Biography:
Gordan Giriček (also often spelled Gordon Giricek) (born June 20, 1977, in Zagreb, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Croatian professional basketball player. He is currently playing for Fenerbahçe, the title holders of the Turkish Basketball League. Previously, he played in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Phoenix Suns. His nickname is Gira The 6'7" (2.01 m) in height[ shooting guard-small forward started his pro career with the youth section of a small local club in Zagreb called Jedinstvo. Later on, he joined the Zagreb club Cibona, and while playing there he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round (40th pick overall) in the 1999 NBA Draft and traded by the Mavericks to the San Antonio Spurs for Leon Smith. However, he never played for the Spurs, who traded his draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies for a second-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He stayed in Croatia until 2001, when he signed with the Russian Euroleague power CSKA Moscow, playing the 2001-02 season there. He came to the US in 2002, scoring 29 points in his first NBA game with the Memphis Grizzlies During the 2002-03 season, he was traded by Memphis, with Drew Gooden, to the Orlando Magic for Mike Miller, Ryan Humphrey, a future first-round draft pick and a future second-round draft pick. He ended that season on the NBA's All-Rookie second team. During the 2003-04 season, he was traded yet again, this time by Orlando to the Utah Jazz for DeShawn Stevenson and a future second-round draft pick. With Utah, his main role was that of a shooting threat off the bench; he was also a part-time starter. He had also emerged as a competent defender. He was traded from the Jazz to the Philadelphia 76ers on December 26, 2007 for Kyle Korver and a future first-round draft pick from the Jazz, after a falling-out with coach Jerry Sloan. Giriček had been having issues with Sloan for a few games. Against the Charlotte Bobcats, Giriček made a bad pass and was pulled from the game. The player and coach got in an argument which escalated to the point of Sloan sending Giriček to the locker room. He was later sent back to Salt Lake City, and did not participate in the games against the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat.On February 29, 2008, he was waived by the 76ers. He spent barely two months at the club, appearing in 12 games. On March 4, the Phoenix Suns signed Giriček for the remainder of the season. In August 2008, 31-year-old Giriček left the NBA and returned to Europe. He signed a 2-year €4 million euros net income contract with the Turkish Euroleague club Fenerbahçe. Giriček has been a member of the Croatian national basketball team. With Croatia, he played at 5 consecutive European Championships: the 1997 European Championship, 1999 European Championship, 2001 European Championship, 2003 European Championship, and the 2005 European Championship.