J. P. Batista

J. P. Batista
Gonzaga Bulldogs
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueNBB
Personal information
Born (1981-10-29) October 29, 1981 (age 43)
Olinda, Pernambuco
NationalityBrazilian
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
College
NBA draft2006: undrafted
Playing career2006–2022
PositionPower forward
Number13
Coaching career2022–present
Career history
As player:
2006–2008Lietuvos rytas
2008Barons Rīga
2008–2014Le Mans Sarthe
2014–2015Limoges CSP
2015–2018Flamengo
2018–2019Mogi das Cruzes
2019–2020Le Mans Sarthe
2020–2021Minas
2021–2022Flamengo
As coach:
2022–presentGonzaga (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player:
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Brazil
FIBA AmeriCup
Gold medal – first place 2009 San Juan
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto
FIBA South American Championship
Gold medal – first place 2010 Neiva
Silver medal – second place 2016 Caracas

João Paulo Lopes "J. P." Batista (born October 29, 1981) is a Brazilian former professional basketball player and current coach. Standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he played the power forward position. He played college basketball at Gonzaga University and also started his coaching career with the Bulldogs as an assistant coach.

Early life

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Batista was born and raised in Olinda, Pernambuco, attended Colegio Atual school in Olinda and was named State Player of the Year as a senior in 2001.

College career

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Batista arrived at Gonzaga in 2004, after spending the first year of his college career at Western Nebraska Community College and the second at Barton County Community College in Kansas, where he mentored teammate and fellow international student Antanas Kavaliauskas. He finished his first season with Gonzaga averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds per game, and was named the top newcomer in the West Coast Conference.

Playing alongside the All-American Adam Morrison, Batista finished the 2005-06 NCAA basketball season averaging over 19 points and 9 rebounds per game, while shooting a remarkable 59 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free-throw line.[1]

Professional career

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Despite his impressive collegiate statistics, Batista was generally ignored by the scouts leading up to the 2006 NBA draft, with his lack of athleticism and his age (he was nearly 25 at the time of the draft, unusually old for a college prospect) hindering his chances of being drafted. Batista played for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves entry in the Las Vegas Summer League,[2] but he was not signed by the team.

He accepted an offer to play for Lietuvos rytas in Vilnius, Lithuania in the LKL and ULEB Cup. With Lietuvos rytas he played in the ULEB Cup and Lithuanian basketball Cup finals, and won the BBL championship. Their 2006-07 ULEB Cup run ended in a loss in the final to Real Madrid, but since Real had already qualified for the 2007-08 Euroleague through their league position, Lietuvos rytas received the Euroleague berth that normally goes to the ULEB Cup winners.

On June 16, 2014, he signed a two-year deal with French club Limoges CSP.[3] With them he won the 2014–15 LNB Pro A championship. On June 25, 2015, he parted ways with Limoges.[4]

On July 16, 2015, he returned to Brazil and signed with Flamengo.[5]

On June 25, 2019, he has signed a contract with Le Mans Sarthe of the LNB Pro A.[6]

Coaching career

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On August 14, 2022, Batista joined the Gonzaga Bulldogs as an assistant coach, thus returning to his alma mater after 16 years.[7]

EuroLeague career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2007–08 Lietuvos Rytas 11 0 8.0 .516 .000 .556 1.5 .2 .1 .0 3.4 2.0
2008–09 Le Mans 10 7 23.5 .570 .000 .667 3.8 1.5 .7 .4 11.4 9.9
2014–15 Limoges CSP 10 1 17.1 .455 .000 .818 2.1 1.0 .2 .2 7.8 6.0

National team career

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Batista represents the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team and he was a part of the 2010 FIBA World Championship squad.

References

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  1. ^ Gonzaga Bulldogs Statistics – 2005-06
  2. ^ Spokesman-Review
  3. ^ Limoges signs JP Batista
  4. ^ Jamar Smith, Adrien Moerman and JP Batista leave Limoges CSP
  5. ^ "JP Batista é o novo atleta do basquete rubro-negro". Site Oficial do Flamengo (in Portuguese). Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "Le Mans inks J.P. Batista". Sportando. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  7. ^ Forsman, Cole. "J.P. Batista joins Bulldogs' coaching staff". Gonzaga Nation. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
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