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Vitalis Chikoko

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Vitalis Chikoko
Chikoko with Pallacanestro Reggiana in 2015
No. 11 – SIG Strasbourg
PositionCenter
LeaguePro A
Personal information
Born (1991-02-11) 11 February 1991 (age 33)
Harare, Zimbabwe
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2013: undrafted
Playing career2011–present
Career history
2010–2011Mbare Heat
2011ASC Göttingen
2011–2012BG Göttingen
2012–2015TBB Trier
2015Pallacanestro Reggiana
2015–2016Tenezis Verona
2016Bayern Munich
2016–2019Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
2019–2021Metropolitans 92
2021–2023Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
2023–2024JDA Dijon
2024–presentSIG Strasbourg
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Vitalis Chikoko (born 11 February 1991) is a Zimbabwean professional basketball player for SIG Strasbourg of the French LNB Pro A.[1]

Early life

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Chikoko started playing basketball at age 12 in Harare.[2]

Professional career

[edit]

Chikoko started his career in Zimbabwe with the Mbare Heat from Mbare suburb in his hometown Harare. He left in 2011 to play for ASC Göttingen in Germany, before transferring to Basketball Bundesliga club BG Göttingen later that year. After one year with Göttingen, Chikoko transferred to TBB Trier where he would stay for three seasons.

In 2015, Chikoko joined Pallacanestro Reggiana of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).

In 2022, Chikoko helped Élan Béarnais win their fourth-ever French Cup by scoring 15 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the final against SIG Strasbourg. After the game, he was named the French Cup Final MVP.[3] Chikoko was the first African MVP in French basketball history.[4] On 17 May 2023 he was named to the All-Pro A First Team of the 2022–23 season.[5]

On 17 July 2023 he signed with JDA Dijon of the LNB Pro A.[6] On 27 April 2024, Dijon won their third French Cup in history, and Chikoko was named the Final MVP.[7] He became the only player to have won two French Cup Final MVP awards.[7]

On June 21, 2024, he signed with SIG Strasbourg of the French LNB Pro A.[8]

International career

[edit]

Chikoko has previously represented Zimbabwe on the international stage at both the junior and senior levels. He played for his country at the 2008 FIBA Africa Under-18 Championship and the FIBA AfroBasket 2011 qualifying rounds.[9] On FIBA AfroBasket 2015 he averaged 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.[10]

Personal

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Chikoko is married and has two children, Nashe-Vitalis and Anaya-Lucy.[2]

He founded Basket Hounds, a basketball team in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 2022. The Hounds play in the national top-level BUZ National Championship.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "C'est retour, c'est du lourd!". elan-bearnais.fr. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b Standard, The. "Vitalis Chikoko chases American dream". The Standard. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  3. ^ Herald, The. "Chikoko honoured in France". The Herald. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  4. ^ Mpofu, Makhosini (2024-05-03). "Vitalis Chikoko: Africa's first MVP in French basketball history". Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  5. ^ "Basket. Trophées LNB 2023 : razzia pour Victor Wembanyama, Matt Morgan dans le 5 majeur de la saison". Le Maine Libre (in French). 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
  6. ^ "Vitalis Chikoko, nouveau joueur de la JDA". jdadijon.com (in French). July 17, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Jeanne, La (2024-04-27). "La JDA remporte la Coupe de France 2024 !!". JDA Dijon Basket (in French). Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  8. ^ "SIG Strasbourg officially signs Vitalis Chikoko". Sportando. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Chikoko, Vitalis. "About". Facebook. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Vitalis Chikoko boosts Zimbabwe ahead of AfroBasket 2015". FIBA. Archived from the original on July 31, 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  11. ^ "New-boys Basket Hounds dreaming big". The Sunday Mail. 2024-09-14. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
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