Who is Sandro Mamukelashvili? Milwaukee Bucks player becoming a fan favorite for his last name

Milwaukee Bucks second-year big man Sandro Mamukelashvili may not get much playing time. However, he is still becoming a fan favorite among Bucks fans due to a combination of his skill and his unique last name.

Mamukelashvili is a Georgian-American player who was born in the U.S. but grew up in Georgia. He later moved to Italy to attend high school before moving back to the U.S. in 2016 to pursue his professional basketball career. Upon moving back to America, Mamukelashvili attended the prominent basketball private school Montverde Academy.

Following high school, Mamukelashvili played four years of college basketball for Seton Hall University from 2017 to 2021. In his senior year of college, Mamukelashvili was named Big East Co-Player of the Year. This came after he averaged 17.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.6 3-pointers per game on 43.4% shooting over 27 games.

Following college, Mamukelashvili was selected No. 54 by the Indiana Pacers in the 2021 NBA Draft. However, he was immediately flipped to Milwaukee on draft night in a very minor deal.

The Bucks acquired Mamukelashvili, the draft rights of Georgios Kalaitzakis, the 60th pick, and two future second-round picks. In exchange, Indiana received the draft rights of Isaiah Todd, the 31st pick.

On Aug. 4, 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks signed Sandro Mamukelashvili to a two-way contract. Mamukelashvili has since split time between the Bucks’ G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, and the Bucks over the last two years. Mamukelashvili is making $502,080 this season after making $462,629 in his rookie season.

How has Sandro Mamukelashvili fared in the NBA so far?

Milwaukee Bucks big man Sandro Mamukelashvili

As for his production in the NBA, Sandro Mamukelashvili has been limited so far. He is averaging 3.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.5 3-pointers per game while shooting 45.0% and 36.3% from three through 64 career games. However, he is only playing an average of 9.4 minutes per game.

When given extended playing time, Mamukelashvili has proven that he can produce at the NBA level. This includes him having put up a career-high 28 points and 13 rebounds on 55.6% shooting on April 10, 2022, against Cleveland.

Mamukelashvili has also made a strong impact in the G League. Through 16 total games with the Wisconsin Herd, Mamukelashvili is averaging 21.3PPG, 11.4RPG, 3.6APG, 1.0SPG, 1.1BPG and 2.0-3PG while shooting 52.0% and 40.0% from three.

Considering his age (23) and upside, it appears that Sandro Mamukelashvili has a very good chance of developing into a consistent NBA player.