Andris Biedriņš (C, Free Agent), Latvia
Height: 2.13 m, 7-foot | Weight: 113.3 kg, 250 pounds | Born: 2 April 1986
Sometimes the stars that burn brighter burn faster.
When 18-year old Andris Biedriņš was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 2004 Draft, he became the youngest player in the league and the second player from Latvia (after Gundars Vetra, who played 13 games for the Timberwolves in 1992-93).
Biedriņš simmered for a while, then exploded. During the 2006-07 season he ranked 3rd in the league in field goal percentage (.599), 11th in rebounding (762) and 15th in blocks (136). On 12 December 2006, he became the first Warrior in a decade to score 20 points without a missed shot (since Chris Mullin in 1996).
Then, just over a year later, he grabbed an NBA season-high 26 rebounds against New York on 27 January 2008, the most rebounds by a Warrior since Larry Smith (31 against Denver in 1981). By age 22, in the 2008-09 season, Biedriņš was averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds per season, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan in the elite club of players who've accomplished that feat before age 24.
But after averaging 30 minutes a night in 2008-09, Biedrinš never hit that mark again. Injuries picked apart his body, and he saw a sharp drop in scoring, in rebounds and minutes played over the next five years. He was traded to the Jazz during the 2013-14 season and was waived in April 2014.
Now, he's a free-agent and skepticism is mounting over whether he'll return at all, let alone return to form. While many have their doubts, don't forget: it's the shortest burning stars that go out with a bang.
Career Stats
2004-14: PTS: 6.3 | REB: 7 | AST: 0.9
Career Highlights: Ranks as the Warriors' all-time franchise leader in career field goal percentage (.594). In the 2011-12 season, he finished with a perfect shooting percentage from the field in 17 games (no minimum FGA), second most in the NBA.
Achievements/Awards:
*In 2002-03 season with Lavian team BK Skonto, he was named Latvian League Newcomer of the Year
5 Things To Know…
1. He taught himself how to speak English in six months while training in Los Angeles prior to the 2004 Draft.
2. In the 2007-08 season, he led the NBA in field goal percentage (62.6%), becoming first Warrior since Chris Gatling in 1994-95 (63.3%) to do so. In the same season, he became the first NBA player to record at least 26 rebounds since Ben Wallace had 27 on 12/15/06 vs. Milwaukee. Also in 2007-08, he missed six games due to an emergency appendectomy (2/22-3/5). But he posted 21 points and 13 rebounds in 40 minutes vs. Boston (2/20) while suffering from the effects of appendicitis.
3. His professional career began in Latvia's BK Skonto team when he was 16.
4. He first dunked at age 13.
5. His favorite movie is a tie between "Gladiator" and "Tears of the Sun."
Check out Biedriņš' photos and videos in the LEAGUE section of the NBA Game Time app
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