Aleksandar Vezenkov

Aleksandar Vezenkov
No. 14 – FC Barcelona
Position Power forward
League Liga ACB
Euroleague
Personal information
Born (1995-08-06) 6 August 1995
Nicosia, Cyprus
Nationality Bulgarian / Greek
Listed height 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight 225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
Playing career 2011–present
Career history
2011–2015 Aris Thessaloniki
2015–present FC Barcelona Lassa
Career highlights and awards

Aleksandar "Aleks" Vezenkov (alternate spelling: Alexander "Alex" Vezenkof) (Bulgarian: Александър "Алекс" Везенков; born 6 August 1995), commonly known as Sasha Vezenkov (Bulgarian: Саша Везенков), is a Bulgarian[1]-Greek[2] professional basketball player, who currently plays for FC Barcelona of the Liga ACB. He is a 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) tall[3] 102 kg (225 lb.)[4] power forward. Due to familial heritage, Vezenkov has regularly chosen to represent the Bulgarian national team, on both the junior and senior levels, even though he was born in Cyprus, and was raised in all Greek communities in Cyprus and Greece.[5][6][7]

Early career

Always considered to be one of the best players in his age group in Europe, Vezenkov began playing youth club basketball in Cyprus in 2005 with APOEL Nicosia's youth teams. In 2009, he moved to Greece and began playing youth club basketball with Aris' youth teams, until 2011, when he joined Aris' senior men's club.[8] He has trained for several years at Nick Galis Hall, located near the center of Thessaloniki, Greece.

On 16 May 2013, Vezenkov committed to play American college basketball in the Big East Conference, at Xavier University, with the Xavier Musketeers.[9] However, he ultimately decided to stay in Greece with his club team Aris instead.[10]

Professional career

Vezenkov began his pro career with the senior men's team of Aris, in the Greek League, in 2011, appearing in 10 games, with an average of 2.5 minutes on the floor.[11] In the 2012–13 season, he appeared in 21 games, averaging 3.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.[12] He was named the Greek League Best Young Player in 2013.[13]

In August 2013, he re-signed with Aris for 3 years.[10] In the next season, he established himself in the team, appeared in 26 games and averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.[14] He was named the Greek League Best Young Player again in 2014.[15] In the local derby against rivals PAOK, during the 2014–15 season, Vezenkov achieved Greek League career-highs in scoring and rebounding, with 29 points and 14 rebounds respectively.[16] In total, he played in 37 games during the 2014–15 Greek Basket League season, averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.[17] During 26 regular season games, Vezenkov led the league in total points scored, with 469, and was second in total rebounds grabbed, with 201.[18] He was also named the league's MVP, Most Improved Player, and Best Young Player that season.[19] Vezenkov had originally planned to enter the 2015 NBA draft, but later withdrew his name from it before the deadline that was set for international players back in June.

On July 31, 2015, Vezenkov signed a four-year deal worth €2 million euros net income,[20] with the Spanish ACB League club FC Barcelona.[21] FC Barcelona also paid a €315,000 euros buyout fee to Vezenkov's former club, Aris.[22] Vezenkov's contract with FC Barcelona also included a buyout option for the NBA, set at the amount of €1 million euros.[23] The Spanish League club Valencia Basket, and the Greek League club Panathinaikos, also were interested in signing Vezenkov to a contract at the time.[24] Vezenkov would then put his name in the 2016 NBA draft after his first season with Barcelona ended.

Bulgarian national team

Vezenkov has been a member of the Bulgarian junior national teams. With Bulgaria's junior national teams, he played at the following tournaments: both the 2010 and 2011 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championships, the 2012 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, the 2012 FIBA Europe Under-20 Division B Championship, and the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. He led the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in scoring, with an average of 27.1 points per game.[25]

He led the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in scoring, with an average of 22.4 points per game.[26] He also led the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game,[27] and rebounds, averaging 11.2 rebounds per game.[28] He was also named to the tournament's All-Tournament Team.[29]

Vezenkov also represented the senior men's Bulgarian national team in the second qualification tournament for FIBA EuroBasket 2015, averaging 17.3 points per game, and also being the highest scoring player for the team in 5 of their 6 games, as well as the team's overall top scorer.[30]

Awards and accomplishments

Pro career

Bulgarian national team

Individual

Personal life

Vezenkov is the son of Ianka Vezenkova (nee Gerginova) and Sachko "Sasho" Vezenkov,[33] who has served as both manager and director of sports of Lukoil Academic.[34][35] Sasho is also a former international basketball player, who played at EuroBasket 1985, EuroBasket 1989, and EuroBasket 1991.[36] Sasho was also the captain of the senior men's Bulgarian national basketball team.[37] Sasho moved to Cyprus, and he played and coached basketball there in the Cypriot Basketball League for many years.

