Rashard Griffith
Encyclopedia
Rashard Nathan Griffith (born October 8, 1974) is an American
professional basketball player. Griffith, a native of Chicago
, Illinois
, starred for the nationally ranked King Jaguars
of the Chicago Public League, where he was part of a "twin towers," as King, coached by Landon Cox, had 7'2" Thomas Hamilton and the 7'0" Griffith. King won a state championship in 1993, and after dominating the high school ranks and being named Illinois Mr. Basketball, Rashard joined the Wisconsin Badgers
college basketball
team. Griffith selected Wisconsin over several schools; including University of Illinois, against the advice of his mother. After his sophomore year, Griffith turned pro, though his entire professional career has been spent in international play, primarily in Turkey
, Spain
, and Italy
. He was drafted 38th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks
in the 1995 NBA Draft
.
, Griffith earned a spot on the All-Euroleague Second team in the Euroleague 2000-01
season while playing for Kinder Bologna alongside Manu Ginóbili
, Marko Jaric
and Antoine Rigaudeau
. Kinder Bologna won the Triple Crown in Basketball
the same year. After his success in Europe, the Orlando Magic
acquired Griffith's draft rights in a trade during the 2002 NBA Draft
with the intent of adding him to their roster, but to date Griffith has never played in the NBA.
Currently, Griffith plays for Romanian team CSU Asesoft Ploiesti.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball player. Griffith, a native of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, starred for the nationally ranked King Jaguars
King College Prep High School
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. College Preparatory High School is a high school located in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood on Drexel Blvd., about one kilometer from Lake Michigan...
of the Chicago Public League, where he was part of a "twin towers," as King, coached by Landon Cox, had 7'2" Thomas Hamilton and the 7'0" Griffith. King won a state championship in 1993, and after dominating the high school ranks and being named Illinois Mr. Basketball, Rashard joined the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
team. Griffith selected Wisconsin over several schools; including University of Illinois, against the advice of his mother. After his sophomore year, Griffith turned pro, though his entire professional career has been spent in international play, primarily in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, 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...
, and 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...
. He was drafted 38th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
in the 1995 NBA Draft
1995 NBA Draft
The 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...
.
Pro career
A powerful centerCenter (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, Griffith earned a spot on the All-Euroleague Second team in the Euroleague 2000-01
Euroleague 2000-01
The inaugural Euroleague season 2000-01 under the new ULEB authority started on October 16, 2000 with a regular season game between hosts Real Madrid and Olympiacos at the Raimundo Saporta Pavilion in Madrid, Spain, and ended with the championship finals game on May 10, 2001, at the PalaMalaguti...
season while playing for Kinder Bologna alongside Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
, Marko Jaric
Marko Jaric
Marko Jarić is a Serbian professional basketball player. He is married to Brazilian model Adriana Lima.-Pro career:...
and Antoine Rigaudeau
Antoine Rigaudeau
Antoine Roger Rigaudeau nicknamed Le Roi , is a retired French professional basketball player....
. Kinder Bologna won the Triple Crown in Basketball
Triple Crown in Basketball
The Triple Crown is a term in European professional club basketball that refers to a club winning their country's top tier national domestic league, primary national domestic cup, and the top tier European continental level competition in the same season. It is the highest accomplishment that a...
the same year. After his success in Europe, the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
acquired Griffith's draft rights in a trade during the 2002 NBA Draft
2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
with the intent of adding him to their roster, but to date Griffith has never played in the NBA.
Currently, Griffith plays for Romanian team CSU Asesoft Ploiesti.