Ronny Turiaf
2362083
226169263
2008-07-17T03:35:10Z
76.240.85.103
/* Offseason */
{{Infobox NBA Player
| name = Ronny Turiaf
| nickname =
| image = Ronny-Turiaf_03-23-08.jpg
| caption = Ronny Turiaf lining up for a free throw
| position = [[Power forward (basketball)|Power Forward]]
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 249
| number = 21
| league = [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]
| team = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] <ref>restricted free agent</ref>
| nationality = {{FRA}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|1|13}}
| birth_place = [[Le Robert]], [[Martinique]]
| highschool =
| college = [[Gonzaga University|Gonzaga]]
| draft = 2nd round, 37th overall
| draft_year = 2005
| draft_team = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| career_start = 2006
| former_teams = [[Yakama Sun Kings]]
| awards = 2005 [[West Coast Conference|WCC]] Player of the Year
}}
'''Ronny Turiaf''' (born [[January 13]], [[1983]] in [[Le Robert]], [[Martinique]]) is a [[France|French]] [[basketball]] player for the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]. He also plays as a member of the [[France national basketball team|French national basketball team]]. Turiaf is most notably known for his aggressive play and his dance routines at the sidelines used to support and invigorate his teammates. Due to his personality, he is often referred to as the Lakers' best cheerleader, though he admits he does not like the title.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wikio.com/sports/basketball/nba/nba_players/ronny_turiaf?wfid=49832963 | title = This is Not a Cheerleader | work = [http://wikio.com/ Wikio.com] | year = 2008 | accessdate = 2008-03-24}}</ref>
==Biography==
===Early life===
Turiaf spent most of his childhood in [[Martinique]], a French oversea department in the [[Caribbean Sea]]. Following the advice from his father, Turiaf moved to [[Paris]] in 1998, at the age of 15, to attend the National Institute of Physical Education ([http://www.insep.fr/ Insep]), a school that combines rigorous secondary education with elite-level athletic training.<ref name=nbabio/>
In 1999, he made the French Under-18 national team, and in 2000, he helped lead the team to the European title with future NBA stars [[Tony Parker]], [[Boris Diaw]], and [[Mickaël Piétrus]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/071124_ronnyturiaf_warrior.html | title = RONNY TURIAF: A Multicultural Warrior | work = [http://nba.com/ NBA.com] | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2008-03-27}}</ref>
===College years===
In 2001, Turiaf left France after accepting an offer to attend [[Gonzaga University]] in [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]], [[Washington]], where he played for four years. In his last three years at Gonzaga, he was named First Team All-[[West Coast Conference|WCC]].<ref name=nbabio/> Additionally, in his senior year (2004-2005), he was named as the conference's Player of the Year.<ref name=nbabio/> He ended his college career as the fourth all-time leader in scoring and rebounding in school history, with 1,723 points and 859 rebounds, respectively.<ref name=nbabio/> He averaged 13.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game through his college years at Gonzaga, but led the WCC averaging 15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game as a senior.<ref name=nbabio/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/lakers/roster/0607_21turiaf.html | title = #21 Ronny Turiaf | work = [http://nba.com/ NBA.com] |year = 2007 | accessdate = 2008-03-27}}</ref> He graduated from Gonzaga with a degree in sports management and communication.<ref name=nbabio/>
===2005-2006 season===
====Open-heart surgery====
[[Image:Ronny-Turiaf 03-23-08 2.jpg|thumb|200px|Ronny Turiaf layup]]
