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Background

2005-2006:
Appeared in all four playoff games in the first round series against the Dallas Mavericks, including three starts • Set playoff career-highs in points (11) and assists (2) in Game 1 of the series • During the regular season, had 10 games with 10+ points, six games with 10+ rebounds and five double-doubles • Led the team in scoring four times, rebounds six times and blocks 11 times • Made 19 starts, and the Grizzlies went 13-6 in those games • Averaged season-highs of 9.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in March while shooting 67.0% from the field, and from Mar. 8-14, had three-doubles in four games: 17 points and 15 rebounds on Mar. 8/06 at Seattle, 17 points and 12 rebounds on Mar. 12/06 vs. Philadelphia, and season-highs of 19 points and 16 rebounds on Mar. 14/06 vs. Boston • Made his first start of the season on Feb. 24/06 vs. San Antonio and had seven points and seven rebounds • Had his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds on Feb. 10/06 at L.A. Clippers • Missed six games with a sprained left thumb from Mar. 23-31/06.

2004-2005:
Scored in double figures once, and led the team in blocks seven times. Appeared in 31 games with one start, averaging 2.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.52 blocks in 9.0 minutes per game. Scored a season-high 10 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the field on February 23 at Washington. Missed five games from February 8 through February 16 due to a neck sprain. Grabbed a season-high seven rebounds on November 24 versus Seattle. Had two blocks in just five minutes on November 17 @ Portland. Scored two points and pulled down three rebounds in the season opener on November 3 vs. Washington

2003-2004:
Played Game 1 of the playoff series vs. San Antonio, scoring two points • Scored 10+ points four times last season • Led the Grizzlies in rebounding once • Had season highs with 15 points and 4 blocks and tied season-high with 9 rebounds on Mar. 29 @ Atlanta • Placed on the injured list on Apr. 13 with a sprained right ankle • Scored his 1,000th career point on Mar. 7 @ Golden State • Made his first start since Nov. 29 on Mar. 6 @ L.A. Clippers in place of the injured Lorenzen Wright and had six points and one rebound • Averaged 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds over two starts on Nov. 10 and Nov. 12 • Made his season debut on Nov. 7 against his former team, the Phoenix Suns, and had four points and three rebounds in six minutes.

2002-2003:
Played in 33 games with 27 starts • Underwent back surgery on Jan. 2 and missed 34 games from Dec. 29 - March 11 with the injury • Also was on the injured list on Dec. 6 and missed five games with a bulging disk, lumbar spine • Scored 10-plus points four times • Led team in blocked shots six times • Started in four of the last seven games after having a DNP-CD in six of the seven games prior • Finished season with seven points and eight rebounds at Seattle on April 16 • Started for first time since March 19 and had 12 points, seven rebounds at Lakers in 38 minutes on April 6 • In first action after return from injury had eight points, seven rebounds as a starter in 29 minutes at Houston on March 16 • In first game off injured list had season-high 13 points (seven in fourth quarter) in 19 minutes vs. Indiana on Dec. 6 • Grabbed season-high 11 rebounds and added six points vs. Denver on Nov. 23.

2001-02:
Played in 67 games with 47 starts and averaged 8.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in 25.6 minutes in starts... Finished season strong, averaging 9.3 points, .484 FG, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 28.2 minutes in 29 games under Frank Johnson... Over his last 11 games averaged 13.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, .550 FG, 1.2 blocks in 31.9 minutes with nine-plus rebounds in five of the 11 games... Scored in double figures in 11 of his last 21 games and nine-plus rebounds in 10 of his last 23 games... Missed eight games on injured list with right hand sprain from Dec. 27 - Jan. 7... Posted first 20-point, 10-rebound game of his career with 20 points, 12 rebounds at Indiana on April 5... Exploded for career-best 23 points and added nine rebounds vs. Cleveland on March 23... Against Shaquille O'Neal had 19 points (8-11 FG), 10 rebounds vs. Lakers on March 27... Posted six double-doubles.

2000-01:
Started 39 games for the Suns at center ... Started all four of the Suns' playoff games, averaging 3.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.8 bpg in 18.8 mpg ... Scored in double-figures seven times during regular season ... Grabbed double-figure rebounds five times during regular season ... Scored 9 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked 5 shots against Detroit on 1/24/01. 2001 PLAYOFFS: Started all four games in 2001 Western Conference first-round playoff series against Sacramento, averaging 3.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Grabbed 11 rebounds in 19 minutes in Game 1 of the series. Added 12 rebounds in Game 4, a playoff career high.

PRE-NBA:
Played four seasons (1996-2000) for AEK of the Greek League... Helped AEK to a third-place finish in the Greek League in 1999-2000 and first place in both the Saporta Cup and the Hellenic Cup... Averaged 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and shot .593 from the field and improved averages in postseason to 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting .571 from the field... Over his career with AEK shot .557 from the field and .600 in the playoffs... Was a teammate at AEK with former NBA players Anthony Bowie, Martin Muursepp, Victor Alexander and Willie Anderson... Joined AEK at age of 16... Was named a member of the Greek National Team on July 7, 1998 and played in the 1999 European Championship.


Personal

Full name is Iakovos Tsakalidis, but is known as Jake • Married Veronica Radchik on Feb. 5, 2001 on the balcony of Jerry Colangelo’s office at America West Arena • He and his wife have a daughter, Victoria • Was born in Rustavi in the Republic of Georgia, a part of the former Soviet Union • Was raised in Georgia until the age of 15 when he moved to Greece • Holds dual citizenship in Georgia and Greece • Began his athletic career as a swimmer and was of Olympic caliber until he switched over to basketball upon his move to Greece • His first visit to the United States was prior to the 2000 NBA Draft • Participates in the Grizzlies Tickets for Kids program.