Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a former basketball player. Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ three professional teams included Atletas Kaunas, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Miami Heat. He was well-known for his strong jump shot and superb rebounding when playing games against rivals.
His career highs were 10,976 points, 6,191 rebounds, and 1,327 assists. In each game, he averages 13.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
But regrettably, he had to undergo numerous foot surgeries and injuries throughout his career.
Table of Contents
Early Life, Education & Family
Zydrunas Ilgauskas was born on June 5, 1975, in Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union.
However, he played for his hometown team in Kaunas, where he was born, before making his NBA debut.
The name of that group was Atletas Kaunas.
On the internet, he hasn’t revealed much about his early years.
He averaged 20.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game while he was a member of the Atletas Kaunas team.
He made some contributions to his neighborhood team between 1993 and 1976.
In his early years, he also experienced foot and ankle ailments. Ilgauskas spent the whole 1996–97 season on the injured list as a result.
After that, he proceeded to make his professional debut.
He attended Saint Ignatius High School, on the other hand. Sadly, he hasn’t made any updates on his college.
Mecislovas llgauskas and Antranina llgauskiene are the parents of Zydrunas.
He is the only son in his family; there are no other children.
Salary, Net Worth, and Career Earnings
Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ enormous net worth is $55 million.
Ilgauskas has dedicated the last 18 years of his life to his basketball career.
From 1996 through 2010, he earned more than half of his net worth while playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Additionally, he agreed to a $1.3 million contract with the Miami Heat.
He was able to make about $179 million in salary while playing for international clubs.
It also includes the signing team’s additional bonus.
Ilgauskas, on the other side, advertised his Miami Beach Sunset Island for $8,3,000,000.
Additionally, he offered his 5,166-square-foot house, which has five bedrooms and six bathrooms.
Sales colleague Danny Hertzberg was the one to complete this purchase.
It also helped him to make some more revenue.
Facts of Zydrunas Ilgauskas
| Full Name | Zydrunas Ilgauskas |
| Known As | Žydrūnas Ilgauskas |
| Birth Date | June 5, 1975 |
| Age | 47 Years Old |
| Place of Birth | Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Nationality | Lithuanian |
| Father’s Name | Mecislovas Ilgauskas |
| Mother’s Name | Antranina Ilgauskiene |
| Siblings | Not Available |
| High School | Saint Ignatius High School |
| College | Not Available |
| Height | 7 ft 3 in (approx 2.21m) |
| Weight | 118 kg (approx 260 lbs) |
| Body Type | Athlete |
| Position | Center |
| Draft | 1993 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse’s Name | Jennifer Ilgauskas |
| Children Name | Povilas Ilgauskas, Deividas Ilgauskas |
| Net Worth | $55 Million |
| Salary | $125 Million |
| Active Years | 18 Years |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Cool Fan T-Shirt |
| Last Update | June 2022 |
Career in the Profession
Ilgauskas was taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 20th overall choice in the 1996 NBA Draft. He did, however, sign a multi-year contract with the Cavaliers, his first team.
During his career’s All-Star Weekend from 1997 to 1998, he received the honor of being named the most valuable player of the Rookie season.
Similar to this, Zydrunas committed to the Cavaliers for a big agreement that lasted more than six years and was worth over $70 million.
On January 26, 2000, however, Ilgauskas unhappily had to deal with yet another injury: a shattered navicular bone in his left foot.
Ilgauskas averaged 17.2 points and 7.5 rebounds during the 2002–03 season. He also received an all-star award. Despite his significant contributions to the squad, they had the third-worst record in NBA history.
Contract Renewal
He once more agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Cavaliers on July 12, 2005. He has been with the same squad for approximately 14 years.
On March 23, 2010, he agreed to his final deal with the Cavaliers. He made a tremendous victory over his opponent by playing against the New Orleans Hornets team.
He was proposed as “The Z” of the day in Lithuanian honor.
He became the third European player to receive recognition from an NBA organization after the conclusion of his deal with the Cavaliers.
Ilgauskas moved on to the Miami Heat after playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Between July 17, 2010, and September 2011, he played with the Miami Heat for a very brief time.
Despite having an excellent player in Ilgauskas, the Heat was unable to win the championship in 2011.
Career on a national team
Ilgauskas made his international debut for Lithuania in 1994.
In 1995, he led the group to a position in the EuroBasket qualification round.
The player’s average per-game performance was 7.7 points and 7 rebounds.
Additionally, he was very eager to compete for his country in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The Cavaliers, though, turned him down because of his history of injuries.
He also went to a press conference meeting in 2008. Ilgauskas commended everyone on their hard work and resolve, particularly the federation.
Relationship and Personal Life
During the summer of 2004, Zydrunas Ilgauskas tied a knot with his wonderful wife, Jennifer Ilgauskas. She is the owner of Darvo Medical Rebound Physical Therapy.
After three years of getting married, they were compelled to lose a set of twins due to pregnancy difficulties.
It resulted in infants being born four months early. They were extremely furious and upset during that period.
Later they decided to adopt the children in 2009. They adopted two Lithuanina brothers from his hometown, Kaunas. One was four years old, and another was five years old.
In 2014, Ilgauskas became a permanent citizen of the United States, resulting in his losing his Lithuanian citizenship.
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Height and Weight
Zydrunas Ilgauskas was considered one of the tower players despite being athletic due to his height of 7 feet 3 inches (approx 2.21m).
Additionally, at 118 kg, he is one of the fittest players for his height.
Social Media Presence
Being classified as the most popular player and richest player in NBA, Ilgauskas is not active on social media platforms.
However, he has one Twitter account with a fan following of just 543.
He tweeted his last post in 2010. Since then, he has remained inactive on Twitter too.
