Linas Kleiza (pronounced as ˈlinɐs ˈklæizɐ) (born January 3, 1985 in Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets.
Kleiza, a 6'8", 245 lb (2.03 m, 111 kg) shooting guard-small forward, graduated from Montrose Christian School, in Rockville, Maryland, in 2003. He played two seasons under coach Stu Vetter and was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year for the state of Maryland in 2003. After his senior season, he was chosen to play in the prestigious "Jordan Capital Classic", where he was a teammate of Cleveland Cavalier star LeBron James. Although a native of Lithuania, Kleiza's parents reside in New York City and work as artists.
Kleiza played his college ball at the University of Missouri and made himself eligible for the NBA draft after his sophomore season. He was taken with the 27th overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and traded to Denver on draft day.
In the 2006-07 season, Kleiza established himself as a solid three-point shooter, shooting a respectable 38% after hitting only 2 from 13 in his rookie season. After the season's end, Denver picked up the option for a third season and re-signed him to a one-year contract. According to ESPN.com, his salary for 2007-2008 is: $1,011,360.
On January 17, 2008, Kleiza made headlines scoring a career-high 41 points against the Utah Jazz, shooting 13-of-21 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, and 11-of-14 from the free-throw line in 41 minutes.
