| Rubén Wolkowyski | |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 10 |
| Weight Lbs: | 275 |
| Nationality: | Argentina citizen (birth), Poland citizen |
| Birth Date: | 30 September 1973 |
| Birth Place: | Castelli, Chaco, Argentina |
| Draft Year: | 1995 |
| Career Start: | 1994 |
| Career End: | 2015 |
| Career Number: | 45 |
| Career Position: | Center |
| Years1: | 1994–1996 |
| Team1: | Estudiantes de Olavarría |
| Years2: | 1996–1997 |
| Years3: | 1997–1999 |
| Years4: | 1999–2000 |
| Years6: | 2001–2002 |
| Team6: | Quilmes Mar del Plata |
| Years7: | 2002 |
| Years9: | 2003 |
| Years10: | 2003–2004 |
| Years11: | 2004–2007 |
| Years12: | 2007 |
| Years13: | 2007–2008 |
| Years14: | 2008–2009 |
| Years15: | 2009 |
| Years16: | 2009–2011 |
| Years17: | 2011–2013 |
| Years18: | 2013–2014 |
| Years19: | 2014–2015 |
| Team19: | Quilmes Mar del Plata |
| Highlights: |
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Rubén Oscar Wolkowyski (born September 30, 1973) is an Argentine former professional basketball player, who also holds Polish citizenship.[1] At a height of 2.08m (06.82feet) tall, he played at the power forward and center positions.[2]
Wolkowyski played professionally in Argentina, the United States, Russia, Poland, Spain, and Greece. In 2000, he and Pepe Sánchez became the first Argentines to play in the NBA regular season. Wolkowyski played a total of 41 NBA games and averaged 2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. His final game being on Christmas of 2002 in a 81 - 117 loss to the New Jersey Nets where he recorded 1 assist, 1 turnover and no other stats in 6 and half minutes of playing time.
On September 29, 2010, Wolkowyski scored 45 points for Libertad de Sunchales in a 118–115 victory over Obras Sanitarias, for the Copa Argentina title.[3] The winner of the game was decided after 4 over-times.[3]
Wolkowyski defended Argentina to claim the inaugural gold medal at the 1995 Pan American Games in the defeat in the final of the United States, in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He defended Argentina in the win at the 2001 Tournament of the Americas, and at the 2003 FIBA Americas Championships, the 2002 and 2006 FIBA World Championships, and for the gold medal at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
He played in Russia as a European player, rather than as an Argentine, after Wolkowyski obtained Polish citizenship. through his Warsaw-born grandfather, Anatol, who left Poland before World War II, to Argentina via Paraguay. His family spoke Polish at home, but he does not know the language and communicates only in Spanish and English.[4] [5]