Georgi Glouchkov

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Georgi Glouchkov
Glouchkov in 2024
Personal information
Born (1960-01-10) 10 January 1960
Tryavna, PR Bulgaria
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
NBA draft1985: 7th round, 148th overall pick
Drafted byPhoenix Suns
Playing career1976–1997
PositionPower forward / center
Number16
Career history
1976–1979Yambol
1980–1981CSKA Sofia
1981–1982Levski Spartak
1983–1984Balkan Botevgrad
1984–1985Akademik Varna
1985–1986Phoenix Suns
1986–1990Juvecaserta Basket
1990–1991Sidis Reggio Emilia
1991–1992Akademik Varna
1993Tau Cerámica
1993–1996Akademik Varna
1996–1997Fontanafredda Siena
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com 
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Bulgaria
European U-18 Championship
Bronze medal – third place1980 YugoslaviaUnder-18

Georgi Nikolov Glouchkov (alternate spelling: Gueorgui) (Bulgarian: Георги Николов Глушков; born 10 January 1960) is a Bulgarian former professional basketball player and president of Bulgarian Basketball Federation. A 6 ft 8 in (204 cm) power forward-center, he was the first player from an Eastern bloc country to compete in the American National Basketball Association (NBA).[1]

Glouchkov has served as Bulgaria's Minister of Youth and Sports under Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev since 9 April 2024.[2]

Professional career

After one successful season with the Bulgarian club Luskov Yambol's junior side, Glouchkov got promoted to their senior side, by his junior coach, Simeon Varchev, at age 19.[3] They also worked together in the Bulgarian clubs Balkan Botevgrad and Akademik Varna.[4] By the mid-1980s, he had established a reputation as being one of Europe's top five players at the time.[5] After averaging 23 points and 19 rebounds per game, during the Bulgarian National League's 1984–85 season,[6] in which his team, Akademik Varna, won the Bulgarian National League championship, he attracted the attention of the Phoenix Suns, who selected him in the seventh round (with the 148th pick overall) of the 1985 NBA draft.[5] The Suns signed him on 25 September 1985, releasing a special press kit which included a history of Bulgaria and a glossary of Bulgarian phrases.[7]

Glouchkov knew very little English and was accompanied by Bozhidar Takev, a Bulgarian basketball coach and trainer, who translated for him. At the beginning of the season, Glouchkov, by way of his rebounding ability, became a regular member of the team's playing rotation; as the year went on, however, Glouchkov began gaining weight, and his productivity decreased. He ended the 1985-86 NBA season with averages of 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.[8]

As the season concluded, Glouchkov began losing weight at a dramatic pace. When he reported to the Suns' 1986 summer league team, he weighed 25 pounds less than he had weighed when he first signed with the Suns.[6] After a poor performance in summer league competition, the Suns advised him to return to Europe.[9]

Glouchkov returned to his homeland. He continued to play professional basketball in various European national domestic leagues, including Italy's LBA, Bulgaria's NBL, and Spain's ACB. He had his most post-NBA success with the Italian club Phonola Caserta, whom he led to the FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup finals during the 1988–89 season, before losing to the Spanish Liga ACB club Real Madrid, in the finals.[10] Glouchkov was a FIBA Balkans Selection in 1991.

National team career

Glouchkov competed in his first tournament with the junior youth teams of Bulgaria, at age 17, when he played with the Bulgarian national cadets team at the 1977 FIBA European Championship for Cadets. Glouchkov was also a member of the senior men's Bulgarian national team. He represented Bulgaria's senior team at four FIBA EuroBasket tournaments. He played at the 1979 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1985 FIBA EuroBasket, the 1989 FIBA EuroBasket, and the 1991 FIBA EuroBasket.[11]

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

NBA

Source[8]

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1985–86 Phoenix 491615.8.4021.000.5743.3.7.5.54.9

Honours and titles

European competitions

Runner-up (1): 1988–89
Semifinalist (1): 1986–87

Domestic competitions

Runner-up (1): 1986–87
Winner (1): 1987–88
Runner-up (1): 1988–89
Champion (1): 1984–85
Winner (1): 1980–81

References

  1. The Official NBA Encyclopedia. Doubleday. 2000. p. 299. ISBN 0385501307.
  2. "Who's Who in Bulgaria's Caretaker Cabinet". www.bta.bg. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  3. Gueorgui Nikolov GLOUCHKOV (BUL) participated in 12 FIBA / FIBA Zones events.
  4. "Георги Глушков – единственият българин играл в НБА тръгна от Ямбол" [Georgi Glouchkov – the only Bulgarian to play in the NBA started from Yambol]. YambolBasketball.com (in Bulgarian). Yambol Basketball. Archived from the original on 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  5. Johnson, Roy. F. "A sun far from home court". New York Times. November 12, 1985. p. 10.
  6. "Georgi Glouchkov Player Profile". InterBasket. Archived from the original on 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  7. Boyer, Mary Schmidt. "The International Player". The Official NBA Encyclopedia. New York: Doubleday, 2000.
  8. "Georgi Glouchkov NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2024-01-15. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  9. AP Sports Wire. August 20, 1986.
  10. "Glouchkov pioneered Europe's path into NBA" The Oregonian. March 21, 1991. p. D06.
  11. FIBAEUROPE.com:Glouchkov, Gueorgui Nikolov