing with the team on July 26, 2007.
He announced his retirement from basketball on 26 September 2008, but decided to return to basketball just nine months later. In September 2009 Möttölä signed with the Finnish team Torpan Pojat
.
Finnish National Hockey League
(NHL) players, Jarkko Ruutu
and Tuomo Ruutu
, are Möttölä's second cousins.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
) is a Finnish professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. Möttölä previously played for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA), in the power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
position, where he became the first player from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
to play in the NBA.
Möttölä attended the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in the USA where he played college basketball. After graduation, he was selected in the second round, with the 40th overall pick, in the 2000 NBA Draft
2000 NBA Draft
The 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
by the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
. He played two seasons with the Hawks. After his time with the Hawks, he returned to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, playing in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
with TAU Cerámica
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
of the ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
, then in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with Skipper Bologna
Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:...
(in the 2003-2004 season his team reached the Italian championship
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
finals and Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
final) and Scavolini Pesaro
Victoria Libertas Pesaro
Victoria Libertas , full name Unione Sportiva Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro, is a professional basketball team that is based in Pesaro, Italy. The club competes in the top level Italian professional basketball league, the Lega Basket Serie A...
(from 2004 to 2005), in the Russian Super League
Russian Basketball Super League
The Russian Basketball SuperLeague is a men's professional basketball league that was the pre-eminent league of Russian professional basketball until 2010...
with Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team from Moscow, Russia.-Early Years:Created in 1923 when Russia was part of the Soviet Union, Dynamo is among the oldest sports clubs in the country. Its name was chosen because Dynamo means 'power in motion'. The club was backed by the...
, in the Lithuanian league
Lietuvos Krepšinio Lyga
The Lietuvos krepšinio lyga is Lithuania's premier professional men's basketball league, composed of 12 teams.- History :...
with Žalgiris Kaunas
BC Žalgiris
BC Žalgiris is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania. It is one of the oldest teams in the Euroleague and plays domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga , and regionally in the VTB United League...
and in the Greek A1 league
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
with Aris
Aris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
, after signing with the team on July 26, 2007.
He announced his retirement from basketball on 26 September 2008, but decided to return to basketball just nine months later. In September 2009 Möttölä signed with the Finnish team Torpan Pojat
Torpan Pojat
Torpan Pojat is a basketball club, based in Helsinki, Finland. It was formed in 1932, originally as a sport club for the school of Munkkiniemi. With approximately 500 members, it includes men's, women's, and junior teams...
.
Finnish National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) players, Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu ; born August 23, 1975) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Ruutu is currently playing for SM-Liiga team Jokerit. He is the brother of Tuomo Ruutu, currently playing in the NHL on the Carolina Hurricanes, and retired player Mikko Ruutu....
and Tuomo Ruutu
Tuomo Ruutu
Tuomo Iisakki Ruutu is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League...
, are Möttölä's second cousins.