{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1993)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Alex Poythress | image = 2023-10-26 ALBA Berlin gegen Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano (EuroLeague 2023-24) by Sandro Halank–023.jpg | image_size = | caption = Poythress in 2023 | position = Center / power forward | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 9 | weight_lb = 235 | league = VTB United League | team = Zenit Saint Petersburg | number = 22 | nationality = American / Ivorian | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|9|6}} | birth_place = Savannah, Georgia, U.S. | high_school = Northeast (Clarksville, Tennessee) | college = Kentucky (2012–2016) | draft_year = 2016 | career_start = 2016 | years1 = 2016–2017 | team1 = Fort Wayne Mad Ants | years2 = {{nbay|2016|end}} | team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | years3 = {{nbay|2017|full=y}} | team3 = Indiana Pacers | years4 = 2017 | team4 = →Fort Wayne Mad Ants | years5 = {{nbay|2018|full=y}} | team5 = Atlanta Hawks | years6 = 2018–2019 | team6 = →Erie BayHawks | years7 = 2019–2020 | team7 = Galatasaray | years8 = 2020–2022 | team8 = Zenit Saint Petersburg | years9 = 2022–2023 | team9 = Maccabi Tel Aviv | years10 = 2023–2024 | team10 = Olimpia Milano | years11 = 2024–present | team11 = Zenit Saint Petersburg | highlights = * LBA champion (2024) * VTB United League champion (2022) * Winner League champion (2023) * All-VTB United League Second Team (2022) * All-NBA D-League Second Team (2017) * NBA D-League All-Rookie Team (2017) * NBA D-League All-Star (2017) * SEC All-Freshman Team (2013) * McDonald's All-American (2012) * First-team ''Parade'' All-American (2012) * Class AAA Tennessee Mr. Basketball (2012) }} '''Alex Poythress''' (born September 6, 1993) is an American-born naturalized Ivorian professional basketball player for Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League. He won the Gatorade Player of the Year in Tennessee in 2011–12 in his senior year of high school, and was the TSSAA Class AAA Mr. Basketball his senior year. He was a 5-star recruit out of Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tennessee, during 2011–12. He played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. Finished his career with 966 points, 597 rebounds and 77 blocks, becoming just the 12th player in program history with at least 900 points, at least 500 rebounds and at least 70 blocks.
==High school career== Poythress was rated as the number 17 player in the class of 2012 in the ESPNU 100,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/rankings |title=2012 College Basketball Recruiting Rankings – ESPNU 100 |work=ESPN.com|access-date=December 3, 2011}}</ref> the number 10 player by Scout.com,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&c=4&cfg=bb&pid=88&yr=2012 |title=Scout.com College Basketball Team Recruiting Prospects |publisher=Scouthoops.scout.com |access-date=December 3, 2011}}</ref> and the number 8 player by Rivals.com.<ref name=rivals>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/rankings/rank-2509;_ylt=AiI6gfIcQUepfUTytuUWMB3WO5B4 |title=The Rivals150 2012 Prospect Rankings |publisher=Rivalshoops.rivals.com |access-date=December 3, 2011}}</ref>
Poythress chose Kentucky over offers from Florida, Tennessee, Memphis, and Vanderbilt, among others.
