Primož_Brezec

Primož Brezec

Primož Brezec

Slovenian basketball player (born 1979)

Primož Brezec (born October 2, 1979) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player. He is a 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall center. Brezec has played eight seasons in the NBA.

Quick Facts Cleveland Cavaliers, Position ...

Professional career

Europe/Asia

Brezec grew up in Sežana, where he also made his professional debut with the local team Kraski Zidar. During his high school years, he was a member of the basketball team and a major star of the ŠKL League, the national high school league. As a professional, he played for the Slovenian Premier A League club Union Olimpija Ljubljana from 1998 until 2001.

Brezec spent the next 7 seasons playing in the NBA in the United States and Canada. He returned to Europe on July 20, 2008, when he signed a 2-year contract with Lottomatica Roma of the Italian league.[1]

On September 26, 2010, Brezec signed with BC Krasnye Krylya Samara of the Russian Professional Basketball League.[2]

In July 2011, he signed with Lokomotiv Kuban for one season,[3] but he was waived in February 2012.[4]

In March 2012, he signed with BC Nizhny Novgorod.[5]

On February 10, 2015, he signed a two-month deal with AEK Larnaca of the Cyprus Basketball Division 1.[6] He won the title in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca averaging 14.9 points and 7 rebounds per game.

On May 7, 2015, after his contract expired, he signed with Al Kuwait of the Kuwaiti Division I Basketball League.[7]

On June 18, 2015, he re-signed with AEK Larnaca.[8]

On September 2, 2017, he announced his retirement from professional basketball,[9] and joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as international scout.[10][11]

NBA

Brezec with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2006.

Brezec was chosen by the Indiana Pacers with the 27th overall pick of the 2000 NBA draft. After he spent three years in Indiana with little playing time, he was picked up in the 2004 NBA Expansion Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. As the Bobcats' starting center, Brezec averaged career-highs of 13.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game during the 2004–05 NBA season. He also scored the first points, made the first turnover, and hit the first free-throws in the history of the franchise.

On December 14, 2007, Brezec, along with Bobcats teammate Wálter Herrmann, was traded to the Detroit Pistons for center Nazr Mohammed.[12]

At the 2008 NBA trade deadline, which was on February 21, Brezec, along with cash considerations, was traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Juan Dixon.[13] During his Raptors debut, he hit all five of his shots and finished with 11 points, three rebounds and a block in 13 minutes off the bench against the New York Knicks in a February 24 win.

In August 2009, he returned to the NBA when he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.[14]

On February 18, 2010, Brezec was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks along with Royal Ivey in exchange for Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson.[15] His final NBA game was played on May 2, 2010, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Atlanta Hawks. The Bucks lost the game 74 - 95, (thus losing the series) with Brezec recording 5 points and 2 rebounds.

National team career

Brezec (#7) at EuroBasket 2009

Brezec was also a member of the senior Slovenia national team during his playing career. He played for Slovenia at two EuroBasket tournaments, in 2003[16] and 2005,[17] while also appearing at two World Cups, in 2006[18] and 2010.[19]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

More information Year, Team ...

Playoffs

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References

  1. [1]
    "Latest News | EuroLeague". Euroleague Basketball. October 19, 2023.
  2. [2]
    "Brezec is moving to Russia | HoopsLeader.com". July 12, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-12.
  3. [3]
    "Lokomotiv Kuban lands center Brezec - Latest - Welcome to Eurocup". February 10, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-02-10.
  4. [4]
    Lokomotiv Kuban waived Primoz Brezec
  5. [5]
    Primoz Brezec moves to Nizhny Novgorod
  6. [6]
    "Primoz Brezec moves to AEK Larnaca".
  7. [7]
    "Primoz Brezec signs with Al Kuwait".
  8. [8]
    "Primoz Brezec returns to AEK Larnaca".
  9. [9]
    "Brezec retired and become a scout for the Cavs". Eurohoops. September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  10. [10]
    Vardon, Joe (September 1, 2017). "Isaiah Thomas' road to a comeback with Cavaliers begins Tuesday in Cleveland". cleveland.com. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  11. [11]
    Taningco, Brad (September 2, 2017). "Cavs news: Cleveland will add Primoz Brezec to staff as international scout". cavsnation.com. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  12. [12]
    "Bobcats acquire forward Mohammed from Pistons". ESPN.com. December 15, 2007.
  13. [13]
    "Raptors acquire well-traveled Brezec from Pistons". ESPN.com. February 21, 2008.
  14. [14]
    "Center Brezec returns to NBA, signs contract with 76ers". NBA.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2015.
  15. [15]
    "Bucks Acquire Ivey, Brezec from 76ers". NBA.com. 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
  16. [16]
    "Primož Brezec EuroBasket 2003 statistics". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 8 September 2003.
  17. [17]
    "Primož Brezec EuroBasket 2005 statistics". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 25 September 2005.
  18. [18]
    "Primož Brezec 2006 FIBA World Cup statistics". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 26 August 2006.
  19. [19]
    "Primož Brezec 2010 FIBA World Cup statistics". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
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