David Blu

Blu was born in Los Angeles, California, and is Jewish.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aOTWUl-9LQoC&q=David+Bluthenthal+jewish&pg=PA122 |title=Day by day in Jewish sports history |access-date=March 7, 2011|isbn=9781602800137 |last1=Wechsler |first1=Bob |year=2008 |publisher=KTAV Publishing House }}{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1147477.html|title=Basketball / For Bluthenthal, third time's the charm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208063918/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1147477.html|archive-date=February 8, 2010|publisher=www.haaretz.com|date=February 5, 2010|author=Yaniv Orgad and Vered Cohen|access-date=September 30, 2011}} His mother was Jewish, and his African American father converted to Judaism.{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/23490/edition_id/467/format/html/displaystory.html |title=Jewish shooting star aims to make his mark in NBA |first=Joe |last=Eskenazi |publisher=J. The Jewish News of Northern California |date=September 10, 2004 |access-date=January 8, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916211349/http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/23643/jewish-shooting-star-aims-to-make-his-mark-in-nba/ |archive-date=September 16, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aOTWUl-9LQoC&q=David+Bluthenthal+jewish&pg=PA122 |title=Day by day in Jewish sports history |access-date=March 7, 2011|isbn=9781602800137 |last1=Wechsler |first1=Bob |year=2008 |publisher=KTAV Publishing House }} He represented the United States at the 1997 Maccabiah Games, winning a gold medal.{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/basketball-for-bluthenthal-third-time-s-the-charm-1.262733|title=Basketball / For Bluthenthal, Third Time's the Charm|first1=Vered|last1=Cohen|first2=Yaniv|last2=Orgad|date=February 4, 2010|access-date=March 16, 2018|newspaper=Haaretz|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924232955/http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/basketball-for-bluthenthal-third-time-s-the-charm-1.262733|archive-date=September 24, 2015|df=mdy-all}}{{cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E12FA39580C778EDDAA0894D9404482 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715141834/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E12FA39580C778EDDAA0894D9404482 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |title=COLLEGE BASKETBALL: EAST; U.S.C.'s Bluthenthal Provides Leadership |date=March 24, 2001 |access-date=September 30, 2011 |work=The New York Times |first=Joe |last=Drape }}

Blu attended Palms Middle School, and Venice High School and Westchester High School.{{cite web|url=https://dailytrojan.com/2009/11/03/former-usc-star-keeps-pro-dreams-alive/|title=Former USC star keeps pro dreams alive - Daily Trojan|date=November 3, 2009|website=dailytrojan.com|access-date=March 16, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419085702/http://dailytrojan.com/2009/11/03/former-usc-star-keeps-pro-dreams-alive/|archive-date=April 19, 2017|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://jewishjournal.com/news/los_angeles/community_briefs/5610/|title=The Basketball Diaries — Jewish Journal|first=Carin|last=Davis|date=March 7, 2002|website=jewishjournal.com|access-date=March 16, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316103537/http://jewishjournal.com/news/los_angeles/community_briefs/5610/|archive-date=March 16, 2018|df=mdy-all}}

Blu attended the University of Southern California (USC), which was founded by his great-great-granduncle, Isaias Hellman.{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/men/recaps/2001/03/22/kaf_uad/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311005649/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/men/recaps/2001/03/22/kaf_uad/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 11, 2005|title=.USC 80, Kentucky 76|publisher=sportsillustrated.cnn.com|date=March 22, 2001|access-date=September 30, 2011|work=CNN}} A starter from his sophomore season on, he was consistently one of the top players in the Pac-10.

In 2001–02, his senior season, Blu was named All-Pac 10 honorable mention. He averaged 12.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He left school in 2002, to pursue a career in professional basketball.{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/david_bluthenthal/index.html?nav=page |title=David Bluthenthal Bio |work=NBA.com |date=June 16, 2004 |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023105258/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/david_bluthenthal/index.html?nav=page |archive-date=October 23, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}

His most memorable performance remains the 27 points he scored against Kentucky, in an NCAA regional semifinal upset in 2001, made by the USC Trojans team that was led by Blu.

After Blu completed his 4 years of college athletics eligibility, he decided to play professional basketball in Europe, and signed with Israeli professional team Maccabi Tel Aviv, of the EuroLeague. During two years with Maccabi Tel Aviv (2002–04), he helped the team to the EuroLeague championship in 2004, and to the Israeli National Cup title twice. He scored 20 points off the bench, in the 2004 EuroLeague Final, a 44-point Maccabi annihilation of one of the best team in Europe, Fortitudo Bologna.{{cite news|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/33805/180/item |title=Le Mans lands David Bluthenthal |publisher=Euroleague.net |date=July 10, 2008 |access-date=January 8, 2009}}

Following the 2004 season, Blu was signed by the NBA's Sacramento Kings, on August 7, 2004, but he was released in November, before the 2004–05 season started.

