Goga Bitadze ( ka, გოგა ბითაძე; born 20 July 1999) is a Georgian professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player for the

Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA). Listed at and , he plays the center position. He was drafted 18th overall by the

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

in the

2019 NBA draft The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible p ...

. Born in

Sagarejo Sagarejo ( ka, საგარეჯო) is a town in Kakheti, Georgia (country), Georgia. It is situated east of Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, and has the population of 10,359 (2023 census). It serves as an administrative center of Sagarejo distr ...

, Bitadze started playing basketball professionally with VITA Tbilisi in the

VTB United League The VTB United League () is an international professional men's club basketball league that was founded in 2009. It is made up of mostly Russian clubs, along with one each from Belarus and Kazakhstan. Since 2013, it is the first tier of Russian ...

. In 2015, he moved to Serbian club Mega Basket and was loaned to

Serbian League The Serbian League () is the third level football league in Serbia. It consists of four groups, namely Belgrade, East, Vojvodina, and West. The winner of each group earns promotion to the Serbian First League. History 1992–1995 In the summer o ...

team Smederevo 1953 in the following year. Upon his return to Mega in 2017–18, Bitadze was named

most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...

(MVP) of the Junior ABA League and became a key player for the senior team. At the end of 2018, he was loaned to Budućnost in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

and was named EuroLeague Rising Star for the 2018–19 season. Bitadze is a member of the Georgian national basketball team. He was named to the national team at

EuroBasket 2017 EuroBasket 2017 was the 40th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe and held between 31 August and 17 September 2017. Beginning from 2017, the continental championships take place every four years with a similar ...

and made his debut at FIBA World Cup qualifiers in 2017. Previously, Bitadze represented Georgia at the junior level in

FIBA The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French language, French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the Basketball equipment ...

competition.

Early life and career

Bitadze was born in

, a town in eastern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. His father was a professional basketball player whose career was cut short by injury. Although Bitadze did not watch basketball in his childhood, he started playing the game when he was six years old, because he saw himself as "active and tall." As he became more involved in basketball, he began idolizing Georgian players

Zaza Pachulia Zaza Pachulia ( ka, ზაზა ფაჩულია; born Zaur Pachulia; 10 February 1984) is a Georgian professional basketball executive and former player who is a basketball operations consultant for the Golden State Warriors of the Nati ...

and

Tornike Shengelia Tornike "Toko" Shengelia ( ka, თორნიკე შენგელია; born 5 October 1991) is a Georgian professional basketball player for Virtus Bologna of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. Shengelia also represe ...

, as well as NBA stars

Pau Gasol Pau Gasol Sáez (, ; born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish former professional basketball player. He was a six-time NBA All-Star Game, NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA team selection, twice on the second team and twice on the third team. Gasol ...

and

Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...

. On 31 May 2013, Bitadze scored 17 points to help his school team

Hyundai Hyundai is a former South Korean industrial conglomerate ("''chaebol''"), which was restructured into the following groups: * Hyundai Group, parts of the former conglomerate which have not been divested ** Hyundai Asan, a real estate construction ...

win the national under-14 championship over Gori. He also played in the Georgian under-16 league for three years. In 2014–15, his final season with Hyundai at the under-16 level, Bitadze averaged 23.1 points, 16.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.8 blocks per game. Through his early career, Bitadze trained in the junior ranks of Georgian club VITA Tbilisi.

Professional career

VITA Tbilisi (2015–2016)

In the 2015–16 season, Bitadze played professionally for VITA Tbilisi in the

. He made his debut at age 16 and consequently became the youngest player in league history. Through six games, Bitadze averaged 2.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game.

Mega Basket (2015–2019)

Junior success and Smederevo loan (2015–2017)

On 2 December 2015, Bitadze signed with Mega Basket of the

Basketball League of Serbia The Basketball League of Serbia (), commonly abbreviated as KLS, is a Serbian basketball league system, top-tier men's professional basketball Sports league, league in Serbia. Founded in 2006. It is currently not run by the Basketball Federation o ...

(KLS) and

ABA League The ABA League, renamed the ABA League First Division in 2017, is the top-tier regional men's professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedoni ...

. Bitadze was drawn to the club because it had produced many NBA players like

Nikola Jokić Nikola Jokić ( ; sr-Cyrl, Никола Јокић ; born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a Center (basketball), center for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the ...

and

Ivica Zubac Ivica Zubac ( ; ; born 18 March 1997) is a Croatian professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Croatian national basketball team. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in ...

