John Konchar

John "Jitty" Konchar (Serbian Cyrillic: Џон Кончар; born March 22, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons.

John "Jitty" Konchar
Konchar (left) with Purdue Fort Wayne in 2019
No. 46 – Memphis Grizzlies
PositionShooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1996-03-22) March 22, 1996
West Chicago, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolWest Chicago
(West Chicago, Illinois)
CollegePurdue Fort Wayne (2015–2019)
NBA draft2019 / Undrafted
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–presentMemphis Grizzlies
2019–present→Memphis Hustle
Career highlights and awards
  • 4× First-team All-Summit League (2016–2019)
  • Summit League All-Newcomer Team (2016)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

High school career

Konchar played basketball for West Chicago High School in West Chicago, Illinois. In his junior season, he averaged 19.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and two steals, leading his team in most statistical categories, as they finished with a 5–22 record.[1] On February 27, 2014, as a senior, Konchar posted 45 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks in an 89–82 win over St. Charles North High School. With the performance, he became his school's all-time leading scorer, surpassing his head coach and 1983 graduate Bill Recchia.[2] Konchar averaged 28.9 points, 14.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.2 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game in his senior season, earning All-Area MVP honors.[3]

Despite his high school success, he was lightly recruited, with his only NCAA Division I scholarship offer coming from Chicago State.[3] A Notre Dame assistant coach convinced Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), then a joint campus of the Indiana University (IU) and Purdue University systems, to offer him a basketball scholarship.[4] On April 25, 2015, he committed to IPFW.[5]

College career

During Konchar's college career, his basketball team represented two different universities and used three different athletic identities. In his freshman season, the school's athletic program was known as the IPFW Mastodons. Between his freshman and sophomore seasons, IPFW changed its athletic branding to Fort Wayne Mastodons.[6] After his sophomore season, the IU and Purdue systems agreed to dissolve IPFW effective June 30, 2018. IPFW's degree programs in health sciences would transfer to the new Indiana University Fort Wayne, while all other IPFW degree programs, plus the IPFW athletic department, would become part of the new Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW).[7] Shortly before the split became official, the athletic department announced that it would henceforth be known as the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons.[8]

On March 10, 2019, Konchar recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 96–70 victory over South Dakota in the 2019 Summit League Tournament. It was the first triple-double in tournament history.[9] As a senior for Purdue Fort Wayne, Konchar averaged 19.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and two steals per game, earning first-team All-Summit League honors for his fourth consecutive season. He compiled 2,065 career points and left as the program's all-time leading scorer.[10] At the end of the season, Tom Henry, mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana, proclaimed March 28 as "John Konchar Day."[11]

Professional career

Memphis Grizzlies (2019–present)

After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Konchar signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.[12] Konchar made his NBA debut on November 9, 2019 against the Dallas Mavericks.[13] He suffered a calf strain on November 15 and missed several weeks.[14] He missed a game against the Santa Cruz Warriors on January 13, 2020, with concussion protocol.[15] On November 22, 2020, the Memphis Grizzlies announced that they had re-signed Konchar to multi-year contract.[16]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019–20 Memphis 1909.5.649.500.5002.51.2.4.22.8
Career 1909.5.649.500.5002.51.2.4.22.8

See also

References
  1. Narang, Bob (July 1, 2013). "West Chicago program making positive strides". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  2. Oberhelman, Dave (February 27, 2014). "Konchar's 45 lifts West Chicago over St. Charles North". Daily Herald. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  3. Schmid, Scott (March 21, 2014). "All-area MVP John Konchar posts jaw-dropping numbers". Suburban Life Media. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  4. Noie, Tom (December 5, 2016). "Notre Dame knows well of John Konchar's hoops He is the highest scorer in west chicago historyskills". Notre Dame Insider. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  5. "John Konchar - Basketball Recruiting". ESPN. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  6. "Introducing the Fort Wayne Mastodons" (Press release). Fort Wayne Athletics. August 8, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  7. Wright, Darrin (June 16, 2017). "Indiana, Purdue trustees officially finalize IPFW split". Fort Wayne, IN: WOWO. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  8. "Purdue Fort Wayne Branding Released" (Press release). Purdue University Fort Wayne. June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  9. Hoeck, Jeremy (March 10, 2019). "Konchar's Triple-Double Propels 'Dons Past USD". Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  10. "John Konchar - 2018-19". Purdue University Fort Wayne. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  11. Henry, Tom; Konchar, John (March 28, 2019). "John Konchar Day Declared In Fort Wayne". Purdue University Fort Wayne. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  12. "The @memgrizz have signed John Konchar to a two-way contract. Press release below". Grizzlies PR on Twitter. July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  13. Wade, Don (November 9, 2019). "As Ja Morant sits, Dallas Mavericks roll". Daily Memphian. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  14. "Grizzlies' John Konchar: Remains sidelined with calf injury". CBS Sports. December 4, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  15. "Grizzlies' John Konchar: May have concussion". CBS Sports. January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  16. "Grizzlies re-sign John Konchar to multi-year contract". NBA.com. November 22, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
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