Ronny Turiaf was the 37th overall pick in the [[2005 NBA Draft]] to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], signing a two-year, $1 million contract. After a physical exam conducted by the Lakers just four weeks after the draft, team doctor, John Moe, found an enlarged [[aortic root]] in Turiaf's heart. After multiple examinations by other physicians, the Lakers decided that the problem, which was cleared by doctors in both France and the NBA's pre-Draft camp, was serious enough to require surgery. The Lakers were forced to void Turiaf's contract but retained his rights in case he was cleared to play again after the surgery. In addition, the team paid for all the expenses from the surgery. Turiaf underwent the six-hour open-heart surgery on [[July 26]] [[2005]]. His expected recovery time was between six and twelve months.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.spokesmanreview.com/local/story.asp?ID=81378 | title = Turiaf needs heart surgery | work = [http://spokesmanreview.com/ SpokesmanReview.com] | year = 2005 | accessdate = 2008-03-27}}</ref>
As part of his rehabilitation, Turiaf signed with the [[Continental Basketball Association]]'s [[Yakama Sun Kings]], a team that drafted him with their 36th pick in the 2005 CBA draft.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.insidehoops.com/cba-draft.shtml | title = CBA Draft | work = [http://insidehoops.com/ InsideHoops.com] | year = 2005 | accessdate = 2008-03-27}}</ref> He played 9 games with the Sun Kings, averaging 13 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Turiaf recovered from his surgery quicker than expected and was therefore re-signed with the Lakers on January 17, 2006, less than six months after his surgery. In order to make room on the team's 15-man roster, the Lakers waived guard [[Laron Profit]] after his season-ending injury.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2296001 | title = Six months after heart surgery, Turiaf joins Lakers | work = [http://espn.go.com/ ESPN.com] | year = 2006 | accessdate = 2008-03-27}}</ref>
===2006-2007 season===
On [[November 1]], [[2006]], the second game of the season, Ronny Turiaf scored career highs in almost every category against the [[Golden State Warriors]], including 8/10 shooting with 23 points.
===2007-2008 season===
Ronny Turiaf has received valuable playing time due to the many Laker injuries during the [[2007-08 NBA season|2007-08 season]]. He was in the starting line-up at the beginning of the season as a forward alongside [[Lamar Odom]], but after spraining his left ankle during practice on [[November 15]], [[2007]], Turiaf missed two games of his own while his starts became limited.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2007/11/15/turiaf-injured-in-practice/ | title = Turiaf Injured in Practice | work = [http://my.lakers.com/blogs Lakers.com Basketblog] | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2008-03-30}}</ref> However, after [[Pau Gasol]] sprained his ankle on [[March 14]] [[2008]] in [[New Orleans Hornets|New Orleans]], Ronny took over as the starting center for nine games until Gasol returned on [[April 2]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2008/03/14/pau-ankle-injury/ | title = Pau Ankle Injury | work = [http://my.lakers.com/blogs Lakers.com Basketblog] | year = 2008 | accessdate = 2008-03-30}}</ref> In that nine game span, Turiaf's stats jumped to over 30 minutes per game with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Yet the Lakers went 5–4 during those nine games, including back-to-back losses at home against the [[Charlotte Bobcats]] and the [[Memphis Grizzlies]], two of the league's worst teams.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/games/20080328/MEMLAL/recap.html | title = Bryant Scores Just Six of His 53 in Final Quarter | work = [http://nba.com/ NBA.com] | year = 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-13}}</ref>
====Offseason====
On [[July 9]], [[2008]], Ronny Turiaf agreed to a four-year, $17 million contract offer from the Golden State Warriors. According to [[Free agent|free agency]] rules, his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, has seven days to match that offer.
== NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
==== Regular season ====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]]
| align="left" | [[Los Angeles Lakers|Los Angeles]]
| 23 || 1 || 7.0 || .500 || .000 || .556 || 1.6 || .3 || .1 || .4 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | [[2006–07 NBA season|2006–07]]
| align="left" | [[Los Angeles Lakers|Los Angeles]]
| 72 || 1 || 15.1 || '''.549''' || .000 || .664 || 3.6 || .9 || .2 || 1.1 || 5.3
|-
| align="left" | [[2007–08 NBA season|2007–08]]
| align="left" | [[Los Angeles Lakers|Los Angeles]]
| '''78''' || '''21''' || '''18.7''' || .474 || .000 || '''.753''' || '''3.9''' || '''1.6''' || '''.4''' || '''1.4''' || '''6.6'''
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 173 || 23 || 18.6 || .504 || .000 || .703 || 3.5 || 1.2 || .3 || 1.1 || 5.5
{{end box}}
==== Playoffs ====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]]
| align="left" | [[Los Angeles Lakers|Los Angeles]]
| 3 || 0 || 4.3 || '''.600''' || .000 || '''.843''' || 2.3 || .0 || .0 || .3 || 3.7
|-
| align="left" | [[2006–07 NBA season|2006–07]]
| align="left" | [[Los Angeles Lakers|Los Angeles]]
| 4 || 0 || '''12.0''' || .327 || .000 || .700 || '''3.0''' || '''.3''' || '''.5''' || .2 || '''4.3'''
|-
| align="left" | [[2007–08 NBA season|2007–08]]
| align="left" | [[Los Angeles Lakers|Los Angeles]]
| '''19''' || 0 || 9.8 || .359 || .000 || .528 || 1.3 || '''.3''' || .1 || '''.9''' || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 26 || 0 || 10.0 || .400 || .000 || .667 || 1.8 || .2 || .2 || .8 || 2.5
{{end box}}
===Career highs===
*Points: '''23''' at [[Golden State Warriors|Warriors]] on [[November 1]] [[2006]]
*FG made: '''8''' on 2 occasions
*FT made: '''8''' at [[Seattle SuperSonics|Sonics]] on [[January 14]] [[2008]]
*Rebounds: '''15''' vs. [[Phoenix Suns|Suns]] on [[April 8]] [[2007]]
*Assists: '''6''' on 3 occasions
*Steals: '''3''' vs. [[Minnesota Timberwolves|Timberwolves]] on [[November 9]], 2007
*Blocks: '''5''' on 4 occasions
*Minutes: '''40''' vs. [[Washington Wizards|Wizards]] on [[March 30]], 2008
All stats according to NBA.com.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ronny_turiaf/career_stats.html | title = Ronny Turiaf Career Stats Page | work = [http://nba.com/ NBA.com] | year = 2008 | accessdate = 2008-03-24}}</ref>
==Personal info==
*Speaks five languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian, and Creole (native language)<ref name=nbabio>{{cite web | url = http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ronny_turiaf/bio.html | title = Ronny Turiaf Bio Page | work = [http://nba.com/ NBA.com] | year = 2008 | accessdate = 2008-03-24}}</ref>
*Originally committed to the [[University of Connecticut]] where he planned to major in business<ref name=nbabio/>
*Has three younger sisters: Elodie, Florence and Rachelle<ref name=nbabio/>
*Enjoys playing video games and reading books<ref name=nbabio/>
*Favorite food is fried chicken with ranch dressing<ref name=nbabio/>
*Favorite movies are ''[[Scarface (1983 film)|Scarface]]'' and ''[[Malcolm X (film)|Malcolm X]]''<ref name=nbabio/>
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{NBA-profile}}
*{{basketball-reference}}
*[http://gozags.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/080205aaa.html News item on surgery from official Gonzaga athletics site]
*[http://gozags.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/turiaf_ronny00.html Profile at official Gonzaga athletics site]
{{Persondata
| NAME=Turiaf, Ronny
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
| SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional basketball player
| DATE OF BIRTH=[[January 13]], [[1983]]
| PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Le Robert]], [[Martinique]]
| DATE OF DEATH=
| PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers current roster}}
{{2005 NBA Draft}}
{{France Squad 2006 FIBA World Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turiaf, Ronny}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:French basketball players]]
[[Category:Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers draft picks]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers players]]
[[Category:Martiniquais basketball players]]
[[Category:Power forwards (basketball)]]
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