, and he thought the Serbian league was "well run." He described the move, "It was hard for me for a couple of months. I was really frustrated, far away from my family and far away from my friends. It was hard, but then slowly I got used to it... you have to sacrifice in order to achieve something big and get something even bigger." In December 2015, Bitadze averaged 7.8 points and 4 rebounds per game to help Mega's junior team win the Torneo Città di Roma and qualify for the 2015–16 Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). In three games at the ANGT, he averaged 4.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. For the 2016–17 season, Bitadze was loaned to Serbian club Smederevo 1953, which competed in the KLS. Through 19 games, he averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Bitadze debuted on 8 October 2016, recording 5 points and 4 rebounds in a 75–71 loss to Borac Čačak. On 29 October versus Napredak Kruševac, he scored a season-high 18 points, a mark he would match three more times in the season. Bitadze recorded his first

double-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the ter ...

on 1 April 2017 against Dunav Stari Banovci, with 18 points and 11 rebounds. In addition, he assumed a leading role for the Mega Basket junior team at the 2016–17 ANGT. Bitadze averaged 17.7 points per game and led the tournament with 10 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per contest, en route to making the All-Tournament Team.

Rise to stardom (2017–2018)

He returned to Mega entering the 2017–18 season and mainly played with the senior team. Through 22 games in the ABA League, Bitadze averaged 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, and through 12 games in the KLS, he averaged 15.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He debuted on 1 October 2017, recording 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks in a 95–88 win over Cibona. In January 2018, Bitadze briefly played for Mega's junior team and helped capture the Junior ABA League championship. After averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds in the final tournament, he was named league MVP and earned Ideal Five recognition. On 20 January, Bitadze scored 23 points versus

Cedevita Cedevita d.o.o. is a Croatian company which produces a wide range of teas, instant drinks, and dietetic products. A notable owner of the company was the Croatian pharmaceutical company Pliva d.d. Since 2001 Cedevita has been part of the Atlan ...

, his season-high mark in the ABA League. He declared for the

2018 NBA draft The 2018 NBA Draft was held on June 21, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including internationa ...

on 12 April and was considered a possible second-round pick. Bitadze recorded 19 points and season bests of 15 rebounds and 6 blocks on 24 April, in a 92–90 loss to Mladost Zemun in the KLS. On 30 May, he had his best scoring effort of the season, posting 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting in an 83–61 victory over

Vršac Vršac ( sr-Cyrl, Вршац, ) is a city in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the city urban area had a population of 31,946, while the city administrative area had 45,462 inhabitants. It is located in the geographical ...

in KLS play. Bitadze withdrew from the 2018 NBA draft on 11 June, less than two weeks from draft night. To start the 2018–19 season, he continued playing for Mega. In an exhibition game versus

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

team

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

on 11 August 2018, Bitadze suffered an injury towards the end of the first half and did not return. On 30 September, in his ABA League season debut, he chipped in 24 points and 12 rebounds in an 80–79 win over Igokea. On 30 October, two days after recording 26 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks against Mornar Bar, Bitadze was named monthly MVP in the ABA League. In his following appearance on 3 November, he scored a season-high 28 points, shooting 10-of-11 from the field, while posting 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in an 81–74 loss to Partizan. On 24 November, Bitadze scored 28 points again, leading his team to an 82–80 victory over Cibona. Through 11 games for Mega, all of which were in the ABA League, he averaged 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.

Budućnost loan (2018–2019)

On 20 December 2018, Bitadze was loaned to Montenegrin club Budućnost, which at the time competed in top-tier continental

EuroLeague The EuroLeague is a European men's professional basketball club competition. The league is widely recognised as the top-tier and the most prestigious men's basketball league in Europe. The league consists of 20 teams, of which 16 are given lon ...

. He joined the team for the remainder of the season. Reflecting on the transition to his new club, Bitadze said, "It was not an easy situation, especially the first couple of days. I mean, it is still hard now to get used to things. But my teammates and coaches helped me." In his first game for Budućnost, on 24 December, he recorded 12 points and 4 rebounds versus Krka in the ABA League. Four days later, Bitadze made his EuroLeague debut, chipping in 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks in a 93–88 loss to

Bayern Munich Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), commonly known as Bayern Munich (), FC Bayern () or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. They are most known for their men's professional football team, ...

. On 3 January 2019, he had another strong EuroLeague performance, posting 23 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks off the bench in a 111–94 defeat to

Olimpia Milano Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano, commonly known as Olimpia Milano or as EA7 Emporio Armani Milan after its title sponsor, is an LBA Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy. Its colors are white and red, and the team is sometimes ...

