Travis Hansen
Encyclopedia
Travis Mitchell Hansen (born April 15, 1978, in Provo, Utah
) is an American
former professional basketball
player who last played for BC Khimki in Russia
. He played one year in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks
.
, Hansen began his college basketball
career at Utah Valley State College in his hometown of Orem, Utah
. His mother Laurie Hansen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1997 and died shortly after. He later went on to serve as a Mormon missionary
in Santiago, Chile
for two years, he played basketball at Brigham Young University
for three seasons, from 2000 to 2003. During his tenure with BYU, he was also known as "Elder 8 Mile", for his similar appearance to rapper, Eminem
. He was a two time All-MWC selection, a Defensive Player of the Year, and a two time All-District selection. He finished with A 44-1 home record (all-time best in BYU history), won 2 MWC championships and was selected with the 8th pick in the 2nd round in the NBA draft. With his selection by the Atlanta Hawks in 2003, he became the first BYU men's basketball player to be drafted since Shawn Bradley
in 1993
. He is married to the former LaRee Merrell and they have two sons and one daughter.
Natures Sunshine Products is the founding corporate sponsor of the Little Heroes Foundation. Other corporate sponsors include Zions Bank, BDA Sports and Vivint. They have given out grants to organizations all around the world including; Russia, Africa, Spain, North America and South America. Little Heroes also sponsors a baby hospital in Lyubertsy, Russia and they have partnered with the Mali Rising Foundation to build schools in Mali, Africa. As of January 2011 they had built two schools in Mali, Africa. (www.littleheroesfoundation.org)
, 37th overall. He signed a two year deal with Atlanta following the draft. He played 41 games for them, starting four, averaging 3.0 points per game. He had a stress fracture in his right foot that caused him to miss 40 games. His career high was against Boston; he played 41 minutes, scored 14 points, 6 rebounds and had 4 assists.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/travis_hansen/
, helping the team to back-to-back trips to the Euroleague
Final Four and the Spanish League
finals. He also won a Super Cup and Copa Del Rey with Tau. His former teammates include Luis Scola, Pablo Prigioni, Tiago Splitter, Jose Calderon and Arvydas Macijauskas in Tau.
In 2006, ULEB Cup
Champions Dynamo Moscow
signed him on a two-year contract. After helping his team reach the Euroleague's Top-16 and averaging 15 ppg, he was placed on the injured list for the rest of the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon
.
Hansen recovered from his injury and in the 2007-08 season Hansen helped Dynamo take 3rd place in the ULEB Cup and averaged 17.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg while shooting 56.4 FG and 46.3% 3PT.
In February 2008, Hansen extended his contract with Dynamo Moscow for three more years and Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed a decree giving Hansen Russian citizenship. In 2008-2009, Hansen again led Dynamo to the Eurocup final four in Turin, Italy, averaging 16.4 ppg. http://eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/eurocup-finals/turin-2009/main-page/i/46426/3768/item
In the summer of 2009 Dynamo had major financial problems due to the economic crisis. They had to release all players under contract and were unable to sign any new foreign players. Hansen was given his release and free agent status. Hansen received offers from Olympiakos, Maccabi, Siena, Milan and many Spanish and Russian teams.
In July 2009, he returned to Liga ACB, signing a two year contract with Spanish power Real Madrid
. Real Madrid also revamped the entire roster signing many of the best players in Europe and also the best coach in Ettore Messina. They reached the top 8 in Euroleague, the Finals in the Supercup, and the Finals of the Copa Del Rey in the Spanish League.
In May 2010, during a practice session with Real Madrid, Hansen suffered a herniated disc and had to have a discectomy. Surgery was performed by Howard Reischman in Provo, Utah. He has since recovered, and in December 2010 he signed a contract with BC Khimki until the end of the 2010-2011 season.
In April 2011, Travis helped his team BC Khimki win the VTB League Championship by hitting 5 free throws in the last seconds of the game along with teammate Thomas Kelati.
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
. He was only the second American player ever to receive a Russian passport. However, he did not actually play for Russia.
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former 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 who last played for BC Khimki in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He played one year in the NBA 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:...
.
Biography
After graduating from Mountain View High SchoolMountain View High School (Utah)
Mountain View High School is a high school located in Orem, Utah and part of Utah County's Alpine School District. The school first opened its doors in the 1980-81 school year...
, Hansen began his 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....
career at Utah Valley State College in his hometown of Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
. His mother Laurie Hansen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1997 and died shortly after. He later went on to serve as a Mormon missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
for two years, he played basketball at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
for three seasons, from 2000 to 2003. During his tenure with BYU, he was also known as "Elder 8 Mile", for his similar appearance to rapper, Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
. He was a two time All-MWC selection, a Defensive Player of the Year, and a two time All-District selection. He finished with A 44-1 home record (all-time best in BYU history), won 2 MWC championships and was selected with the 8th pick in the 2nd round in the NBA draft. With his selection by the Atlanta Hawks in 2003, he became the first BYU men's basketball player to be drafted since Shawn Bradley
Shawn Bradley
Shawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. At tall, Bradley was one of the tallest players in NBA history...
in 1993
1993 NBA Draft
The 1993 NBA Draft took place on June 30, 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The draft had some talented players at the top, but injuries and personal problems hurt many of them. Anfernee Hardaway, Allan Houston, and Jamal Mashburn all looked like possible Hall of Famers until their careers were cut...
. He is married to the former LaRee Merrell and they have two sons and one daughter.