Following his release from Sacramento, Blu received an offer from the Russian team BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg, that had just signed David Blatt, who was the head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, during the time that Blu was there. In 8 games played in the Russian Basketball Super League A, he shot 69.6% from 2-point range.

After two months in Russia, Blu went to Italy, to play for Benetton Treviso. He shot over 60% from 2-point range, and over 51% from 3-point range, in the Italian League.http://217.13.116.51/plantillas/jugador.jsp?id=BES{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In the summer of 2005, he signed with Virtus Bologna, and became one of their top players, with a scoring average of 20.2 points per game in the Italian League.

After the 2005–06 season, he signed with Virtus' intense crosstown rivals, Fortitudo. During the 2006–07 season, for Fortitudo, he averaged 16 points and 4.2 rebounds in EuroLeague play, and also made 46.8% of his two-point shots, and 53.3% of his three-pointers.{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=BES&seasoncode=E2006|title=BLU, DAVID - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL|website=www.euroleague.net|access-date=March 16, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231715/http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=BES&seasoncode=E2006|archive-date=March 8, 2018|df=mdy-all}}

On June 15, 2007, Blu returned from Fortitudo, to Maccabi Tel Aviv.{{cite web |url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/13671/180/item |title=Maccabi brings back shooting ace Bluthenthal |publisher=Euroleague.net |date=June 15, 2007 |access-date=February 1, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006025744/http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/13671/180/maccabi-brings-back-shooting-ace-bluthenthal |archive-date=October 6, 2012 |df=mdy-all }} He averaged 8.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 25 EuroLeague games for Maccabi, as they advanced to the EuroLeague Finals, against winners CSKA Moscow.

On July 10, 2008, Blu signed a one-year deal with Le Mans. Over 10 games in the EuroLeague, he averaged 12.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

File:David Bluthenthal.JPG

In the summer of 2009, Blu yet again returned to Israel, and signed a one-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He finished the 2010–11 season with averages of 8.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague,{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=BES&seasoncode=E2010|title=BLU, DAVID - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL|website=www.euroleague.net|access-date=March 16, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231703/http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=BES&seasoncode=E2010|archive-date=March 8, 2018|df=mdy-all}} and 10.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in the Israeli Super League. He named the 2011 Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP. In July 2011, Maccabi extended Blu's contract for another year.{{cite web |author=Art-Up |url=http://www.maccabi.co.il/News.asp?id=2409&language=english |title=Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv BasketBall Club |publisher=Maccabi.co.il |access-date=August 3, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226181615/http://www.maccabi.co.il/News.asp?id=2409&language=english |archive-date=February 26, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}

In June 2012, Blu retired for the first time, in order to complete his college education in the USA.{{cite web|title=David Blu won't return to Maccabi Tel Aviv|url=http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/israel/39263/david-blu-won-t-return-to-maccabi-tel-aviv.html|work=Spotando|access-date=August 30, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622193252/http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/israel/39263/david-blu-won-t-return-to-maccabi-tel-aviv.html|archive-date=June 22, 2012|df=mdy-all}}

