Pétur Guðmundsson (basketball)

Pétur Guðmundsson
Personal information
Born	October 30, 1958 (age 66); Reykjavík, Iceland
Nationality	Icelandic
Listed height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school	Mercer Island; (Mercer Island, Washington)
College	Washington (1977–1980)
NBA draft	1981: 3rd round, 61st overall pick
	Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career	1980–1992
Position	Center
Number	40, 34, 35
Career history
As player:
1980–1981	Þór (Iceland)
1981–1982	New York Knicks
1982–1984	Íþróttafélag Reykjavíkur (Iceland)
1985–1986	Tampa Bay Thrillers (CBA)
1986	Kansas City Sizzlers (CBA)
1986–1987	Los Angeles Lakers
1987–1989	San Antonio Spurs
1989–1990	Sioux Falls Skyforce (CBA)
1990	New Haven Skyhawks (USBL)
1990–1992	UMF Tindastóll (Iceland)
1992	Sioux Falls Skyforce (CBA)
As coach:
2000	Valur/Fjölnir (Iceland)
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Pétur Karl Guðmundsson (born October 30, 1958) is a retired Icelandic professional basketball player from Reykjavík. He was the first Icelander ever to play in National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a 2.18 m (7'2"), 118 kg (260 lb) center and played college basketball at the University of Washington, in Seattle, United States.

Pétur^[1] was selected in the third round of the 1981 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, for whom he played during the 1981-82 season. In August 1983 the Blazers traded him to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for a 1984 third-round draft pick.^[2]^[3] He played with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985-86 but was traded to the San Antonio Spurs along with Frank Brickowski, two draft picks and an undisclosed amount of money in exchange for Mychal Thompson.^[4]

In 1986, Pétur was set to play for the American CBA's Kansas City Sizzlers but was denied a work permit by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.^[5]^[6]

He also coached Icelandic basketball team Valur/Fjolnir.^[7]

Nicknamed the Iceman, Petur was great in the clutch and despite his height a great free throw shooter.

Notes

^ Although he is properly referred to by his given name, most non-Icelandic statistical sources in basketball list him with the Anglicized name of Petur Gudmundsson, with Gudmundsson (incorrectly) treated as a surname.
^ Pistons: All-Time Transactions; accessed April 17, 2007
^ Basketball transactions, August 19, 1983; accessed April 17, 2007
^ Laker Dream, February 15, 1987; accessed April 17, 2007
^ Work Permit Denied, February 1, 1986; accessed April 17, 2007
^ The rest of the world nearly has caught up to the U.S., posted August 28, 2001; accessed April 17, 2007
^ Former UMFK basketball standout Drazen Jozic to play professionally in Iceland, August 25, 2000; accessed April 17, 2007