Sandis Valters

Sandis Valters

Personal information
Born	(1978-08-31) 31 August 1978 Riga, Latvia
Nationality	Latvian
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
Playing career	1994–2014
Position	Shooting guard
Number	00, 10
Career history
1994–2001	BK Brocēni
2001–2003	BK Skonto
2003–2004	TBB Trier
2004–2005	TSK Wuerzburg
2005	BC Azovmash
2005–2009	ASK Rīga
2009	Andrea Costa Imola
2010–2012	VEF Rīga
2012–2014	BK Ventspils
Career highlights and awards
Latvian Champion (1995–1999, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014) Latvian Basketball League Playoffs MVP (2007, 2011) Baltic Basketball League Champion (2013)

Sandis Valters (born 31 August 1978) is a retired professional basketball shooting guard, who last played for BK Ventspils. He is member of Latvia national basketball team. His father is a former Soviet basketball star, Valdis Valters, and his younger brother, Kristaps Valters, also plays professional basketball.

Professional career

He first played professionally in 1994, for BK Brocēni, where he won his first five Latvian league titles. In 2001, after Brocēni disappeared, Valters moved to their successor BK Skonto, where he spent two seasons. In 2003, Sandis signed with Germany's team TBB Trier, where he had great season. Next season he also started in Germany, playing for team from Wuerzburg, but later in 2005 moved to Ukrainie, where he finished season with BC Azovmash.

For 2005–06 season Valters had offers from Greece, Israel and Russia,^[1] but he opted to return to the Riga, where he signed lucrative contract with then up and coming team ASK Rīga. Valters also served as the captain of team. His best season with ASK was in 2006–07 as he led his squad to Latvian league title, while Valters was named finals most valuable player. During that season Valters was selected in every tournament's All-Star game (LBL, BBL and FIBA EuroCup) that his club participated in.^[2]

In July 2008 Lithuanian powerhouse BC Lietuvos Rytas^[3] wanted to sign Valters, but ASK didn't let him go. In early 2009 Valters had to leave ASK as club went through financial problems, so he signed for the remainder of season with Italian team from Imola. Injury during Eurobasket 2009 preparation game^[4] with Latvian national team forced Valters to miss the first half of the 2009–10 season. In January 2010 he signed with VEF Rīga, where he played for next two and a half seasons, winning two Latvian league championships. In one of those finals Valters was named as most valuable player.

On 19 September 2012, Valters signed two-year contract with BK Ventspils.^[5] In his first season with Ventspils he helped to win Baltic Basketball League championship. At the end of 2013-14 season Valters won his 9th Latvian League championship.

International career

Valters was a regular member of the Latvia national basketball team and has played in two EuroBasket (2005 and 2007) tournaments. One of his best games with national team was in 2005 against Spain when he erupted for 28 points, hitting six three pointers, including buzzer beating three pointer at the end of regulation.^[6]

References