Victor Khryapa: Difference between revisions

Russian basketball player

Victor Khryapa

Born	(1982-08-03) August 3, 1982 (age 41) Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Russian
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
NBA draft	2004: 1st round, 22nd overall pick
Selected by the New Jersey Nets
Playing career	1999–2020
Position	Power forward / small forward
Number	31, 38
1999–2000	Khimik Engels
2000–2002	Avtodor Saratov
2002–2004	CSKA Moscow
2004–2006	Portland Trail Blazers
2006–2007	Chicago Bulls
2007–2018	CSKA Moscow
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Victor Vladimirovich Khryapa (also trans. Viktor;^[1] Russian: Виктор Владимирович Хряпа; born August 3, 1982) is a Russian former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career playing for CSKA Moscow of the VTB United League. A versatile forward standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he is a three-time All-EuroLeague selection and won the EuroLeague Best Defender award in 2010.

A regular member of the senior Russian former national basketball team, he was instrumental in their triumph at the EuroBasket 2007, where they won the gold medal. He also won two bronze medals at the EuroBasket 2011 and at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Professional career[edit]

Europe[edit]

Khryapa played for Khimik Engels in 1999–00, and for Avtodor Saratov in 2000–02. In 2002, Khryapa was signed by CSKA Moscow, with whom he won two Russian Championships in 2003 and 2004.

NBA[edit]

Khryapa was the 22nd overall selection of the 2004 NBA draft. He was chosen by the New Jersey Nets and then subsequently traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Eddie Gill. Then on June 28, 2006, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls along with Tyrus Thomas, for the rights to LaMarcus Aldridge.

In February 2008, the Chicago Bulls bought out Khryapa’s contract after the forward expressed frustration with his lack of playing time. He had appeared in just nine games in the 2007–08 NBA season to that point, averaging 3.6 points per game and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Return to Europe[edit]

Khryapa intended to return to Russia as a member of CSKA Moscow,^[2] and signed with his former club on February 12, 2008, on a four and a half year contract.^[3] With CSKA he won the Russian Championship in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, the VTB United League Championship in 2010 and the EuroLeague Championship in 2008. In May 2014, he was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team of the EuroLeague, the second consecutive in his career.^[4]

Khryapa missed the first half of 2014–15 season due to an ankle injury rehabilitation. On December 10, 2014, he underwent surgery which kept him off-the-court for three months. He returned to action in a game against Laboral Kutxa on March 5, 2015.^[5] CSKA Moscow has managed to advance to the EuroLeague Final Four for the fourth straight season, after eliminating Panathinaikos for the second straight season in the quarter-final series with a 3–1 series win.^[6] However, in the semifinal game, despite being dubbed by the media as an absolute favorite to advance, CSKA once again lost to Olympiacos. The final score was 70–68, after a great Olympiacos comeback in 4th quarter, led by Vassilis Spanoulis.^[7] CSKA Moscow eventually won the EuroLeague third place game, after defeating Fenerbahçe, by a score of 86–80.^[8] Over 10 EuroLeague games played, he averaged a career-low of 1.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1 assist per game.

On July 23, 2015, he re-signed with CSKA for one more season.^[9] In June 2016, CSKA used team option to keep Khryapa in the club for yet another season.^[10] He officially parted ways with CSKA on June 26, 2018, after a ten-year second stint with the club.

National team career[edit]

Khryapa was a member of the senior men’s Russian national basketball team, winning the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2007. He also participated in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, the EuroBasket…