Primož Brezec

Primož Brezec

Brezec in 2009.
Nickname(s)	Breza
Position	Center
Height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Weight	255 lb (116 kg)
League	PBL EuroChallenge
Team	Lokomotiv Kuban
Born	October 2, 1979 (1979-10-02) Postojna, Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Slovenian
Draft	1nd round, 27st overall, 2000 Indiana Pacers
Pro career	1996–present
Career history	Kraski Zidar (1996–98) Union Olimpija Ljubljana (1998–01) Indiana Pacers (2001–04) Charlotte Bobcats (2004–07) Detroit Pistons (2007–08) Toronto Raptors (2008) Lottomatica Roma (2008–09) Philadelphia 76ers (2009–10) Milwaukee Bucks (2010) Krasnye Krylya Samara (2010-11) Lokomotiv Kuban (2011-...)

Primož Brezec (born October 2, 1979) is a Slovenian professional basketball player with Lokomotiv Kuban of the Russian Super League. He is a 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall center. Brezec has played seven seasons in the NBA.

Pro career

Europe

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.

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

In July 2011 he signed with Lokomotiv Kuban for one season.

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.

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. 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 signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

On February 18, 2010, Brezec was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks along with Royal Ivey in exchange for Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson.

Slovenian national team

Brezec (#7) at Eurobasket 2009

Brezec has also been a member of the senior Slovenian national basketball team. With Slovenia's senior national team, he has played at the 2003 FIBA European Championship, the 2005 FIBA European Championship, the 2006 FIBA World Championship, and the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

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

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2001–02	Indiana	22	4	7.3	.483	.000	.600	1.3	.3	.0	.3	2.0
2002–03	Indiana	22	1	5.0	.395	.000	.600	1.0	.2	.1	.2	1.9
2003–04	Indiana	18	0	4.0	.462	.000	.667	.8	.2	.0	.2	1.6
2004–05	Charlotte	72	72	31.6	.512	.000	.745	7.4	1.2	.5	.8	13.0
2005–06	Charlotte	79	79	27.4	.517	.000	.732	5.6	.6	.2	.4	12.4
2006–07	Charlotte	58	40	14.4	.445	.333	.632	3.2	.4	.2	.4	5.0
2007–08	Charlotte	20	18	13.4	.395	.000	.600	2.2	.3	.0	.2	1.9
2007–08	Detroit	17	0	5.8	.769	.000	.500	1.1	.2	.1	.1	1.6
2007–08	Toronto	13	0	8.5	.447	.000	.667	1.4	.1	.1	.2	3.7
2009–10	Philadelphia	7	0	5.1	.154	.000	.500	1.7	.0	.1	.1	.7
2009–10	Milwaukee	14	0	4.2	.538	.000	.000	.9	.1	.0	.1	1.0
Career		342	214	18.1	.498	.167	.701	3.9	.5	.2	.4	7.2

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2009–10	Milwaukee	4	0	6.3	.571	.000	.500	.8	.0	.2	.0	2.3
Career		4	0	6.3	.571	.000	.500	.8	.0	.2	.0	2.3

External links

• NBA.com Profile - Primož Brezec
• Euroleague.net Profile
• Interbasket.net Profile
• Basketpedya.com Profile
• Primož Brezec on Twitter