Charity/Little Heroes Foundation
After visiting a Children's Hospital in Lyubertsy, Russia and orphanages in Moscow, Russia, Travis and his wife LaRee started the Little Heroes Foundation. Here is their mission: "We improve the lives of children around the world by seeking out and supporting worthy organizations and programs."Natures Sunshine Products is the founding corporate sponsor of the Little Heroes Foundation. Other corporate sponsors include Zions Bank, BDA Sports and Vivint. They have given out grants to organizations all around the world including; Russia, Africa, Spain, North America and South America. Little Heroes also sponsors a baby hospital in Lyubertsy, Russia and they have partnered with the Mali Rising Foundation to build schools in Mali, Africa. As of January 2011 they had built two schools in Mali, Africa. (www.littleheroesfoundation.org)
NBA
He was drafted by the Hawks in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
, 37th overall. He signed a two year deal with Atlanta following the draft. He played 41 games for them, starting four, averaging 3.0 points per game. He had a stress fracture in his right foot that caused him to miss 40 games. His career high was against Boston; he played 41 minutes, scored 14 points, 6 rebounds and had 4 assists.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/travis_hansen/
Europe
Known for his defensive ability, vertical leap and outside shooting, Hansen played one season for the Hawks before signing with TAU Cerámica in SpainSpain
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...
, helping the team to back-to-back trips to the 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 Four and the Spanish League
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...
finals. He also won a Super Cup and Copa Del Rey with Tau. His former teammates include Luis Scola, Pablo Prigioni, Tiago Splitter, Jose Calderon and Arvydas Macijauskas in Tau.
In 2006, ULEB Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
Champions 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...
signed him on a two-year contract. After helping his team reach the Euroleague's Top-16 and averaging 15 ppg, he was placed on the injured list for the rest of the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
.
Hansen recovered from his injury and in the 2007-08 season Hansen helped Dynamo take 3rd place in the ULEB Cup and averaged 17.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg while shooting 56.4 FG and 46.3% 3PT.
In February 2008, Hansen extended his contract with Dynamo Moscow for three more years and Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed a decree giving Hansen Russian citizenship. In 2008-2009, Hansen again led Dynamo to the Eurocup final four in Turin, Italy, averaging 16.4 ppg. http://eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/eurocup-finals/turin-2009/main-page/i/46426/3768/item
In the summer of 2009 Dynamo had major financial problems due to the economic crisis. They had to release all players under contract and were unable to sign any new foreign players. Hansen was given his release and free agent status. Hansen received offers from Olympiakos, Maccabi, Siena, Milan and many Spanish and Russian teams.
In July 2009, he returned to Liga ACB, signing a two year contract with Spanish power Real Madrid
Real Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
. Real Madrid also revamped the entire roster signing many of the best players in Europe and also the best coach in Ettore Messina. They reached the top 8 in Euroleague, the Finals in the Supercup, and the Finals of the Copa Del Rey in the Spanish League.
In May 2010, during a practice session with Real Madrid, Hansen suffered a herniated disc and had to have a discectomy. Surgery was performed by Howard Reischman in Provo, Utah. He has since recovered, and in December 2010 he signed a contract with BC Khimki until the end of the 2010-2011 season.
In April 2011, Travis helped his team BC Khimki win the VTB League Championship by hitting 5 free throws in the last seconds of the game along with teammate Thomas Kelati.
Russian national team
In March 2008, Hansen received Russian citizenship or a "red passport" to play for the Russian national basketball teamRussia national basketball team
The Russian national basketball team represents Russia in international basketball matches. The team came into existence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its powerful basketball team. It has won 2 silver medals in the FIBA World Championships...
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
. He was only the second American player ever to receive a Russian passport. However, he did not actually play for Russia.
Retirement
In September 2011, Hansen announced his plans for retirement. He now is Chairman of the Little Heroes Foundation and sits on various boards of non-profit foundations and organizations. He also writes for the Deseret News in a bi-monthly column called "Talkin' with Trav".Awards and accomplishments
- Mountain West Conf. Champion -01, 03
- All-MWC 2nd Team -02
- First-Team All-Mountain West -03
- All-MWC Defensive Player of the Year -03
- Euroleague Finalist -05
- Spanish ACB Regular Season Champion -05
- Spanish ACB Finalist -05, 06
- Spanish ACB Supercup Winner -05
- Spanish Copa del Rey Winner -06
- Euroleague Semifinals -06
- Spanish ACB Regular Season Runner-Up -06
- Eurobasket.com All-Russian A Superleague 2nd Team -07
- Eurobasket.com Russian A Superleague All-Newcomers Team -07
- Russian Cup Semifinals -08
- ULEB Cup Semifinals -08
- Russian A Superleague Semifinals -08
- Eurobasket.com All-Russian A Superleague Honorable Mention -08, 09
- Russian Cup Finalist -09
- Eurocup Quarterfinals -09
- Eurobasket.com All-FIBA Eurocup 2nd Team -09
- Eurobasket.com All-Eurocup 2nd Team -09
- Eurobasket.com Eurocup All-Defensive Team -09
- Eurobasket.com Russian A Superleague All-Imports Team -09
- Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) Finalist -10
- Euroleague Quarterfinals -10
- Spanish ACB Semifinals -10
- Spanish ACB Supercup Finalist -10
- Spanish ACB Supercup Semifinals -11
- VTB United League Champion -11
External links
- ULEB Cup Profile
- NBA.com Prospect Profile: Travis Hansen
- Euroleague Profile
- NBA.com Profile
- ACB.com Profile
- KSL.com Profile
- "Hansen showing skills with Hawks", Todd Hollingshead, 9 December 2003, BYU Daily Universe.
- http://eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/eurocup-finals/turin-2009/main-page/i/46426/3768/item