Player Bio

Oleksiy "Alex" Len was born in 1993 in Antratsit, Ukraine. Antratsit is in Eastern Ukraine, located in the southern part of the Luhansk Oblast. His mother is Iuliia Len and is a former track athlete. Alex has one sister named Anna. Len speaks Ukranian, Russian and English. The big center majored in Family Sciences at the University of Maryland. Len didn't start playing basketball until he was 13 years old, when he attended Dnipropetrovsk Higher College in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. Before that he performed gymnastics. Len enjoys swimming and playing chess. In 2015, Len and his mother Iuliia created the Len-d A Hand Foundation to assist youth in Phoenix and the Ukraine. Fans can follow Len on Twitter @alexlen. Alex Len played two years of collegiate ball at the University of Maryland from 2011 to 2013. His freshman season (2011-12) started late due to amateur status issues stemming from his time with BC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukraine. During his first year as a Terp, the 7-foot-1 center posted 6.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks over 21.2 minutes per game. He appeared in 22 contests with 11 starts. Len's sophomore season (2012-13) started with a bang when on Nov. 9 Len delivered 23 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the season opener versus Nerlens Noel's Kentucky Wildcats. When the season ended, Len was named to the 2012-13 All ACC Defense Team. He led the ACC in total blocks (78) and was second in offensive rebounds (109). In addition, the Antratsyt, Ukraine native was fourth in the ACC in total rebounds (298) and fifth in defensive rebounds (189). He led Maryland in total rebounds (7.8), free throws (2.8) and blocks (2.1) per game. Len then filed for the 2013 NBA Draft after his sophomore season.