Nationality Latvian Number 10 Height 1.95 m Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Weight 88 kg | Listed weight 195 lb (88 kg) Name Valdis Valters Position Point guard Pro career 1976–1989, 1993–1999 Role Basketball player | |
Born August 4, 1957 (age 66)
Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union ( 1957-08-04 ) Children Sandis Valters, Kristaps Valters, Anna Valters People also search for Sandis Valters, Kristaps Valters, Dzeinas Ansones-Valteres, Signe Valtere | ||
Coaching career 1996–2003, 2006–2010 | ||
Atkal vareniem b t valdis valters
Valdis Valters (born August 4, 1957) is a retired Latvian professional basketball player. He played at the point guard position for the senior USSR national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest players to have played the game in Europe in the 1980s. Considering his lengthy work and deep connection to the sport, Valters has been one of the most influential people in Latvian basketball history. He was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.
Contents
- Atkal vareniem b t valdis valters
- Valdis Valters Hall of Fame Class of 2017
- Club career
- Soviet national team
- Latvian national team
- Coaching career
- Other works
- Personal
- References
Valdis Valters | Hall of Fame Class of 2017
Club career
Valters spent most of his club career playing with the Latvian club VEF Rīga. In 1982, he set the USSR Premier League's all-time record for points scored in a single game, when he scored 69 points against Dynamo Moscow.
Soviet national team
Valters first made his name in European basketball when he was named the MVP of EuroBasket 1981, after he averaged 16.7 points per game, to lead his USSR national team to the gold medal. He was also on the All-Tournament Team of EuroBasket 1985.
Valters also played a key role on the USSR national team that won the gold at the 1982 FIBA World Championship, in Colombia, where he was a starting point guard, and averaged 14.0 points per game.
At the 1986 FIBA World Championship, Valters helped the Soviet Union to rally from a nine-point deficit, in the final minute of the game, by hitting a three-pointer at the end of regulation, to send the semifinal game against Yugoslavia to overtime, and eventually earn a 91–90 win.
Latvian national team
In 1992, after he had already stopped playing basketball at the pro level, Valters returned to the court, and represented the senior Latvian national team at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament.
Coaching career
After his basketball playing career ended, Valters also worked as a basketball coach and general manager. He founded his own basketball school, the Valtera Basketbola Skola (VBS), now known as Keizarmezs, whose alumni includes former NBA player Andris Biedriņš, as well as other top Latvian players. He also helped to create the basketball league for Latvian youth players, the LJBL.
Other works
In 2013, Valters released his autobiographical book, called "Dumpinieks ar ideāliem" (Rebel with ideals). He is currently working as an analyst for the Latvian TV channel, TV6, as a host of the weekly sports show Overtime.
Personal
Both of his sons, Kristaps and Sandis, are also professional basketball players.