Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here’s a detailed profile of Zydrunas Ilgauskas:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Žydrūnas Ilgauskas
  • Nationality: Lithuanian-American
  • Age: Born June 5, 1975
  • Hometown: Kaunas, Lithuania
  • Height: 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 260 pounds (118 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m)
  • Shoe Size: Size 20 (US)
  • Number: #11 (wore with the Cleveland Cavaliers)
  • Position: Center
  • High School: Did not attend high school in the United States (grew up and played in Lithuania)
  • College: Did not play college basketball (came directly from Europe to the NBA)
  • NBA Draft: Selected 20th overall in the 1st round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Teams Played For:
    1. Cleveland Cavaliers (1997–2010)
    2. Miami Heat (2010–2011)
  • Championship Rings: 1 (with Miami Heat in 2011)
  • Kids: Adopted two sons (Deividas and Povilas)
  • Siblings: No publicly known siblings

Zydrunas Ilgauskas’s player archetype was that of a skilled low-post anchor, a true seven-foot-plus center who paired old-school size with soft touch and dependable interior scoring. At 7-foot-3 and 260 pounds, he had massive length, a high release, and the kind of frame that naturally shaped him into a paint protector and rebounding presence rather than a switch-heavy defender. Defensively, he worked best as a drop-coverage rim deterrent who used size, timing, and vertical reach to challenge shots around the basket. Offensively, he was far more polished than a pure finisher, operating with jump hooks, short jumpers, touch from mid-range, and steady screen-setting that made him a reliable half-court option. His overall play style was built on patience, skill, and positional size, giving Cleveland a traditional interior centerpiece who could score efficiently, protect the rim, and stabilize the game with methodical veteran offense. (Basketball Reference)

Fun Facts

  • Though he wasn’t a supertar, he had his #11 jersey retired by the Clevelant Cavaliers.

Sources:

NBA.com — Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Center | Cleveland Cavaliers
Basketball-Reference — Zydrunas Ilgauskas Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
Cleveland Cavaliers — Big Z: From an Unknown Prospect to the Best Big Man in Cavs History
NBA.com — Top 5 all-time Cleveland Cavaliers blocks leaders