Alex Len
Len before a game in 2012
|
|
| No. 21 – Phoenix Suns | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
June 16, 1993 Antratsyt, Ukraine |
| Nationality | Ukrainian |
| Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Dnipropetrovsk Higher College (Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine) |
| College | Maryland (2011–2013) |
| NBA draft | 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Playing career | 2010–present |
| Career history | |
| 2010–2011 | Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk |
| 2013–present | Phoenix Suns |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Oleksiy "Alex" Len (Ukrainian: Олексій Лень; born June 16, 1993) is a Ukrainian professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before being drafted, he played two seasons for the Maryland Terrapins of the Atlantic Coast Conference, as well as a season with BC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in his home nation's top professional basketball league.
Len was born in Antratsyt, Luhansk, Ukraine to a mother named Yulia, who ran track early in her life. Growing up, Len participated in gymnastics and liked watching Jackie Chan films. As a young gymnast, Len was trained by Alexei Stepanenko, who had also trained Olympic gold medalist Ihor Korobchynskyi. He started playing basketball at the age of 13 and later attended Dnipropetrovsk Higher College in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. He played for the Ukraine national team at the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship and the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where during the 2010 tournament, he was the fourth best overall scorer, second best rebounder, and the best shot blocker. Following the tournament, Len joined BC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague for the 2010–11 season.
He was the recipient of an athletic scholarship from the University of Maryland coach Gary Williams, but Williams resigned after the 2010-11 season, leading to Mark Turgeon to take his place. While Williams began recruiting Len, it was Turgeon who eventually lured him to Maryland. Len underachieved in his freshman year, averaging 6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.1 BPG, but showed lottery pick potential after serving a ten game suspension at the beginning of the year due to NCAA amateurism issues resulting from his play with BC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, a European club team from his home nation.
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