Nikoloz Tskitishvili is a former NBA 7 foot bust from Georgia (not the one next to Alabama). At the age ripe age of 18 Tskitishvili played professionally for Benetton Treviso in Italy. Showing more promise than the Jonas Brothers’ rings, he averaged 6.2 ppg in just 12 mpg. He was young, showed unreal potential, and the NBA scouts were banking on his results. The dude was supposed to be the Georgian Dirk Nowitzki, clearly that did not happen.
Nikoloz Tskitishvili was selected 5th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2002 NBA Draft. The Nuggets could have taken:
-Amare Stoudemire
-Caron Butler
-Tayshaun Prince
-John Salmons
-Carlos Boozer
-Luis Scola
In Tskitishvili’s rookie year he played in 81 games and even started 16 of them. He averaged 16.3 mpg and scored nearly 4 ppg while shooting a god-awful 29.3% from the field. In 2003-04, the lottery pick only participated in less than half of the season, he scored 2.7 ppg and improved his shooting to 32.8%. The next season at age 21, Tskitishvili’s numbers decreased once again. As a result he was traded to the Golden State Warriors with Rodney White for Eduardo Najera and others (aka unknowns). He averaged 1.3 ppg and 1 rpg in 5.2 mpg after the trade. Nikoloz became a free agent and singed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2005 offseason, he shot a career low 25%. He was then traded to the Phoenix Suns for a 2nd round draft pick who later became (Loukas Mavrokefalidis?). His last season was in Phoenix where he averaged 2.8 ppg and shot a career high 36.4%
Nikoloz Tskitishvili’s final stats were 172 games played, a field goal percentage of 30.4%, 1.8 rpg, and 2.9 rpg.
He finally moved back overseas and is currently still playing. According to DraftExpress, Tskitishvili’s career high came in 2007-08; he averaged 10.7 ppg in the Italian League with Teramo.
Nikoloz Tskitishvili has been known as one of the worst draft picks of all-time, and has also proved that European players aren’t guaranteed with their different style of play. Regardless he has a fun name to say, I always pronounced it as “Skeedish-Veley”. I might name my son that, Tskitishvili Schotz, has a nice ring to it.
-Schotz
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