Uvis Helmanis

Uvis Helmanis (born June 10, 1972) is a Latvian former professional basketball player who played at power forward position. After retiring he became a basketball coach.

Uvis Helmanis

Free Agent
Personal information
Born	(1972-06-10) June 10, 1972 Talsi, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Latvian
Listed height	6 ft 8.5 in (2.04 m)
Listed weight	255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
Playing career	1992–2010
Position	Forward
Number	4, 35, 36
Coaching career	2010–present
Career history
Playing
1992–1994	Bonus Riga
1994–1998	BK Metropole
1998–1999	BK Brocēni
1999–2000	Bobry Bytom
2000–2001	Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski
2001	BK Gulbenes Buki
2001	Śląsk Wrocław
2001–2002	Bayer Leverkusen
2002–2006	GHP Bamberg
2006–2008	BK Ventspils
2008–2009	ASK Riga
2009–2010	BK Barons Kvartāls
Coaching
2010	BK Barons Kvartāls
2011	Czarni Słupsk (assistant)
2011–2013	VEF Rīga (assistant)
2013–2016	Liepāja/Triobet
2016–2017	Valmiera/ORDO
2018	BK Ogre (assistant)
2018–2020	Rytas Vilnius (assistant)
2020–2022	Löwen Erfurt
2022–2024	Alvark Tokyo (assistant)

Player profile

Helmanis has been a player for the national team since the 1990s. At 2.04 m, he has been deployed in different roles throughout his career. Several coaches have attempted to use him primarily near the basket, although he has also often played away from the hoop. He is able to use his physical presence in the paint, particularly on defense, and his ability to shoot from the three-point range is one of his key strengths. He is not considered a particularly quick player, but he is able to create opportunities for himself from beyond the three-point line.

Helmanis has won national championships in three countries: Latvia, Poland, and Germany. After four years at Bamberg, he returned to Latvia and played for BK Ventspils, competing in the Baltic League and ULEB Cup. He is described as a non-vocal leader and an important member of the team. In the summer of 2009, Helmanis became the first Latvian player to participate in six EuroBasket tournaments.

After winning the Latvian Championship with Barons LMT in 2010 he retired as a player and became a head coach of the team. After unsuccessful results he was fired in midseason and went to Poland to work for the assistant of Dainius Adomaitis, head coach of Czarni Słupsk. After one season Uvis came back to Latvia and joined a coach room of BC VEF Rīga, becoming an assistant of head coach Ramunas Butautas. He became head coach of BK Liepājas Lauvas in 2013.