Pablo Prigioni (G, New York Knicks), Argentina
Height: 1.91m, 6-foot-3 | Weight: 84kg, 185 pounds | Born: 17 May, 1977
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There's more to Pablo Prigioni's story than numbers.
Despite averaging only 3.6 points per game in his two NBA seasons, the 37-year old Pablo "Priggy Smalls" Prigioni makes the Knicks a better team. In the 2013-14 season, their net rating (points per 100 possessions) was 4.0 points better when Prigioni was on the floor.
Prigioni combines high accuracy three-point shooting (46.4 percent, second in the league) with a pass-first approach and a sharp use of the pick-and-roll to peel off defenders. He's also made a name for himself as one of the most tenacious defenders in the league by applying relentless full-court pressure.
And sometimes Prigioni has the numbers, too: on 14 December, the Argentine put up 11 points, six assists, four steals and one rebound -- his best numbers for the season -- to shut down the Atlanta Hawks.
Though not getting any younger, Prigioni shows no signs of slowing in 2014-15. He'll be back in New York looking to get the Knicks back to the Playoffs, just like he did in 2012-2013.
Key Stats
2013-14 Season: GP: 66 | MP: 19.4 | PTS: 3.8 | REB: 2.0| AST: 3.5 | STL: 1.0 | FG%: 46.1%
Season Highlight: Prigioni recorded 11 points and six assists for a win against the Hawks on 14 December. In the process, he also got four steals and a rebound.
Achievements/Awards
* 3X Spanish King's Cup Champion (2004, 2006, 2009)
* Spanish Cup MVP (2006)
* 2x All-Euroleague Second Team (2006, 2007)
* Spanish Supercup MVP (2008)
* Gold-medal, FIBA Americas Championship
* Silver medal, FIBA Americas (2007)
Five Things To Know
1. He's a healthy eater: chicken, fish, meat, salad. He stopped eating pasta and bread. He also doesn't drink milk. (per ESPN.com)
2. He has two children with his wife Raquel: Alessandra, 8, and Nicolas, 5.
3. Hi favorite hobbies are the antiques - old cars and muscle cars. He has one Chevrolet truck from 1953, a Ford Mustang convertible from 1965 and three scooters from 1957, 1966 and 1979. At home, he has small antique things like an old typewriter and jukebox.
4. They call him "El Maestro" (The teacher) and "Priggy Smalls."
5. Prigioni consulted best friend, Luis Scola, before coming to the NBA. Scola's greatest story on Prigioni was featured on ESPN, "He got the MVP of the Spanish Cup [in 2006], which was the only time in history that somebody that scored three points got the MVP. But he got like 15 assists and five steals."
Check out Prigioni's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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