Daniel Quvianuq

Daniel Quvianuq
(Polar Bear, C)
ID# 148
	Illustrated by Pac
No. 9 – Winnipeg Voyageurs
Position	Center
Species	Polar Bear ( Ursidae )
Gender	Male
Nickname(s)
	The Blizzard
Personal information
Born	January 17, 1991 (age 32); Barrow, AK
Nationality	American
Listed height	8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
Listed weight	450 lb (204 kg)
Shoots	Right
Career information
High school	Barrow High School
College	University of Alaska Fairbanks
FBA draft	2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
	Selected by the Dakota Bikers
Pro playing career	2012–present
Career history
2012-2014	Dakota Bikers
2014-2022	Seattle Summit
2022-present	Winnipeg Voyageurs
Career highlights and awards
	FBA Champion (2013); FBA Defensive Player of the Year x3 (2015, 2020, 2022); FBA All-Star x7 (2015-2021); FBA Rookie All-Star (2014); FBA Rebounding leader (2019); FBA Block leader x3 (2015-2016), (2018);
Contract information
Contract year	2014
2023 Salary	$9.5 million
2024 Salary	$17 million
Player Contacts
(IC) Agent	Jakebe
(OOC) Creator	Jakebe
(OOC) Actor	Jakebe
(OOC) Usage	Ask me before any use

Daniel Nanuk Sangilak Quvianuq is a professional basketball player from Barrow, AK. He is one of the largest active players in the Furry Basketball Association, standing 8 ft. 0 in. (2.44 meters) tall.

Quvianuq was drafted #2 overall in the 2012 FBA Draft by the Dakota Bikers, where he was expected to fill the starting Center position. However, the discovery of several micro-fractures in his knees after a fall during a pre-season game lead to surgery that sidelined him for a year. As a result, he spent the entirety of 2012-2013 season in an ambassadorial role, participating in several community outreach events and publicity functions. He was cleared for active duty in time for the 2013 Summer League, and played his rookie season in 2013-2014 as the starting Center

When his rookie contract expired, Quvianuq was courted by several teams in the league. He ultimately selected a five-year contract with the Seattle Summit.

Early Life

Daniel was born on January 17th, 1991 to electrician Peter Quvianuq (7'2") and school teacher Nukka Quvianuq (6'7") in Barrow, Alaska. As a young child he was roughly the average size and weight for his species, but grew quickly to a towering height at the onset of puberty. By age 12, he was about 6' tall -- over a foot taller than the average child in his grade.

His height caught the eye of several youth athletics coaches. His great size made him a bit too lanky for football, but a natural basketball player. There were no official school teams until high school, so in the meantime Dan competed with the local Junior Eskimo team. He traveled around the state to face other teams during the summer and developed a small following of sports fans around Alaska. When the time came, he went to Barrow High to participate in a more structured basketball program.

By that time he was over 7' tall, walking on as a starting Center for the varsity basketball program. He quickly gained a reputation as a defensive powerhouse; his long stride and reach made it easy for him to get to any spot around the basket and impossible to get around him inside the paint. His contributions to the team helped them win three straight state championships. Quvianuq still holds the records for most blocks and rebounds during a single game and season, and most fouls in a single season.

Dan graduated from Barrow High with honors in May 2008; he received a full athletic scholarship to University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

College Career

Dan was the starter for the Nanooks all four years of college, averaging 14.2 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game and 6.2 assists per game. He currently holds the record for average career blocks per game (6.4) and most blocks per game (15).

The immense bear cemented his legend in college; his smothering, surprising defense earned him the nickname "Blizzard" -- he'd come from nowhere to blanket opposing players with swift blocks, aggressive rebounds and an intimidating, towering presence. What's more, he kept growing throughout.

In his senior year he, finally stopped at an incredible eight feet tall. His singular height, unparalleled reach and heavy frame (at one point he weighed over 500 pounds) made him impossible for many offenses to work around and a dangerous foe to defend against. He could lay-up without jumping and dunk with minimal effort. When he barreled into the paint, most defenders could only move out of the way or be knocked aside.

His tough, highly physical play was very difficult to keep up with. Most of the opponents facing UAF never found an answer for him. He helped the Nanooks reach the GNAC Conference Finals three years in a row, winning the championship in 2011 and 2012. Dan was named Finals MVP in the latter year, capping a tremendous college career and sending him with momentum into the FBA Draft.

Rookie Years

Daniel Quvianuq was drafted #2 overall in 2012 by the Dakota Bikers. He was immediately slated to start, and appeared in the line-up for the first two pre-season games. However, a hotly-contested rebound sent the polar bear crashing to the floor during the second pre-season game and he was slow to rise. When he did, he found he could barely put any weight on his left knee. He was pulled from the game and a subsequent investigation found micro-fractures in both of his knees. Considering his size and weight, immediate surgery was the only option; his season ended right then and there.

The big bear fell into a depression during the beginning of his recovery period, but quickly snapped out of it through a busy schedule of community outreach and public appearances both in Sturgis and his hometown of Barrow, Alaska. He helped raise funds for a new school on tribal lands, modernization of several Inuit resources, and lobbied the state government to protect wilderness areas from encroachment by energy companies.

He was cleared to play in the summer of 2013, where he participated in the FBA Summer League and Preseason before starting for the Bikers. The 2013-14 season was a tumultuous one for Dakota which saw several controversies -- there was lingering ill-will following the return of Dylan Redfield from a long suspension for attacking Shane Rufus; Barnaby Jazz's very controversial dunk routine during the All-Star Weekend lead to a public falling out between the shark and one of the team's stars, Mitchell Redding; and a trade between Dakota and Texas sent the Guard to the Lone Stars. The off-court troubles proved too much for the Bikers to handle, and they were bounced from the first round of the playoffs.

Quvianuq, for his part, stuck by his friends Redfield and Jazz through the controversy and put in a steady (if not spectacular) performance through his "rookie" season. He averaged 11.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. At the end of his rookie contract, he looked to be one of the bigger free agents in the league.

Scouting Report

Quvianuq has aimed to be a defensive player first and foremost, matching up against other Centers and Guards with brute force, excessive size and deceptively explosive power. He focuses on grabbing defensive boards and blocking shots, clearing space in the lane to prevent other players from getting to the basket. Offensively, he charges into the paint to clear a path for low-post points, prevent the opposing team from getting rebounds of their own and grabbing easy lay-ups and dunks when he's in position.

His size and natural reach is perhaps his greatest asset, enabling him to bully opponents and giving him a court presence that simply cannot be matched. His immense weight makes him an immovable object down in the post, and gives him unstoppable momentum when driving to the basket. It's for this reason that he is a singularly difficult person to score on (his 94.9 defensive rating is tied for tenth in the league). He specializes in clearing space under and around the rim, maximizing rebound potential for the team and positioning himself well for high-percentage shots (as evidenced by his 53% field goal percentage).