After graduating college in the summer of 2013, Blu signed a new contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv.{{cite web|title=Maccabi Tel Aviv announced David Blu|url=http://www.sportando.net/eng/cups/euroleague/65302/maccabi-tel-aviv-announced-david-blu.html|work=Sportando|access-date=October 18, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019080923/http://www.sportando.net/eng/cups/euroleague/65302/maccabi-tel-aviv-announced-david-blu.html|archive-date=October 19, 2013|df=mdy-all}} Following his comeback, after an up and down season, Maccabi won the 2014 EuroLeague championship, the sixth in the club's history, and his second. Over the season, he averaged 10.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, over 30 games played in the EuroLeague. In the EuroLeague Final Four, he helped his team oust CSKA Moscow in the semifinals, by scoring 15 points, with some crucial three-pointers.{{cite web|title=Maccabi rallies from 15 down to stun CSKA, advance to championship game!|url=http://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=251&seasoncode=E2013#!report|work=Euroleague.net|access-date=May 20, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519004154/http://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=251&seasoncode=E2013#!report|archive-date=May 19, 2014|df=mdy-all}} In the championship finals game, against Real Madrid, he scored 14 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Once the season ended, Blu announced his retirement from playing professional basketball.{{cite news|title=David Blu turned down Maccabi's offer to come out of retirement|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/israel/136899/david-blu-turned-down-maccabi-s-offer-to-come-out-of-retirement.html|access-date=October 10, 2014|work=sportando.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016022634/http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/israel/136899/david-blu-turned-down-maccabi-s-offer-to-come-out-of-retirement.html|archive-date=October 16, 2014|df=mdy-all}}{{cite news|title=Yellow-and-blue moves on without Sofo|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Sports/Yellow-and-blue-moves-on-without-Sofo-374521|access-date=October 10, 2014|work=jpost.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009220156/http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Sports/Yellow-and-blue-moves-on-without-Sofo-374521|archive-date=October 9, 2014|df=mdy-all}}{{cite news|title=Com respeito ao Fla, Maccabi disputa título mundial para dar alegria a Israel|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/basquete/noticia/2014/09/com-respeito-ao-fla-maccabi-disputa-titulo-mundial-para-dar-alegria-israel.html|access-date=October 10, 2014|work=globoesporte.globo.com|language=pt|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015141008/http://globoesporte.globo.com/basquete/noticia/2014/09/com-respeito-ao-fla-maccabi-disputa-titulo-mundial-para-dar-alegria-israel.html|archive-date=October 15, 2014|df=mdy-all}}

In the summer of 2010, Blu represented Israel, and he made his first appearance with them against Portugal, on July 19, 2010. Blu also competed with the senior Israeli national team at the EuroBasket 2011, where he averaged 12.8 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game.

In 2006 he was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite web | url=https://scjewishsportshof.com/bluthenthal-david.html | title=Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Home }}

{{Euroleague player statistics legend}}

{{Euroleague player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Maccabi

| 14 || 0 || 11.1 || .522 || .368 || .700 || 1.8 || .4 || .3 || .0 || 4.4 || 4.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;"| 2003–04†

| 17 || 0 || 10.2 || .609 || .462 || .789 || 1.4 || .4 || .2 || .1 || 6.2 || 4.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05

| style="text-align:left;"| Treviso

| 10 || 0 || 18.1 || .393 || .276 || .500 || 2.5 || .9 || .8 || .3 || 5.8 || 4.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07

| style="text-align:left;"| Fortitudo Bologna

| 14 || 10 || 31.7 || .491 || style="background:#CFECEC;"|.533* || .828 || 4.2 || 1.2 || .6 || .1 || 16.0 || 13.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08

| style="text-align:left;"| Maccabi

| style="background:#CFECEC;"|25* || 18 || 21.0 || .488 || .456 || .929 || 2.4 || .6 || .3 || .1 || 8.7 || 6.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09

| style="text-align:left;"| Le Mans

| 10 || 8 || 32.9 || .413 || .360 || .913 || 3.8 || 1.1 || 1.2 || .0 || 12.5 || 11.2

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| Maccabi

| 19 || 1 || 23.6 || .409 || .363 || .880 || 3.0 || 1.1 || .5 || .1 || 9.3 || 7.2

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11

| 22 || 1 || 23.0 || .448 || .432 || .727 || 3.1 || .6 || .8 || .1 || 8.9 || 6.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12

| 20 || 6 || 24.6 || .447 || .375 || .880 || 2.5 || .5 || .6 || .0 || 9.3 || 6.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;"| 2013–14†

| 30 || 6 || 24.8 || .433 || .406 || .816 || 3.2 || 1.0 || .6 || .0 || 10.1 || 8.2

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2|Career

| 181 || 50 || 22.1 || .457 || .411 || .833 || 2.8 || .8 || .5 || .1 || 9.1 || 7.2

{{S-end}}

• List of select Jewish basketball players

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Authority control}}

{{commons category|David Blu}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150518095522/http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/David-Bluthenthal-5412/stats/ David Blu] at draftexpress.com
• [http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/David_Blu/36231 David Blu] at eurobasket.com
• [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=BES#!careerstats David Blu] at euroleague.net
• [http://www.nba.com/draft2002/profiles/david_bluthenthal.html David Blu] at nba.com
• {{Twitter}}

{{navboxes|list=

{{Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 2003-04 Euroleague champions}}

{{Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 2013–14 Euroleague champions}}

{{BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg 2004–05 FIBA Europe League champions}}

{{Israeli Basketball Super League Discovery of the Year}}

{{Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP}}

{{Israeli Basketball Super League Sixth Man of the Year}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blu, David}}

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