{{College Athlete Recruit Start|15=no|collapse=no|year=2012}} {{College Athlete Recruit Entry | recruit = Alex Poythress | position = PF | hometown = Clarksville, TN | highschool = Northeast HS | feet = 6 | inches = 8 | weight = 215 | commitdate = November 10, 2011 | scout stars = 5 | rivals stars = 5 | espn grade = 97 }} |}
==College career== On December 12, 2014, Poythress was ruled out for the rest of the 2014–15 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during practice the previous day.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kentucky forward Alex Poythress tears ACL, out for season|url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/12/12/alex-poythress-injury-kentucky|website=SI.com|date=December 12, 2014|access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=John|last=Calipari|title=Heartbroken for Alex|url=http://www.coachcal.com/31980/2014/12/heartbroken-alex/|website=CoachCal.com|date=December 12, 2014|access-date=October 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923205204/http://www.coachcal.com/31980/2014/12/heartbroken-alex/|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Poythress returned to Kentucky for his senior season,<ref>{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Story|title=Mark Story: If you are old school, you should root hard for Alex Poythress this winter|url=http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/article42646323.html|website=Kentucky.com|date=October 19, 2015|access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref> and averaged 10.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. As of the 2020–21 season, Poythress remained one of only five players to play four scholarship seasons under John Calipari at Kentucky.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-sign-daniel-hamilton-and-alex-poythress|title=Atlanta Hawks Sign Daniel Hamilton and Alex Poythress|website=Atlanta Hawks}}</ref>
==Professional career== ===Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2016–2017)=== After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft, Poythress joined the Orlando Magic for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On August 29, 2016, he signed with the Indiana Pacers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers-sign-alex-poythress-and-julyan-stone|title=Pacers Sign Alex Poythress and Julyan Stone|work=NBA.com|date=August 29, 2016|access-date=August 29, 2016}}</ref> He was waived by the Pacers on October 17, 2016, after appearing in two preseason games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers-waive-alex-poythress-and-nick-zeisloft|title=Pacers Waive Alex Poythress and Nick Zeisloft|work=NBA.com|date=October 17, 2016|access-date=October 17, 2016}}</ref> On October 31, 2016, he was acquired by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Pacers.<ref>{{cite web|first=Vinessa|last=Needham|url=http://fortwayne.dleague.nba.com/news/mad-ants-finalize-training-camp-roster-following-2016-draft/|title=Mad Ants Finalize Training Camp Roster Following 2016 Draft|work=NBA.com|date=October 31, 2016|access-date=November 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107015333/http://fortwayne.dleague.nba.com/news/mad-ants-finalize-training-camp-roster-following-2016-draft/|archive-date=November 7, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Philadelphia 76ers (2017)=== On April 2, 2017, Poythress signed with the Philadelphia 76ers to help the team deal with numerous injuries. Philadelphia had to use an NBA hardship exemption in order to sign him as he made their roster stand at 16, one over the allowed limited of 15.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sixers Sign Alex Poythress|url=http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/sixers-sign-alex-poythress|work=NBA.com|date=April 2, 2017|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref> He made his NBA debut that night, scoring 11 points in 24 minutes off the bench in a 113–105 loss to the Toronto Raptors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Raptors register ninth straight home win over 76ers, 113–105|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899440|work=ESPN.com|date=April 2, 2017|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref> On April 11, 2017, he signed with the 76ers for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sixers Sign Poythress|url=http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/sixers-sign-poythress|work=NBA.com|date=April 11, 2017|access-date=April 11, 2017}}</ref>
===Indiana Pacers (2017–2018)=== On August 22, 2017, Poythress signed a two-way contract by the Indiana Pacers. Under the terms of the deal, he will split time between the Pacers and their G-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, with him projected to return to Fort Wayne once again for the majority of the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pacers Sign Alex Poythress |url=http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers-sign-alex-poythress|access-date=August 22, 2017|work=Indiana Pacers|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> However, on December 28, 2017, Poythress' contract would be converted into a full, regular season contract despite him playing in only 11 games with the Pacers by that point.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pacers Sign Alex Poythress|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers-sign-alex-poythress-15-man-roster|access-date=December 28, 2017|work=NBA.com|date=December 28, 2017}}</ref> On July 6, 2018, he was waived by the Pacers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pacers Waive Alex Poythress|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2018/07/pacers-waive-alex-poythress.html|website=hoopsrumors.com|access-date=July 9, 2018|date=July 6, 2018}}</ref>
