Jaime Echenique
Echenique at FIBA men's World Cup Qualifying game in 2022
No. 26 – Promitheas Patras
PositionCenter
LeagueGreek Basket League
BCL
Personal information
Born (1997-04-27) April 27, 1997
Barranquilla, Colombia
NationalityColombian
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight258 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High schoolIED Pestalozzi
(Barranquilla, Colombia)
College
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Acunsa GBC
2021–2022Capital City Go-Go
2021–2022Washington Wizards
2022–2023Motor City Cruise
2023Rytas Vilnius
2023–presentPromitheas Patras
Career highlights and awards
  • Second-team All-AAC (2020)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

Jaime Jesús Echenique Salinas (born April 27, 1997) is a Colombian professional basketball player for Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League and the Basketball Champions League. He played college basketball for the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals and the Wichita State Shockers.

Early life and high school career

Echenique grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia and joined a street gang called the LBs which was headed by a cousin.[1] Echenique gravitated towards basketball after playing baseball at a young age.[2] He attended IED Pestalozzi and led its basketball team to four straight regional championships.[3] As a junior and senior, Echenique was named region MVP. After graduating from high school in December 2015, he received several offers to play professionally in Europe, but his father forced him to turn them down to focus on academics. With the idea of playing college basketball in the United States, Echenique joined an amateur club in Medellín and, two months later, a club in Bogotá that had international connections and helped him acquire a visa for the United States. Guy Furr, the head coach of Trinity Valley Community College, was informed of Echenique's talent by two Colombians on the roster, and he invited Echenique to Texas to work out.[2]

College career

Trinity Valley CC

Echenique arrived in Dallas, Texas with no money and not speaking English fluently. He impressed coach Furr with his potential and received a scholarship from Trinity Valley Community College. During his freshman season, Echenique did not have much confidence and struggled with his conditioning, having never been pushed to exhaustion before.[2] Nonetheless, he started 26 games as a freshman and averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.[4] As a sophomore, Echenique averaged 9.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.[5] In his sophomore season, a friend invited him to visit Wichita State and he became fond of the city of Wichita, Kansas.[3] Echenique committed to the Shockers over offers from Baylor, Cincinnati, Western Kentucky, Illinois, and New Mexico.[6]

Wichita State

Echenique with Wichita State Shockers men's basketball in 2019

After Echenique arrived at Wichita State, he collapsed after a workout, prompting him so see a cardiologist to see if he had a heart condition. The examination proved that his heart was healthy, Echenique just needed to work through his conditioning.[2] As a junior, he averaged 9.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.[6] Echenique considered redshirting his senior season, an idea coach Gregg Marshall rejected.[2] He missed several games in the beginning of the season with a fractured hand.[7] He posted season highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds on January 15, 2020, in a 65–53 loss to Temple.[8] On February 20, Echenique tied a career high of 20 points and had a career-best 12-of-14 shooting from the foul line, along with nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals in a 65–55 victory over South Florida.[9] As a senior, Echenique averaged 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.[2] He earned Second Team All-AAC honors.[10]

Professional career

Acunsa GBC (2020–2021)

On August 11, 2020, Echenique signed his first professional contract with Acunsa GBC of the Spanish Liga ACB.[11] He made his debut with the team on September 19, recording 10 points and four rebounds in an 86–70 loss to Real Madrid.[12] He averaged 12 points and four rebounds per game.

Capital City Go-Go / Washington Wizards (2021–2022)

In August 2021, Echenique joined the Washington Wizards for the 2021 NBA Summer League[13] and on September 21, he signed with the Wizards.[14] Echenique was waived on October 16.[15] In October 2021, he joined the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League as an affiliate player.[16] Echenique averaged 12.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 55.4 percent from the floor. On December 30, 2021, he signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards.[17] On the same day, he made his NBA debut in a 110–93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, making him the first Colombian in NBA history.[18] On January 9, 2022, Echenique was reacquired by the Capital City Go-Go.[19]

Motor City Cruise (2022–2023)

On December 22, 2022, Echenique was traded from the Capital City Go-Go to the Motor City Cruise.[20]

Rytas Vilnius (2023)

On April 14, 2023, Echenique signed with Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[21]

Promitheas Patras (2023–present)

On July 26, 2023, Echenique signed with Greek club Promitheas Patras.

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

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2021–22 Washington 103.0——.500.0.0.0.0.0
Career 103.0——.500.0.0.0.0.0

College

NCAA Division I

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 Wichita State 373417.9.543.387.6496.0.4.51.49.2
2019–20 Wichita State 272423.4.487.190.7847.1.6.71.611.3
Career 645820.2.516.308.7196.4.4.61.510.1

JUCO

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Trinity Valley CC 3126—.613—.7505.4.2.41.29.2
2017–18 Trinity Valley CC 333—.575.500.6976.1.2.22.09.1
Career 6429–.593.500.7215.8.2.31.69.1

Personal life

Echenique is the son of Jaime Echenique Sr. and Lidis Salinas.[2] His mother is a chef in an Arabian restaurant while his father is a bus driver.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Moore, CJ (October 10, 2019). "The odyssey of Jaime Echenique, from street kid in Colombia to center of attention at Wichita State". The Athletic. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Eldridge, Taylor (March 8, 2020). "'I know my worth': Jaime Echenique learned to believe in himself and became a WSU star". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Robinson, Drake (November 7, 2018). "Echenique looks to make a towering impact impact on the court". The Sunflower. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Trinity Valley's Echenique commits to Wichita State". KAKE. October 5, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  5. ↑ Suellentrop, Paul (October 17, 2020). "RH: Mixing Nice with Nasty on the Court". Wichita State Shockers. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  6. 1 2 Sunner, Marshall (March 5, 2020). "A pledge, Grand Theft Auto, and moving to America: Basketball isn't Jaime Echenique's only takeaway". The Sunflower. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ "WSU's Echenique out for a month with hand injury". KAKE. October 28, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Temple Snaps Shocker Streak". Wichita State Shockers. January 15, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  9. ↑ Eldridge, Taylor (February 21, 2020). "'He's definitely elite': Wichita State's Jaime Echenique is keeping the post-up alive". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Echenique Named Second Team All-Conference". Wichita State Shockers. March 10, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Echenique inks at Gipuzkoa at the beginning of his pro career". Eurobasket. August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Jaime Echenique brilla en su debut en Liga de baloncesto de España" (in Spanish). September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Wizards announce 2021 Summer League roster". NBA.com. August 4, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  14. ↑ Washington Wizards [@WashWizards] (September 22, 2021). "OFFICIAL: We've signed the following players to Exhibit 10 contracts: □ Jaime Echenique □ Jordan Goodwin □ Jay Huff □ Jordan Schakel" (Tweet). Retrieved September 24, 2021 – via Twitter.
  15. ↑ Shaw, JD (October 16, 2021). "Wizards Release Three Players". HoopsRumors. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Go-Go Announce Training Camp Roster". Our Sports Central. October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  17. ↑ Filyo, Jackson (December 30, 2021). "Wizards sign Jaime Echenique to 10-day contract". NBA.com. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Wizards' Jaime Echenique becomes first Colombian to play in the NBA". FIBA. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  19. ↑ "2021-22 NBA G League transactions". gleague.nba.com. January 9, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  20. ↑ "2022-23 NBA G League Transactions". gleague.nba.com. December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Traumą patyrusį M. Echodą „Ryto" gretose keičia kolumbietis". rytasvilnius.lt (in Lithuanian). April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
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