Michael Wright (basketball)

Michael Wright (January 7, 1980 – November 10, 2015) was an American–Turkish professional basketball player. He also held Turkish citizenship. His Turkish name was Ali Karadeniz.[1][2] He played professional basketball in Poland, Spain, Israel, South Korea, France, Germany, and Turkey. He was murdered in 2015.

Michael Wright
Wright (left) with the 2010 PLK All-Star game MVP award
Personal information
Born(1980-01-07)January 7, 1980
Chicago, Illinois
DiedNovember 10, 2015(2015-11-10) (aged 35)
Closter, New Jersey
NationalityAmerican / Turkish
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight238 lb (108 kg)
Career information
High schoolFarragut Academy
(Chicago, Illinois)
CollegeArizona (1998–2001)
NBA draft2001 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career2001–2015
PositionPower forward
Career history
2001–2002Śląsk Wrocław
2002–2003Granada
2003–2004Hapoel Tel Aviv
2004–2005Alba Berlin
2005–2006Beşiktaş Cola Turka
2006Jeonju KCC Egis
2006–2007Pau Orthez
2007–2009Turk Telekom
2009–2010Turów Zgorzelec
2010–2011Medical Park Trabzonspor
2011–2012Turk Telekom
2012–2014Mersin BB
2015Cholet Basket
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA Americas U18 Championship
1998 Puerto Plata Team competition
FIBA U19 World Cup
1999 Lisbon Team competition

High school career

Wright played his high school basketball at Farragut Academy, where, as a freshman, he was part of one of the best teams in the country, which boasted future professionals Willie Farley and Ronnie Fields, as well as Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Kevin Garnett. At 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in), Wright played center after Garnett's departure, and moved to power forward in college.

College career

At the University of Arizona, Wright started for the Wildcats in the 2001 NCAA Division I championship against the Duke Blue Devils. However, undersized for that position at the pro level, and too slow to be a small forward,he dropped to the second round of the 2001 NBA draft where he was drafted by the New York Knicks.

Professional career

Wright was drafted as the 39th pick in the 2001 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. After not joining the Knicks or any other NBA team, Wright moved overseas and switched teams almost every season.

He started with Polish league champions Śląsk Wrocław, that also participated in the Euroleague, moving to Spain's CB Granada the following year.

After the team was relegated to the LEB (Spain's second division), Wright moved to Israel and signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv. A year later he signed with ALBA Berlin.

In 2005, he moved to Beşiktaş Cola Turka of the Turkish Basketball League. He started the 2006–07 season in South Korea with Jeonju KCC Egis; in October signed with French and Euroleague's EB Pau Orthez.

In May 2007, he moved back to Turkey and signed for Türk Telekom B.K.. In September 2009 he has signed a contract with Turów Zgorzelec from Poland for the 2009–10 season.[3]

In July 2011, he returned to Türk Telekom B.K. for one season with an option for a second one.[4] In the summer of 2012, he signed a contract with Mersin BB.[5]

On February 3, 2015, he signed with Cholet Basket of the French LNB Pro A.[6] After averaging 1.7 points and 2 rebounds in 3 contests, Wright and Cholet parted ways.[7]

Murder

On November 10, 2015, Wright was found dead in his sport utility vehicle in Brooklyn, New York, covered in trash bags in the vehicle's back seat. The medical examiner determined that his death was a homicide.[8][9][10] Two men were charged in his death.[11]

According to a family member interviewed after his death, Wright intended to return to Europe to play another two seasons before retirement.[8]

Two men were charged on November 1, 2016: Mark A. Holdbrooks, 59, and alleged accomplice David Victor, 35, were charged with murder and other offenses after a yearlong investigation. Holdbrooks, Wright's longtime roommate, allegedly reported him missing on November 8, 2015. Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal did not specify a motive or mention how Wright was killed but said he had suffered "head trauma."[12] Later, authorities said Victor and Holdbrooks drugged Wright with gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a date rape drug, and killed him with an ax in Closter, New Jersey, and that Victor then drove Wright's Lexus SUV to Brooklyn, leaving it with his body in it parked on East 16th Street near Avenue J in Midwood.[13][14][15]

References
  1. "Michael Wright got Turkish citizenship".
  2. "Michael Wright become Ali Karadeniz". Salsabasket.blogspot.com. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  3. "Ostatnie wzmocnienia w PGE Turowie". Archived from the original on December 10, 2009.
  4. "Turk Telekom Ankara announces Michael Wright". Sportando.net. July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  5. "Mersin lands Ali Karadeniz". Sportando.net. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  6. "Cholet lands Michael Wright". Sportando.com. February 3, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  7. "Michael Wright leaves Cholet".
  8. DeLessio, Joe (November 12, 2015). "Police Treating Former Knicks Draft Pick's Death As a Homicide". New York Magazine. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  9. "Arizona basketball: Ex-Wildcat Michael Wright dead at 35". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  10. "Former Farragut star Michael Wright, 35, found dead in Brooklyn". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  11. "Two charged in slaying of ex-Arizona F Wright". ESPN.com. November 3, 2016.
  12. "Michael Wright: Arrests Made in Death of Former NBA Prospect". PEOPLE.com.
  13. Nobile, Tom. "Bergen County Prosecutor's Office barred from murder trial involving slain Knicks draft pick". North Jersey Media Group.
  14. NJ.com, Myles Ma | NJ Advance Media for (November 28, 2016). "Mysterious ax death of ex-Knicks pick ended long career". nj.
  15. "2 Charged In 2015 Murder Of Former Knicks Draft Pick Michael Wright". November 3, 2016.
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