Team 2008-09: DENVER NUGGETS (USA-NBA) Career: Montrose Christian High-School (USA-High School, 2002-03), University of Missouri (USA-NCAA, 2002-05), Denver Nuggets (USA-NBA, 2005-09)
If Kleiza has evolved into a prominent player with the Denver Nuggets the past four years, including an impressive 11.1 points in 23 minutes per game in 2007-08 and an important role last season with a franchise who went to the Western Conference Finals , his international career with Lithuania has also been on the up. Though his numbers at EuroBasket 2007 were slightly less impressive than a year earlier in Japan, Kleiza looked far more mature in Beijing (11.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg). Much of the credit must go to coach Ramunas Butautas, who spotted the ‘Lithuanian Charles Barkley' when Kleiza was just 10 and carried him throughout the youth national teams to the highest level. Kleiza is already very good. He is potentially much better - something that was obvious after his 41-point outburst in a game against Utah in January 2008. | 
