Fadi El Khatib

Fadi El Khatib

No. 15   Club Maristes Champville
Guard/Forward
Personal information
Date of birth	January 1, 1979 (1979-01-01)
Place of birth	Mazboud, Lebanon
Nationality	Lebanon
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
Pro career	1998 NBA draft 6th pick–present
League	Lebanese Basketball League

Medal record
Men's basketball
Competitor for Lebanon
FIBA Asia Championship
Silver	2005 Doha	Team
Silver	2007 Tokushima	Team

Fadi El Khatib (Arabic: فادي الخطيب‎), born January 1, 1979, is a Lebanese basketball player currently playing for Champville SC in the Lebanese Basketball League. He is also the current captain of the Lebanon national basketball team that participated in the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis in the United States, in the 2006 FIBA World Championship which took place in Japan, and in the 2010 FIBA World Championship held in Turkey.

Teams

By 1997, Khatib joined Sagesse Beirut, signing a three year contract; which was renewed by 7 more years.

After the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, many NBA scouts were impressed by Fadi's shooting range, strength, athletic ability, physical and mental toughness such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets.

Lebanese League

In August 2005, a legal dispute rose between two rival teams, Riyadi club and Sagesse clubs, over conflicting contracts signed by Khatib, with Sagesse club insisting that its contract was valid as it was signed at the Lebanese Basketball League. On the other hand, Riyadi insisted on going to courts if necessary.

In 2006, he joined Lebanon's Blue Stars and later in 2007, at 29, he decided to play professionally in Europe, for Ukrainian EuroCup team SK Cherkassy Monkeys.

Khatib returned to his native Lebanon and helped Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut to their third title at the International Dubai Tournament. In 2009-2010 season, he joined Lebanese club Champville SC.

International

Fadi El Khatib started playing with the Lebanese national basketball team in 1999, he helped in Lebanon qualifying for the first time to the FIBA Asia Championship that same year, Lebanon ended up in 7th place. In the 2001, 2005 and 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, El Khatib helped Lebanon reach the second place and the fourth place in 2003 and 2009. Lebanon would qualify to three World Championship with Fadi el Khatib yaking part.

Michael Jordan's personal trainer Tim Grover personally invited him to work out with Michael Jordan, Michael Finley, Ray Allen, Charles Oakley, Sam Mack and Juwan Howard. They were all very impressed and told Fadi he should be in the NBA. Michael Jordan was quoted in the New York Times, "Michael Jordan believes Lebanon's premiere player should be in the NBA." He was also quoted in Time Magazine that "Fady el Khatib may be the strongest player at the moment we just need to see him play in the NBA against players like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Tim Duncan... and I'm sure he'll impress us big time. I personally see that he may even be able to achieve results against me (laughs)"

Khatib led Lebanon in their hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics via the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament; however, following a pre-tournament injury to Joe Vogel, Khatib conceded that Lebanon did not have the "slightest possibility of winning" against host Greece. Indeed, Lebanon lost to Greece on the opening day of the tournament. After another loss to Brazil, Khatib and Lebanon failed to qualify for the 2008 games.

In Lebanon's opening game, El Khatib scored 31 points leading Lebanon to win over Canada 81-71. In the second half, Fadi scored 26 points he was 5/5 from the field. As Lebanon’s head coach Tab Baldwin pointed out, the bigger the game, the bigger and better El Khatib is likely to play.

Many Lebanese fans in Turkey were upset that Lebanon did not qualify to the next round. After Lebanon's last match against Lithuania, Fadi El Khatib said in an interview that this will be his last World Championship.

Awards and achievements

• Lebanese Cup Winner -95, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03.
• Lebanese Cup Finalist -04, 06, 07.
• Lebanese Basketball League Champion -98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 09.
• Lebanese Basketball League Runner-up -06, 07, 10.
• Lebanese Basketball League Best Domestic Player -06, 09, 10
• Lebanese Basketball League All Tournament Team -04, 06, 07, 10.
• Lebanese Basketball League Player of the year-01, 02, 03, 04.
• 2006-2007 Lebanese Basketball League Forward of the year.
• 2009-2010 Lebanese Basketball League 1st Top Scorer averaging 29.6 ppg.
• 4th King Abdullah Basketball Cup 2005 with the Lebanese national team
• Arab Cup Champion -98, 99
• Asian Club Championships -99(1), 00(1), 01, 04-(1), 2011(1)
• Lebanon Military National Team -00
• West Asian Championship 1st place -00,01
• West Asia MVP -2001,2002
• Syrian League Regular Season Champion -05
• FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2005 All Tournament 1st Team.
• Asian Championship
• Most Valuable Player: 2005 (Al Riyadi)
• Most Valuable Player: FIBA Asia Champions Cup for clubs 2011 (Al Riyadi)
• 2001 ABC Championship-Silver Medalist.
• 2001 ABC Championship-All Tournament 1st Team.
• 2005 FIBA Asia Championship-Silver Medalist.
• 2005 FIBA Asia Championship-Best Forward.
• 2005 FIBA Asia Championship-All Tournament 1st Team.
• 2007 FIBA Asia Championship 2nd Top Scorer averaging 27.3 ppg.
• 2007 FIBA Asia Championship-Silver Medalist.
• 2010 Arab Club Championship-All Tournament 1st Team.
• 2010 Arab Club Championship-Best Domestic Player.
• 2010 Arab Club Championship- Gold Medalist.
• Efes Pilsen World Cup 9-Bronze Medalist

External links

• [1]
• [2] (subscription required)
• Ya Libnan: Lebanon rolls into Basketball Championship Semifinals, 15 September, 2005