Stanislav Yurievich Medvedenko is a Ukrainian basketball player, politician.
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on April 4, 1979 in the village of Karapyshi, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (Ukrainian SSR).
He started playing basketball as a child.
He won his first notable results at the Volkov Cup junior tournament.
Career
He began his professional career in 1996, joining the Kyiv club “Dandy-Basket”. The very next year, he became a player of the team “Budivelnyk”, with which he reached the final of the championship of Ukraine.
In 1998, he moved to Lithuania, where he played for the Alita club. Together with the team, he became the bronze champion of the basketball championship. In particular, he was recognized as the best player of the season.
In the period from 1999 to 2000, Medvedenko returned to Ukraine and became a member of the basketball club “Kyiv“. As part of it, he became the Champion of the country and again received the title of the best player.
The most successful season for the athlete was the NBA season in the period from 2003 to 2004. Then he replaced the injured Karl Malone and often appeared in the starting lineup.
In 2004, the basketball player received an offer from the Dallas Mavericks with a four-year contract and a salary of $ 4 million per season, but decided to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Due to injury, he missed the preparation for the 2004-2005 season and lost his place in the main squad, failing to convince the new coach Rudi Tomjanovic of his professional suitability.
When the team was again led by Phil Jackson, there was hope for a return, but due to an intervertebral hernia and surgery, Medvedenko missed almost the entire 2006 season. That same year, the Lakers refused his services, making room for Jim Jackson.
On December 28, 2006, he signed a contract with the Atlanta Hawks with a salary of 600 thousand dollars until the end of the season.
Coaching career
After the end of his career as a player, the basketball player returned to Ukraine, where he began to actively engage in social activities, in particular, he opened new basketball courts.
Subsequently, he tried himself as a coach. At first, he worked with the reserve team of “Budivelnyk”, after which he headed the cadet national teams of Ukraine U16 and U17.
In 2012, he became an assistant to head coach Mike Fratello in the national team of Ukraine. He held the position for two years.
Political Activities
On June 21, 2019, the Central Election Commission (CEC) registered Medvedenko as a candidate for people’s deputies of the Verkhovna Rada in the early elections held on July 21. However, without success.
In 2020, he ran for the Kyiv City Council of the 9th convocation from the Holos political party, but was also not elected.
Marital Status
Medvedenko’s current wife is called Elena.
The athlete has three children.
