August 23, 2005
Potapenko
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SEATTLE - Sonics General Manager Rick Sund announced today that the Seattle SuperSonics re-signed
Vitaly Potapenko. As per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
"In his three years with the Sonics, Vitaly has given us a tough, physical presence in the middle along with the ability to score," said Sund. "We’re excited Vitaly will be in a Sonics uniform again because he also gives us solid veteran experience."
Last season, his ninth in the NBA, Potapenko appeared in 33 games. He shot 51.7 percent from the floor and 87.1 percent from the foul line, both marks career highs. The 6-10, 285-pound center missed the first six weeks of the season due to a fractured fourth metacarpal in his right hand.
Potapenko was originally acquired by the Sonics from the Boston Celtics on July 22, 2002. He has appeared in 124 games over three seasons in Seattle, starting 42. He started in 39 games during the 2003-04 season, when he averaged 7.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
In 574 NBA games, the Ukraine native holds career averages of 6.8 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game.
2004-05 Potapenko Gallery