===Atlanta Hawks (2018–2019)=== On August 20, 2018, Poythress signed a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Atlanta Hawks Sign Daniel Hamilton and Alex Poythress |url=https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-sign-daniel-hamilton-and-alex-poythress |website=NBA.com |access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref> Poythress appeared in 21 games for the Hawks (one start), averaging 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/poythal01.html|title=Alex Poythress Stats|website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=June 24, 2019}}</ref> He also averaged 23.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks in 18 G-League games for the Erie Bayhawks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/gleague/players/p/poythal01d.html|title=Alex Poythress G-LeagueStats|website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=June 24, 2019}}</ref>
On August 12, 2019, Poythress signed with Jilin Northeast Tigers of the CBA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/jilin-inks-alex-poythress/|title=Jilin inks Alex Poythress|last=Ennio|first=Terrasi Borghesan|date=August 12, 2019|website=Sportando|access-date=August 12, 2019|archive-date=December 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213205916/https://sportando.basketball/en/jilin-inks-alex-poythress/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Galatasaray (2019–2020)=== On December 2, 2019, he signed with Galatasaray of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/galatasaray-signs-alex-poythress-parts-ways-with-ben-moore/|title=Galatasaray signs Alex Poythress, parts ways with Ben Moore|date=December 2, 2019|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=December 3, 2019|archive-date=August 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816162241/https://sportando.basketball/en/galatasaray-signs-alex-poythress-parts-ways-with-ben-moore/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Poythress averaged 12.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the team.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Varney |first1=Dennis |title=Catch up with 36 ex-Cats playing pro basketball in leagues outside the NBA |url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/ex-cats/article241420196.html |access-date=May 16, 2020 |work=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=March 26, 2020}}</ref>
===Zenit Saint Petersburg (2020–2022)=== On July 7, 2020, he signed with Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League and the EuroLeague.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Euroleague/news/634577/Zenit-tabs-Alex-Poythress,-ex-Galatasaray|title=Zenit tabs Alex Poythress, ex Galatasaray|date=July 7, 2020|publisher=Eurobasket.com|language=En|access-date=July 7, 2020}}</ref> On June 16, 2021, Poythress renewed his contract with the Russian club.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alex Poythress re-signs with Zenit |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/alex-poythress-re-signs-with-zenit/ |website=Sportando |access-date=June 18, 2021 |date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>
=== Maccabi Tel Aviv (2022–2023) === On June 21, 2022, he signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and EuroLeague.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maccabi signed Alex Poythress |url=http://www.maccabi.co.il/news.asp?id=8979&lang=en |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club}}</ref> In 16 EuroLeague games, he averaged 7.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22 minutes per contest.
=== Olimpia Milano (2023–2024) === On July 28, 2023, he signed with Olimpia Milano of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/milano-alex-poythress-agree-to-1-year-deal/|title=Milano, Alex Poythress agree to 1-year deal|last=|first=|date=July 28, 2023|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=July 28, 2023}}</ref>
=== Zenit Saint Petersburg (2024–) === On June 26, 2024, he signed with Zenit Saint Petersburg of the Russian VTB United League (VTB).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/vtb/1689479/alex-poythress-officially-returns-to-zenit/|title=Alex Poythress officially returns to Zenit|last=|first=|date=June 26, 2024|website=|publisher=Eurohoops|language=En|access-date=June 26, 2024}}</ref>
==International career== Poythress received an Ivorian passport in 2022 in order to play for their national team and to not be considered an import player under the Cotonou Agreement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://basketnews.com/news-176479-poythress-gets-ivory-coast-passport-set-to-join-his-new-team-for-fiba-window.html|title=Poythress gets Ivory Coast passport, set to join his new team for FIBA window|date=August 15, 2022|website=Basket News|access-date=August 16, 2022}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
===NBA=== ====Regular season==== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2016}} | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 6 || '''1''' || '''26.2''' || .463 || .316 || '''.800''' || '''4.8''' || '''.8''' || '''.5''' || .3 || '''10.7''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2017}} | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | '''25''' || 0 || 4.2 || .423 || .364 || – || .7 || .1 || .1 || .0 || 1.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2018}} | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 21 || '''1''' || 14.5 || '''.494''' || '''.391''' || .621 || 3.6 || '''.8''' || .2 || '''.5''' || 5.1 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 52 || 2 || 10.9 || .472 || .358 || .667 || 2.3 || .5 || .2 || .3 || 3.8 {{S-end}}
