How did Sandro Mamukelashvili end up at Milwaukee Bucks? Tracing Georgia international's NBA journey
Sandro Mamukelashvili is a 6-foot-11 forward who currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. The big man has had several fantastic performances so far in his NBA career and could take a big leap very soon.
The Bucks are one of the best teams in the league and could certainly have another deep playoff run this season. While Mamukelashvili hasn't been a big contributor so far, he could improve by the time the playoffs start.
This article will reveal everything you need to know about the Bucks big man and his journey to the NBA. We will also take a look at some of his best games so far.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is a Georgian-American player
Mamukelashvili's journey has been very interesting. Long before he made it to the NBA, he lived in a transcontinental country named Georgia. The country, which has the same name as the US state, is located in eastern Europe and western Asia.
The Milwaukee Bucks forward was born in New York City. However, his parents moved to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, when he was a baby.
Born in 1999, Sandro Mamukelashvili grew up idolizing Zaza Pachulia, another Georgian player in the NBA. Pachulia, who was born in Tbilisia, made his NBA debut in 2003 and stayed in the league for 16 years, winning two championships.
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Sandro's grandmother played basketball for the Soviet Women's National Basketball team, while his older brother, David, introduced him to the sport.
At the age of 14, the talented basketball player moved to Italy, where he played basketball competitively. A couple of years later, Mamukelashvili moved back to the United States and attended Montverde Academy in Florida.
Mamukelashvili committed to playing college basketball for Seton Hall in 2017, spending four years there. In his final season with the team, the player averaged 17.5 points and 7.6 rebounds.
Mamukelashvili's professional career
Sandro Mamukelashvili was selected with the 24th pick in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft. As the 54th overall pick, the big man did not get a lot of minutes, but he still showed some potential.
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During his rookie season, the Milwaukee Bucks forward averaged 3.8 points and two rebounds while playing less than a quarter on average. He had a 28-point, 13-rebound performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 10, 2022.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is currently in his sophomore season, averaging 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds. He is currently signed to a two-way contract, meaning that he spends some time playing for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League.
Mamukelashvili's ceiling doesn't seem to be very high, but he could become a decent role player that could be used for 15 to 20 minutes per game.