. Over 13 EuroLeague games, Bitadze averaged 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game and claimed EuroLeague Rising Star honors as the best under-22 player in the EuroLeague. After Budućnost failed to qualify to the Playoffs of the EuroLeague, Bitadze returned to Mega for the rest of the season.

Indiana Pacers (2019–2023)

On 20 April 2019, Bitadze declared for the

, for which he was considered a possible

lottery A lottery (or lotto) is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find som ...

pick. On 19 June, during media availability for the draft, Bitadze appeared in a viral photo that showed him being ignored by reporters, who instead surrounded

Zion Williamson Zion Lateef Williamson (born July 6, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward position. Following a freshman-year stint with the D ...

, the eventual first overall pick, in the background. A number of NBA players, including

Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. ( or , born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player who is currently the co-owner of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association. He is also currently the host of the American a ...

and

Draymond Green Draymond Jamal Green (born March 4, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Green, who plays primarily at the Power forward (basketball), power forward pos ...

, suggested he use the photo as motivation. He was drafted by the

with the 18th pick overall in the

. On 15 July 2019, the Pacers announced that they had signed Bitadze. On 28 October 2019, Bitadze made his NBA debut, coming off the bench in a 110–99 loss to the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

with two points and a rebound. On 9 February 2023, Bitadze was waived by the Pacers after three-and-a-half seasons.

Orlando Magic (2023–present)

On 13 February 2023, Bitadze signed with the

. On 6 July 2024, he re-signed with the Magic.

National team career

Junior national team

Bitadze played for the Georgian national under-17 team at the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship Division B, averaging 14.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game en route to a fifth-place finish. He had his best scoring display in the tournament on 13 August 2015, posting 24 points and 11 rebounds in an 80–66 loss to Sweden. At the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship Division B, Bitadze averaged 11.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game for the Georgian under-18 team. On 6 August 2016, he recorded tournament-best marks of 23 points and 9 blocks while grabbing 13 rebounds in a 103–101 win over Bulgaria. Bitadze returned to national team play in 2017, averaging 10.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game at the

FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship The FIBA U20 EuroBasket is the new name for the FIBA U20 European Championship, originally known as the European Championship for Men '22 and Under'. It is a men's youth basketball competition that was inaugurated with the 1992 edition. Through ...

Division B.

Senior national team

Bitadze was first named to the Georgian senior national team at

, but a calf ligament injury forced him to sit out of the entire competition. Regardless, he "learned a lot on and off the court" by observing his veteran teammates, including

and Giorgi Shermadini. On 24 November 2017, Bitadze debuted for the senior national team versus

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

during

qualification Qualification may refer to: Processes * Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS), a competitive contract procurement process established by the United States Congress * Process qualification, ensures that manufacturing and production processes can ...

for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, scoring 4 points in 17 minutes.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

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, 45 , , 3 , , 12.5 , , .428 , , .253 , , .738 , , 3.3 , , .8 , , .2 , , 1.3 , , 5.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 50 , , 16 , , 14.6 , , .520 , , .288 , , .681 , , 3.5 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , .8 , , 7.0 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2, , style="text-align:left;",

, 21 , , 0 , , 9.6 , , .519 , , .286 , , .458 , , 2.3 , , .9 , , .4 , , .5 , , 3.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

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, 17 , , 1 , , 15.0 , , .575 , , .167 , , .667 , , 5.2 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , .9 , , 5.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 62 , , 33 , , 15.4 , , .603 , , .143 , , .655 , , 4.6 , , 1.3 , , .5 , , 1.2 , , 5.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 70 , , 42 , , 20.4 , , .611 , , .107 , , .639 , , 6.6 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , 1.4 , , 7.2 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 319 , , 97 , , 14.4 , , .541 , , .230 , , .662 , , 4.1 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 1.1 , , 5.4

Playoffs

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, 2 , , 0 , , 4.9 , , .000 , , , , , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 2 , , 0 , , 4.9 , , .000 , , , , , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0

EuroLeague

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2018–19 , style="text-align:left;", Budućnost , 13 , , 4 , , 24.2 , , .548 , , .313 , , .714 , , 6.4 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 2.3 , , 12.1 , , 16.3 , - , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 13 , , 4 , , 24.2 , , .548 , , .313 , , .714 , , 6.4 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 2.3 , , 12.1 , , 16.3