The Soviet and Georgian basketball legend was born 3 September 1936, in Abasha Municipality, Soviet Union. The 210-centimeters-tall center began playing basketball very late – at the age of 18. Lezhava began his career with Burevestnik Tbilisi (1957-1959) team, later joining the Georgian powerhouse – Dinamo Tbilisi (1959-1972).
Lezhava made his EuroLeague debut in 1959, helping Dinamo to reach the EuroLeague Finals where they met the fellow Soviet side – ASK Rīga. The Georgian center, however, got outplayed by the legendary Jānis Krūmiņš and Dinamo lost the Finals. Two years later, Dinamo reached the EuroLeague Finals once again. This time, they met the Spanish team – Real Madrid. Lezhava scored 6 points in a 90-83 win and Dinamo won their first and only EuroLeague title.
Lezhava was ranked Top 10 in scoring in two out of his three seasons in the EuroLeague. In total, he scored 285 points in 19 games, averaging 15.0 points per game in his EuroLeague career. In his EuroLeague, FIBA Saporta Cup and international games from 1959 to 1970, Lezhava scored 356 points in 32 games.
The Georgian giant died on 20 March, 1997 at the age of 60.
ACCOLADES
EuroLeague champion (1962)
EuroLeague (1960)
EuroLeague (1963) FIBA Saporta Cup (1969) FIBA Saporta Cup (1970) FIBA World Cup (1963)
USSR Premier League (1968) USSR Premier League (1960, 1961, 1969) USSR Premier League (1965)
EUROLEAGUE STATISTICS
FIBA SAPORTA CUP STATISTICS
Year
68/69
69/70
TOT
Team
Age
33
34
GP
4
3
7
PPG
5.5
3.0
4.4
PTS
22
9
31
TRK
FIBA WORLD CUP STATISTICS
Year
1963
TOT
Team
Age
27
GP
6
6
PPG
6.7
6.7
PTS
40
40
RNK
69th
Description for statistics
FIBA Saporta Cup is the same competition, as FIBA European Cup Winners’ Cup, ULEB Cup or EuroCup, a 2nd-tier European Cup competition. FIBA Korac Cup is the same competition as FIBA EuroChallenge, a 3rd-tier European Cup competition. GP – Games played PPG – Points per game PTS – Total points RNK – Individual scoring ranking TRK – Team ranking
Fiero Sportivo 