Andrejs Gražulis
{{Short description|Latvian basketball player}}
{{use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Andrejs Gražulis
| image = Andrejs Gražulis 24 Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna Euroleague 20250131 (5).jpg
| caption = Gražulis with Virtus Bologna in 2025
| position = Power forward
| height_m = 2.02
| weight_kg = 101
| league = Liga ACB
| team = Joventut Badalona
| number =
| nationality = Latvian
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|7|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Koknese, Latvia
| career_start = 2012
| career_end =
| years1 = 2012–2014
| team1 = Ventspils
| years2 = 2014
| team2 = →Valmiera
| years3 = 2014–2017
| team3 = Ventspils
| years4 = 2017–2018
| team4 = Parma Basket
| years5 = 2018–2019
| team5 = VEF Rīga
| years6 = 2019–2020
| team6 = Derthona
| years7 = 2020–2022
| team7 = Trieste
| years8 = 2022–2024
| team8 = Dolomiti Energia Trento
| years9 = 2024–present
| team9 = Virtus Bologna
| years10 = 2025–present
| team10 = →Joventut Badalona
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bk|LAT}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|European U-20 Championship}}
{{MedalSilver|2013 Estonia|}}
}}
Andrejs Gražulis (born 21 July 1993) is a Latvian professional basketball player for Joventut Badalona of the Spanish Liga ACB, on loan from Virtus Bologna.
Early career
Gražulis started playing organized basketball at the age of 16. His main sport as a young teenager had been athletics, but in 2009 he was discovered during open try-outs held by BK Ventspils.{{cite web|url=http://www.bkventspils.lv/31052010-basketbola_talanti_atkal_satiksies_ventsp|title=Basketbola talanti atkal satiksies Ventspilī – BK Ventspils|publisher=bkventspils.lv|accessdate=2014-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827004357/http://www.bkventspils.lv/31052010-basketbola_talanti_atkal_satiksies_ventsp|archive-date=2014-08-27|url-status=dead}} He joined Ventspils youth academy and later started playing for its main team.
Professional career
On 14 July 2017 Gražulis signed with Parma Basket of the VTB United League for the 2017–18 season.[http://apollo.tvnet.lv/zinas/basketbola-izlases-kandidats-grazulis-pievienojas-mazura-trenetajam-krievijas-klubam-parma/800776 Basketbola izlases kandidāts Gražulis pievienojas Mazura trenētajam Krievijas klubam «Parma»] He spent the 2019-20 season with Derthona where he averaged 16.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in Serie A2. Gražulis signed with Allianz Trieste on 19 June 2020.{{cite news |title=Trieste signs Andrejs Grazulis |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/trieste-signs-andrejs-grazulis/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=June 20, 2020 |date=June 19, 2020|last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano }} He averaged 8.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. On 3 July 2021 Gražulis re-signed with the team.{{cite news |title=Trieste keeps Andrejs Grazulis |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/trieste-keeps-andrejs-grazulis/ |website=Sportando |access-date=July 3, 2021 |date=July 3, 2021|last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano }}
On 17 June 2022 he signed with Dolomiti Energia Trento of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/dolomiti-energia-trentino-announced-andrejs-grazulis-1/|title=Dolomiti Energia Trentino announced Andrejs Gražulis|last=|first=|date=June 17, 2022|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=June 19, 2022|last1=Maggi |first1=Alessandro }}
On 30 June 2024, Gražulis signed with Virtus Bologna of the Lega Basket Serie A and the EuroLeague.{{Cite web|url=https://www.virtus.it/en/news/welcome-andrejs-grazulis/|title=Welcome Andrejs Grazulis!|publisher=Virtus Bologna|date=30 June 2024|access-date=3 April 2025}} On 1 April 2025, he was loaned to Joventut Badalona of the Liga ACB for the rest of the season.{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/joventut-badalona-officially-signs-andrejs-grazulis-until-the-end-of-the-season/|title=Joventut Badalona officially signs Andrejs Grazulis until the end of the season|last=|first=|date=April 1, 2025|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=April 1, 2025}}
International career
In July 2013, Gražulis represented U20 Latvian National Team that won silver in U20 European Championship. Gražulis made key basket at the end of the game to secure Latvia's win over Spain and place in finals.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/basketbols/izlases/20072013-grazulis_i_iestumj_i_latvijas_u20_izlasi_|title=Gražulis iestumj Latvijas U20 izlasi Eiropas finālā|date=20 July 2013 |publisher=sportacentrs.com|accessdate=2014-08-26}}
In the following year he received first call-up to Latvian National Team.{{cite web|url=http://basket.lv/viriesu_izlase/29052014-ggg|title=Vīriešu izlase: starp 18 kandidātiem Janičenoks, Blūms un 6 debitanti – Vīriešu izlase – Latvijas Basketbola savienība|publisher=basket.lv|accessdate=2014-08-26}}
On 7 September 2023, Gražulis scored a game-high 28 points in a win against Italy in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup 5th-8th place classification round, making 12/13 field goals 9/10 free throws, and 3/3 three-pointers.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/game/0709/Italy-Latvia#%7Ctab=boxscore|title=Italy v Latvia boxscore - FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 - 7 September - FIBA.basketball|publisher=FIBA|access-date=7 September 2023|date=7 September 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20131203195906/http://u20men.fibaeurope.com/en/cid_FW2Ym8GSJEAe2vpbWdQMR0.teamID_2134.compID_UIfgjyQcGqk-fPlnl66Tj0.season_2013.roundID_9350.playerID_91620.html FIBA Europe Profile]
- [http://basket.lv/viriesu_izlase/show-nt-player/?nt_season_id=null&nt_player_id=2295893 Latvian National Team Profile]
- [https://www.legabasket.it/protagonisti/giocatori/2494/andrejs-grazulis LBA profile] {{in lang|it}}
{{Joventut Badalona current roster}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grazulis, Andrejs}}
Category:2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup players
Category:Aquila Basket Trento players
Category:Derthona Basket players
Category:Joventut Badalona players
Category:Latvian expatriate basketball people in Italy
Category:Latvian expatriate basketball people in Russia
Category:Latvian expatriate basketball people in Spain
Category:Latvian men's basketball players
Category:Lega Basket Serie A players