===EuroLeague=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Zenit | '''32''' || 7 || 18.8 || .595 || .000 || .711 || '''4.3''' || .5 || .6 || '''.7''' || '''8.6''' || 8.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22 | 23 || 5 || 20.2 || '''.628''' || .000 || .766 || 4.2 || '''.9''' || '''.7''' || .6 || 7.7 || '''9.8''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 | style="text-align:left;"| Maccabi Tel Aviv | 16 || '''13''' || '''22.3''' || .545 || '''.200''' || .587 || 3.6 || .8 || .5 || .6 || 7.8 || 7.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 | style="text-align:left;"| Olimpia Milano | 30 || 9 || 12.8 || .598 || '''.200''' || '''.793''' || 2.7 || .1 || .3 || .4 || 5.3 || 4.7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 101 || 34 || 17.9 || .595 || .125 || .707 || 3.7 || .5 || .5 || .5 || 7.3 || 7.6 {{S-end}}
===EuroCup=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20 | style="text-align:left;"| Galatasaray | 7 || 6 || 27.9 || .473 || .333 || .840 || 7.1 || 1.6 || .3 || .9 || 13.6 || 14.3 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 7 || 6 || 27.9 || .473 || .333 || .840 || 7.1 || 1.6 || .3 || .9 || 13.6 || 14.3 {{S-end}}
===Domestic leagues=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:right;" ! Year ! Team ! League ! {{Tooltip|GP|Games played}} ! {{Tooltip|MPG|Minutes per game}} ! {{Tooltip|FG%|Field goal percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|3P%|3-point field-goal percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|FT%|Free-throw percentage}} ! {{Tooltip|RPG|Rebounds per game}} ! {{Tooltip|APG|Assists per game}} ! {{Tooltip|SPG|Steals per game}} ! {{Tooltip|BPG|Blocks per game}} ! {{Tooltip|PPG|Points per game}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA|size=20px}} Fort Wayne Mad Ants || style="text-align:center;"|D-League || 46 || 31.1 || .528 || .403 || .783 || 7.1 || 1.5 || .7 || 1.4 || 18.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA|size=20px}} Fort Wayne Mad Ants || style="text-align:center;"|G League || 7 || 34.1 || .482 || .227 || .675 || 8.9 || 2.7 || .9 || 1.4 || 20.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA|size=20px}} Erie BayHawks || style="text-align:center;"|G League || 18 || 34.8 || .516 || .296 || .698 || 9.7 || 2.9 || 1.2 || 1.3 || 23.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Turkey|size=20px}} Galatasaray || style="text-align:center;"|TBSL || 13 || 26.8 || .508 || .174 || .629 || 5.9 || 1.0 || .7 || .5 || 12.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Russia|size=20px}} Zenit || style="text-align:center;"|VTBUL || 18 || 18.7 || .670 || .000 || .696 || 4.1 || .7 || 1.0 || .7 || 9.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Russia|size=20px}} Zenit || style="text-align:center;"|VTBUL || 21 || 25.7 || .724 || .000 || .726 || 5.7 || 1.8 || 1.0 || .7 || 12.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Israel|size=20px}} Maccabi Tel Aviv || style="text-align:center;"|Ligat HaAl || 14 || 20.4 || .708 || .000 || .657 || 5.2 || 1.4 || .6 || .6 || 10.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 || style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Italy|size=20px}} Olimpia Milano || style="text-align:center;"|LBA || 18 || 15.3 || .534 || .000 || .673 || 3.3 || .3 || .6 || .3 || 7.3 {{S-end}}
===College=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2012–13 | style="text-align:left;"| Kentucky | 33 || '''31''' || '''25.8''' || .581 || '''.424''' || .689 || '''6.0''' || '''.7''' || .3 || .4 || '''11.2''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14 | style="text-align:left;"| Kentucky | '''40''' || 0 || 18.4 || .497 || .242 || .625 || 4.5 || .4 || .3 || .7 || 5.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2014–15 | style="text-align:left;"| Kentucky | 8 || 8 || 20.3 || .381 || .000 || '''.857''' || 3.8 || .3 || .5 || '''1.5''' || 5.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2015–16 | style="text-align:left;"| Kentucky | 31 || 23 || 23.6 || '''.601''' || .304 || .706 || '''6.0''' || .3 || '''.6''' || .7 || 10.2 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 112 || 62 || 22.1 || .551 || .302 || .686 || 5.3 || .5 || .4 || 0.7 || 8.6 {{S-end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20151225025615/http://www.ukathletics.com/sport/m-baskbl/2015/roster/559d90e7e4b01c7eefd5f04f Kentucky Wildcats bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poythress, Alex}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy Category:American expatriate basketball people in Russia Category:American expatriate basketball people in Turkey Category:American men's basketball players Category:Atlanta Hawks players Category:Basketball players from Savannah, Georgia Category:Basketball players from Tennessee Category:BC Zenit Saint Petersburg players Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Erie BayHawks (2017–2019) players Category:Fort Wayne Mad Ants players Category:Galatasaray S.K. (men's basketball) players Category:Indiana Pacers players Category:Ivorian men's basketball players Category:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball players Category:Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. players Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans Category:Naturalised basketball players Category:Olimpia Milano players Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Category:Philadelphia 76ers players Category:Power forwards Category:Sportspeople from Clarksville, Tennessee Category:Undrafted NBA players