Constantin Popa

{{Short description|Romanian-Israeli basketball player and coach}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Constantin Popa
קונסטנטין פופה

| image =

| caption =

| position =

| height_ft = 7

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 235

| nationality = Romanian / Israeli

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|2|18}}

| birth_place = Bucharest, Romania

| death_date =

| death_place =

| highschool = Fork Union Military Academy
(Fork Union, Virginia)

| college = Miami (Florida) (1991–1995)

| draft_year = 1995

| draft_round = 2

| draft_pick = 53

| draft_team = Los Angeles Clippers

| career_start = 1995

| career_end = 2001

| career_position = Center

| career_number =

| coach_start = 2005

| coach_end =

| years1 = 1995–1996

| team1 = Florida Beach Dogs

| years2 = 1996

| team2 = Pau-Orthez

| years3 = 1996–2000

| team3 = Maccabi Tel Aviv

| years4 = 2000–2001

| team4 = Hapoel Jerusalem

| cyears1 = 2005–2007

| cteam1 = Cypress Bay HS

| cyears2 = 2007–2011

| cteam2 = Indianapolis Greyhounds {{small|(asst.)}}

| cyears3 = 2011–2016

| cteam3 = Indianapolis Greyhounds

| highlights = As player:

4× Israeli League champion (1997–2000)
3× Israeli State Cup winner (1998–2000)
French League champion (1996)
2× Third-team All-Big East (1993, 1995)

}}

Constantin Popa ({{langx|he|קונסטנטין פופה}}; born February 18, 1971) is a Romanian-Israeli professional basketball coach and former player.

Biography

Popa played for Dinamo Bucharest in his native Romania before going overseas to play college basketball in the United States for the University of Miami. The tallest person ever to play for the Hurricanes, he was twice a third team All-Big East selection.{{cite news|title=Popa's tall tale|url=https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/popas-tall-tale|author=Lawrence, Marta|accessdate=April 15, 2015|work=National Collegiate Athletic Association|date=March 18, 2013}}

In large part on the strength of a highly effective hook shot, he was selected by the L.A. Clippers with the 53rd pick in the 1995 NBA draft. In the same year he was selected by the Miami Tropics of the USBL as a first round territorial selection (4th pick overall). He never ended up playing a game in either league, although he did play for the Florida Beachdogs of the American CBA, where he developed somewhat of a cult fan following.

He also played in France with Pau-Orthez and with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem of Israel.

Although not Jewish, he obtained Israeli citizenship as his wife is Jewish.

Popa retired from professional basketball in 2001. He served 4 seasons as assistant coach of the University of Indianapolis Greyhound Women's basketball team, before becoming head coach in April 2011.{{cite web|url=http://athletics.uindy.edu/coaches.aspx?rc=139&path=wbball|title=2009-10 Women's Basketball Coaching Staff|website=athletics.uindy.edu|accessdate=May 22, 2014}} Popa served five seasons as coach of the Greyhounds, compiling a record of 83–66. He was relieved of his duties in March 2016.{{cite news|last1=Sims|first1=Chris|title=UIndy, Constantin Popa part ways|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/2016/03/10/uindy-constantin-popa-part-ways/81581714/|accessdate=September 21, 2019|work=The Indianapolis Star|date=March 10, 2016}}

In 2019, he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite news|title=Constantin Popa Inducted 2019|url=http://www.umsportshalloffame.com/constantin-popa.html|accessdate=June 21, 2019|work=The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame|date=May 10, 2019}}

Awards and achievements

Romanian Junior National Team – 87–90
Romanian National Team – 87–92
European Championships – 87{{cite news|title=Ten little known facts about the EuroBasket|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurobasket/120569/ten-little-known-facts-about-the-eurobasket/|accessdate=March 10, 2016|author=Trapezanlidis, Stathis|work=Eurohoops.net|date=September 3, 2015}}
FIBA U18 European Championship 4th – 90
Big East Conf. 3rd Team – 93, 95
French ProA Champion – 96
Israeli League Champion – 97, 98, 99, 00
Israeli Cup Winner – 98, 99, 00
Euroleague Finalist – 2000
Israeli State Cup Finalist – 01
Israeli League Finalist – 01

References

External links

[https://hurricanesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/constantin-popa/4459 Constantin Popa bio] at hurricanesports.com
[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/constantin-popa-1.html Constantin Popa] at sports-reference.com

Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:Centers (basketball)

Category:Élan Béarnais players

Category:Florida Beachdogs players

Category:Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. players

Category:Indianapolis Greyhounds women's basketball coaches

Category:Israeli Basketball Premier League players

Category:Los Angeles Clippers draft picks

Category:Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. players

Category:Miami Hurricanes men's basketball players

Category:Romanian expatriate basketball people in the United States