Primož Brezec (born October 2, 1979) is a Slovenian former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player. He is a 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall center. Brezec has played eight seasons in the NBA.

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. On September 26, 2010, Brezec signed with BC Krasnye Krylya Samara of the

Russian Professional Basketball League The Professional Basketball League (), often abbreviated to the RPBL, was the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Russia, and the successor to the Russian Basketball Super League 1, Russian Super League 1, which is now the second- ...

. In July 2011, he signed with Lokomotiv Kuban for one season, but he was waived in February 2012. In March 2012, he signed with BC Nizhny Novgorod. On February 10, 2015, he signed a two-month deal with AEK Larnaca of the Cyprus Basketball Division 1. 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. On June 18, 2015, he re-signed with AEK Larnaca. On September 2, 2017, he announced his retirement from professional basketball, and joined the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

as international scout.

NBA

Brezec was chosen by the

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

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 The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

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 The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...

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 The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

in a February 24 win. In August 2009, he returned to the NBA when he signed with the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...

. On February 18, 2010, Brezec was traded to the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

along with Royal Ivey in exchange for Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson. 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 was also a member of the senior Slovenia national team during his playing career. He played for Slovenia at two

EuroBasket EuroBasket, also commonly referred to as the European Basketball Championship, is the main international basketball competition that is contested quadrennially, by the senior men's national teams that are governed by FIBA Europe, which is the E ...

tournaments, in

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

and

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, while also appearing at two World Cups, in

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

and

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

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Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

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Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

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Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

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Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

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Playoffs

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References

External links

*
Eurobasket.com Profile

Euroleague.net Profile

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brezec, Primoz 1979 births Living people BC Krasnye Krylia players BC Nizhny Novgorod players Centers (basketball) Charlotte Bobcats expansion draft picks Charlotte Bobcats players Cleveland Cavaliers scouts Detroit Pistons players Indiana Pacers draft picks Indiana Pacers players KK Olimpija players NBA players from Slovenia NBA scouts from Europe Milwaukee Bucks players Virtus Roma players PBC Lokomotiv-Kuban players People from Sežana Philadelphia 76ers players Slovenian basketball scouts Slovenian expatriate basketball people in Canada Slovenian expatriate basketball people in Italy Slovenian expatriate basketball people in the United States Slovenian men's basketball players Toronto Raptors players 2006 FIBA World Championship players 2010 FIBA World Championship players Al-Ahli Club (Manama) basketball players