Vezenkov's sister, Michaela Vezenkova,[38] played college basketball at UNC Wilmington, and also played professionally in the Cypriot women's league.[39] Vezenkova decided to represent Cyprus, rather than Bulgaria, and she eventually became the captain of the Cyprus women's national basketball team.[37]

While living in Greece as a youth, Vezenkov attended Greek schools. Vezenkov is fluent in both the Greek and the Bulgarian languages, with Greek being his native tongue, and Bulgarian being his second language.[40]

Vezenkov officially received Greek citizenship on December 30, 2015,[41] under the official name of Alexander "Alex" Vezenkof (Greek: Αλεξάντερ "Αλέξ" Βεζένκοφ),[42] with his common Greek name being Sasha Vezenkof (Greek: Σάσα Βεζένκοφ). Before acquiring Greek citizenship, Vezenkov had previously stated that he felt like a member of Greek society, since he was born and raised in Greek communities in both Cyprus and Greece.[43]

References

  1. ↑ FIBAEurope.com Aleksandar Vezenkov (Bulgaria) Nationality: BUL.
  2. ↑ Ο Βεζένκοφ έδωσε... ελληνικό όρκο! (Greek).
  3. ↑ ΒΕΖΕΝΚΟΦ Αλέξανδρος | HEIGHT 2.06 (Greek).
  4. ↑ ALEKSANDAR VEZENKOV PHYSICALS H: 6' 9" W: 225 lbs.
  5. ↑ Αλ. Βεζένκοφ: «Νιώθω σαν να είμαι Ελληνας» (Greek).
  6. ↑ Учен от Харвард превръща Александър Везенков в супериграч (Bulgarian).
  7. ↑ Focus on Aleksandar Vezenkov, FC Barcelona Lassa.
  8. ↑ Eurohopes.com Aleksandar Vezenkov Miscellaneous.
  9. ↑ CollegeBasketballTalk.com Xavier lands 6–8 forward Aleksandar Vezenkov.
  10. 1 2 Ο Αλέξανδρος Βεζένκοβ στον ΑΡΗ για τα επόμενα τρία χρόνια (Greek).
  11. ↑ "Alexander Vezenkov player statistics 2011–12" (in Greek). Greek Basket League. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "Alexander Vezenkov player statistics 2012–13" (in Greek). Greek Basket League. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  13. ↑ A1Basket.gr Basket League Greece 2012–13 best rookie: Aleksandar Vezenkov.
  14. ↑ "Alexander Vezenkov player statistics 2013–14" (in Greek). Greek Basket League. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  15. ↑ ESAKE.gr Καλύτερος νέος παίκτης 2014: ΑΛ. ΒΕΖΕΝΚΟΦ (Greek).
  16. ↑ Το ντέρμπι κρίθηκε στον «αέρα» (in Greek). Greek Basket League. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  17. ↑ "ΒΕΖΕΝΚΟΦ Αλέξανδρος Basket League ΣΚΡΑΤΣ 2014–15" (in Greek). Greek Basket League. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "Οι κορυφαίοι της κανονικής περιόδου στη Basket League! (pics) Διάβασε περισσότερα στο: Οι κορυφαίοι της κανονικής περιόδου στη Basket League!" (in Greek). gazzetta.gr. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  19. ↑ VEZENKOV IS THE HEBA MVP.
  20. ↑ Учен от Харвард превръща Александър Везенков в супериграч (Bulgarian).
  21. ↑ "Barcelona inks top prospect Vezenkov through 2019". Euroleague.net. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  22. ↑ Vezenkov, una joya búlgara para el Barça (Spanish).
  23. ↑ Vezenkov announced by Barcelona.
  24. ↑ Vezenkov, una joya búlgara para el Barça (Spanish).
  25. ↑ FIBAEurope.com STATISTICAL LEADERS – PLAYERS Points Per Game.
  26. ↑ STATISTICAL LEADERS – PLAYERS Points Per Game.
  27. ↑ FIBAEurope.com STATISTICAL LEADERS – PLAYERS Points Per Game.
  28. ↑ FIBAEurope.com STATISTICAL LEADERS – PLAYERS Total Rebounds.
  29. ↑ FIBAEurope.com Osman Headlines All-Tournament Team.
  30. ↑ Aleksandar Vezenkov FIBA EuroBasket 2015 Qualification Profile.
  31. ↑ gong editors (1 May 2015). "Везенков отново стана Най-добър млад играч в България" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  32. ↑ Kamenov, Kalin (24 December 2014). "30-те най-обещаващи млади спортисти на България" (in Bulgarian). kalinkamenov.com. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  33. ↑ Sasho Vezenkov
  34. ↑ Сашо Везенков: федерацията се ръководи от Тити, "Ту носи баница, ту носи боза, ту с всички", заяви треньорът на Лукойл (PDF) (in Bulgarian). livemedia.bg. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  35. ↑ Информация за шампионите в българското баскетболно първенство (PDF) (in Bulgarian). basketball.bg. 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  36. ↑ Sachko VEZENKOV (BUL) participated in 6 FIBA / FIBA Zones events.
  37. 1 2 בולגריה מתגעגעת לפיני גרשון (Hebrew).
  38. ↑ Cypriot Basketball players abroad - Part 1.
  39. ↑ MICHAELA VEZENKOVA basketball profile.
  40. ↑ Αλ. Βεζένκοφ: «Νιώθω σαν να είμαι Ελληνας» (Greek).
  41. ↑ Ο Βεζένκοφ έδωσε... ελληνικό όρκο! (Greek).
  42. ↑ Ο Βεζένκοφ ορκίζεται Έλληνας Ο Βεζένκοφ ορκίζεται Έλληνας (Greek).
  43. ↑ Βεζένκοφ: "Αγαπώ την Ελλάδα και τον Άρη" (Greek).

External links

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