Many teams of the national basketball federation are now looking to Europe to find the next big player who can achieve a double-double on average each season. One player who fits into this pattern is Polish basketball player Marcin Gortat, who, although he has achieved this feat in only one season of his 11-year NBA career, has always been trusted to deliver the goods whenever he stepped onto the field.
Marcin Gortat Biography (Age)
Marcin Gortat was born on February 17, 1984, in Lodz, Poland, where he was raised by his athlete parents, Janusz and Alicja Gortat. Under the influence of his parents, Gortat did a lot of sports as a child, especially a soccer and athletics. Later he switched to basketball and decided to concentrate on the game, which was more popular and lucrative on the other side of the Atlantic.
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After finishing his education at a university of applied sciences, Gortat joined the basketball team of his hometown LKS Lodz, where his achievements aroused the interest of the German professional basketball team RheinEnergie Köln in 2003. After two years with his new team, Marcin Gortat was awarded 57th place by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 2005 NBA. However, the player decided to stay in Germany for another year to continue his development. The following season his team won the German championship and in the 2006/07 season, he played in the European Basketball League for the first time in his history.
In August 2007 Gortat moved to the NBA and joined Orlando Magic, who had acquired his rights in a swap deal from the team that drafted him. Gortat spent some time with Anaheim Arsenal in the NBA Development League before making his debut on March 1, 2008. This season he played only 6 games with an average of 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. The player did not enjoy much playing time as he was used as a back-up for Dwight Howard. However, he had the chance to brag about the fact that he was the only Polish player who played in the NBA final round when the team went there in 2009.
In December 2010 Marcin Gortat was transferred back to the Phoenix Suns, with whom he enjoyed a very good season. Having previously played an average of about 12 minutes per game, Gortat became a permanent fixture on the Suns’ team, averaging about 30 minutes per game. However, his time with the Suns lasted three seasons before he was transferred to the Washington Wizards. From 2013 to 2018, Gortat, who had now earned the nickname “The Polish Hammer”, came very close to a double-double on average, although he only just managed this feat in 2016-17.
What is His Salary?
Marcin Gortat’s last contract was a five-year contract for $60 million, signed in July 2014, which means he will take home an average of $12 million each year. The 11-year-old NBA veteran’s income was not as high when he first joined the association in 2007. His first contract was a two-year $1.13 million contract with Orlando. In 2009, after he signed a five-year $34 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, the offer was adjusted and he had to stay with Magic because he was a restricted free agent. This deal ran until 2014 when he put his current contract on paper.
Marcin Gortat Family
As already mentioned, Marcin Gortat comes from a family of athletes. His father is a Polish boxer who won two Olympic bronze medals in the light heavyweight (-75 kg) category at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Games, while his mother also represented Poland as a member of the national volleyball team. Marcin’s older brother Robert is also an athlete and followed in his father’s footsteps to become a boxer.
Does he Have a Wife?
Details about Marcin Gortat’s love life are contradictory, as some publications say that he is dating others and may even be married, while others say that he is very much single at the moment. The woman said to play a role in the basketball player’s life is the popular Polish model Anna Kociuga, also known as Anya Gortat.
Gortat reportedly met with the 5 foot 10 inches tall and 125-pound model in 2009, whose body measurements are 25-34-36 inches. They were said to have moved in together but were unable to spend meaningful time together and develop their relationship due to their conflicting working hours. Gortat and Kociuga finally decided to end their relationship, and it is not clear whether the two have remained in contact or whether they are willing to settle this in the future.
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The Clippers Center has announced that he plans to start a family in the near future and added that he is not sure if he will play beyond his current contract, which expires in July 2019.
Height, Weight, and Other Facts
Birth Name: Marcin Gortat
Date of Birth: February 17, 1984
Place of Birth: Lodz, Poland
Height: 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m)
Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
