Jakob Poeltl, an Austrian-born professional basketball player, presently plays for Toronto in the Western Conference of the NBA. The 7-foot-one-inch center was born on October 15, 1995, in Vienna Austria. Poeltl attended high school in Vienna before making his way to the United States to pursue a career in basketball.
At the collegiate level, Poeltl played for the University of Utah Utes. His college basketball career was successful seeing that he was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and secured consensus All-American honours. His performance at the collegiate level drew the attention of multiple basketball scouts and when he declared for the NBA draft in 2016, Poeltl was drafted as the 9th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors.
Jakob Poeltl used his game style to quickly establish himself as a solid rim protector in the league. Over time, he has come to be associated with his defensive prowess and inside paint presence. Although he may not have any accolades or records to his name, Poeltl is certainly a bonus to any team he plays for.
2018 saw Poeltl being traded to the San Antonio Spurs and was later traded back o the Toronto Raptors. Presently, Poeltl is a free agent. While there have been speculations as o where he would be playing in the 2023-24 season, there have been no indications from his side.
What are Jakob Poeltl’s Past Teams
Jakob Poeltl has played for two teams during the course of his NBA career so far.
Toronto Raptors
Poeltl was drafted by the Raptors in the 2016 draft. Playing for the Raptors from 2016 to 2018, Poeltl was a backup center to Jonas Valanciunas who was seen as being better suited to start. Poeltl established himself as a strong rim protector with a high basketball IQ and a strong presence inside the paint. He was also an efficient scorer which made him very valuable on both ends of the floor. With the Raptors, Poeltl averaged around 4 points, 5 rebounds and had a field goal percentage of 60% per game.
San Antonio Spurs
Poeltl was traded to the Spurs in 2018 as part of the blockbuster trade that saw Kawhi Leonard joining the Raptors. Poeltl continued to work hard, improving his IQ and defensive abilities. Although his stats did not significantly improve during his time with the Spurs, Poeltl developed into a strong floor presence, constantly anchoring the team's defense through communication and IQ. Poeltl’s offensive abilities have started to improve but have not increased his statistical contributions significantly. With the Spurs, Poeltl averaged around 11 points and 8.5 rebounds while maintaining a field goal percentage of 60%.
Return to Toronto Raptors
The Raptors brought back Poeltl to the team at the beginning of 2023 via trade. Here, he was reunited with his friend Pascal Siakam. Poeltl showed a significant improvement statistically in his return to the Raptors dropping 30 points and 9 blocks while blocking 6 shot attempts in one game Poeltl is likely to resign with the Raptors, the team that brought him into the league. Seeing his trajectory and the potential he has, he will surely be invaluable to any team that signs him as a free agent.
FAQs
A. Jakob Poeltl was drafted in the 2016 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors. He was the 9th pick in the NBA draft.
A. Jakob Poeltl has come to be recognized as being amongst the best defenders in the NBA currently. He is adept at protecting the rim, is strong on boards and blocks shot attempts with ease given his height, wingspan and jump.
A. Jakob Poeltl has played for two teams in his NBA career. He started his career with the Raptors and was later traded to San Antonio Spurs. In 2023, Poeltl returned to the Raptros via a trade from San Antonio Spurs.
