Fadi El Khatib
No. 15 – Fujian Sturgeons | ||||||||||||||||
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Position | Small forward | |||||||||||||||
League | Chinese Basketball Association | |||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
Born |
[1] Chhim, Lebanon | December 18, 1979|||||||||||||||
Nationality | Lebanese | |||||||||||||||
Listed height | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 223 lb (101 kg) | |||||||||||||||
Career information | ||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1996–present | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Fadi El Khatib (Arabic: فادي الخطيب), born December 18, 1979) is a Lebanese professional basketball player currently playing for Fujian Sturgeons in the Chinese Basketball Association. He was also a main member of the Lebanon national basketball team that participated in the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis in the United States, in the 2006 FIBA World Championship which took place in Japan, and in the 2010 FIBA World Championship held in Turkey. He is one of the best Lebanese basketball players in history.
Professional career
By 1997, Khatib joined Sagesse Beirut, signing a three year contract; which was renewed by 7 more years. During his time along side veteran Elie Mechantaf and Sagesse financing tycoon Antoine Choueiri, El Khatib would go on to win 7 Lebanese Basketball Cups, two Arab Club Championships, and three FIBA Asia Champions Cup titles with Sagesse. El Khatib would then be transferred to Sagesse rivals Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, in which he helped the team to achieve their first ever FIBA Asia Champions Cup in 2011 and thereafter the Lebanese Basketball League title in the 2014/2015 season against Byblos Club.
NBA
After the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, many NBA scouts were impressed by Fadi's shooting range, strength, athletic ability, physical and mental toughness such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets. Despite Lebanon coming dead last that year, Michael Jordan's personal trainer Tim Grover personally invited El Khatib to work out with Michael Jordan,Michael Finley, Ray Allen, Charles Oakley, Sam Mack and Juwan Howard. They were all very impressed and told Fadi he should be in the NBA. Michael Jordan was quoted in the New York Times, "Michael Jordan believes Lebanon's premiere player should be in the NBA." He was also quoted in Time Magazine that "Fadi El Khatib may be the strongest player at the moment we just need to see him play in the NBA against players like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan... and I'm sure he'll impress us big time. I personally see that he may even be able to achieve results against me (laughs)". Khatib would later go on to receive two NBA offers including a 10 day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2003, which was later rejected after the club recognized that Fadi was still under contract with Lebanese club Hekmeh BC. It was then reported in the summer of 2012 that Fadi was invited by Joe Dumars to join the Detroit Pistons on a possible guaranteed contract in the coming season. However a few days later Fadi rejected the offer due to family commitments.
National Team
El Khatib started playing with the Lebanese national basketball team in 1999. He helped Lebanon qualify for their first ever FIBA Asia Championship that same year, whereby Lebanon ended up in 7th place. In the 2001, 2005 and 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, El Khatib helped Lebanon reach second place and fourth place in 2003 and 2009. Lebanon would qualify to three World Championship with Fadi El Khatib taking part. Khatib led Lebanon in their hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics via the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament; however, following a pre-tournament injury to Joe Vogel, Khatib conceded that Lebanon did not have the "slightest possibility of winning" against host Greece. In the period of time he spent with the national team, Khatib was rated as one of the top 10 highest scorers in the two world championships Lebanon had competed in including 10th in 2002, 8th in 2006 and top 20 in 2010 coming in at 11th.
Awards and achievements
- 1999 McDonald's Championship Best Rookie (Sagesse Club)
- Lebanese Cup Winner -95,97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03.
- Lebanese Cup Finalist -04, 06, 07.
- Lebanese Basketball League Champion -98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 09, 12,15
- Lebanese Basketball League Runner-up -06, 07, 10.
- Lebanese Basketball League Best Domestic Player -06, 09, 10
- Lebanese Basketball League All Tournament Team -04, 06, 07, 10.
- Lebanese Basketball League Player of the year-01, 02, 03, 04.
- 2006-2007 Lebanese Basketball League Forward of the year.
- 2009-2010 Lebanese Basketball League 1st Top Scorer averaging 29.6 ppg.
- 4th King Abdullah Basketball Cup 2005 with the Lebanese national team
- Arab Cup Champion -98, 99
- FIBA Asia Champions Cup-1999(1), 2000(1),2004-(1), 2011(1).
- Ouagadoudou Championship -19
- Lebanon Military National Team -00
- West Asian Championship 1st place -00,01
- West Asia MVP -2001,2002
- Syrian League Regular Season Champion -05
- FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2005 All Tournament 1st Team.
- Most Valuable Player: 2005 FIBA Asia Champions Cup (Sagesse Club)
- Most Valuable Player: 2011 FIBA Asia Champions Cup (Al Riyadi)
- 2001 ABC Championship-Silver Medalist.
- 2001 ABC Championship-All Tournament 1st Team.
- 2005 FIBA Asia Championship-Silver Medalist.
- 2005 FIBA Asia Championship-Best Forward.
- 2005 FIBA Asia Championship-All Tournament 1st Team.
- 2007 FIBA Asia Championship 2nd Top averaging 27.3 ppg.
- 2007 FIBA Asia Championship-Silver Medalist.
- 2010 FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup- Gold Medalist
- 2010 Arab Club Championship-All Tournament 1st Team.
- 2010 Arab Club Championship-Best Domestic Player.
- 2010 Arab Club Championship- Gold Medalist.
- Efes Pilsen World Cup 9-Bronze Medalist
- Won the Lebanese League 2015.
References
- ↑ "Fadi El-Khatib, Lebanon". Player Profiles. Interbasket. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
External links
- Player profile at www.InterBasket.net
- Player profile at www.Asia-Basket.com (subscription required)
- Ya Libnan: Lebanon rolls into Basketball Championship Semifinals, 15 September, 2005
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