Nick Fazekas
Fazekas with the Brave Thunders in 2018
No. 22 – Kawasaki Brave Thunders
PositionPower forward / center
LeagueB.League
Personal information
Born (1985-06-17) June 17, 1985
Arvada, Colorado
NationalityJapanese / American
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High schoolRalston Valley (Arvada, Colorado)
CollegeNevada (2003–2007)
NBA draft2007: 2nd round, 34th overall pick
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks
Playing career2007–present
Career history
2007–2008Dallas Mavericks
2007–2008→Tulsa 66ers
2008Los Angeles Clippers
2008–2009Base Oostende
2009ASVEL
2009–2010JDA Dijon
2010–2011Reno Bighorns
2012Petron Blaze Boosters
2012–presentToshiba Kawasaki Brave Thunders
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× B.League champion (2014, 2016)
  • 3× B.League Player of the Year (2014, 2015, 2017)
  • 2× B.League Finals MVP (2014, 2016)
  • 5× All-B.LeagueFirst Team (2014–2018)
  • 4× B.League scoring leader (2013–2015, 2017)
  • 2× B.League rebounding leader (2016, 2018)
  • 3× B.League Import Player of the Year (2013–2015)
  • 2× B.League All-Star (2014, 2015)
  • LNB Pro A champion (2009)
  • Consensus second-team All-American (2007)
  • 3× WAC Player of the Year (2005–2007)
  • 3× First-team All-WAC (2005–2007)
  • No. 22 retired by Nevada Wolf Pack
  • Mr. Colorado Basketball (2003)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

Nicholas Ryan Fazekas (born June 17, 1985) is an American-born Japanese professional basketball player for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders of the B.League in Japan.

Early career

Fazekas attended Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, Colorado where he earned the statewide Mr. Basketball Colorado honor for the 2002–03 season along with being a two-time 4A classification player of the year. As a senior, he led the Mustangs to a 25–2 record and a state championship after an undefeated regular season and semi-finals appearance the previous year. During his high school career he wore number 22 and he continued to do so in college.

College career

Fazekas playing for Nevada in 2007

Fazekas was signed by the University of Nevada for the 2003–04 season. From that point forward, Fazekas led the Wolf Pack to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances during his matriculation, including a run to the Sweet 16 as a freshman. He became the school's all-time leading scorer on November 18, 2006, when he surpassed the old record of 1,877 points scored by Edgar Jones in 1979. He also surpassed the single-season scoring record formerly set by Jones during the 2005–06 season. Fazekas also earned his third straight WAC Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season, a feat only matched by Utah's Keith Van Horn, for whom Fazekas was later coincidentally waived to make space on the trade that brought point guard Jason Kidd to the Mavericks. On February 28, 2019, Nevada retired Fazekas' number 22 in a ceremony at halftime of a win over UNLV. Fazekas became the second Wolf Pack basketball player to have his number retired, after Edgar Jones.[1]

Professional career

NBA career

Fazekas was an early entrant into the 2006 NBA draft, however he did not hire an agent, allowing him to eventually remove himself from consideration in order to play one more year of college basketball. The next year, he was taken with the 34th pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks.[2]

Fazekas was part of the Mavericks Summer League Team. He averaged 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while playing an average of 17 minutes a game. On July 26, the Mavericks signed Fazekas to a one-year contract. As part of the team's club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Fazekas was released by the Mavericks on February 19, 2008, to make room on the roster for Keith Van Horn, whose signing-and-trading was crucial to facilitate Dallas's trade for veteran point guard Jason Kidd from the New Jersey Nets. On February 27, 2008, he signed with the Clippers.[3] However, on August 1, 2008, the Clippers withdrew their qualifying offer to Fazekas, leaving him as an unrestricted free agent. He was signed by the Denver Nuggets for training camp, but waived again on October 23, 2008.

He played for the Boston Celtics' 2009 Summer League team, leading the squad in scoring.

European career

After being waived by the Nuggets, Fazekas failed to find another home in NBA and decided to go overseas. On October 28, 2008, he signed with the Belgian team Base Oostende for the 2008–09 season.[4] In January 2009, he left Base Oostende and joined the French Pro A club ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne[5] After a stint with the Celtics summer league team, Fazekas signed with JDA Dijon, returning to the French Pro A for the 2009 season.[6]

NBA D-League

Fazekas was selected by the Reno Bighorns with the first overall pick of the 2010 NBA Development League Draft.[7] He was waived by the Bighorns on December 30, 2010,[8] but rejoined the team for the 2011–12 season.[9] In December 2011, he was waived again due to injury.[10]

Toshiba Brave Thunders

Fazekas in a game for the Brave Thunders in 2013

In 2012, Fazekas announced his move to Japan where he signed with the Toshiba Brave Thunders Kanagawa. Prior to that, he was a member of the San Miguel Beermen for the entire 2011 season.[11] After his move, he led his team with 26.4 points and 13.5 rebounds, earning him an MVP award in 2012.[12] He won the award again in 2013.[13] In 2014, he led Toshiba Brave Thunders to an NBL Title by scoring 29 points which helped his team win 86–71 against Toyota Alvark in two periods.[14] During the 2019–20 season, Fazekas averaged 23.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.[15]

National team career

In the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Fazekas played center for the Japan national basketball team, starting alongside power forward Rui Hachimura.[16] In a preliminary match in Saitama, Fazekas played extended minutes in Japan's first-ever FIBA victory over a European opponent,[17] draining a corner three in the last 90 seconds to help Japan upset the visiting Germans.

Personal life

Fazekas's grandfather, Albert Fazekas, was a freedom fighter in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution who escaped from a Soviet-operated Hungarian prison after setting himself on fire to create a diversion. He soon emigrated with his wife and child to the United States. They would have two more children, one of them Nick's father Joe, after arriving in America.[18] Joe, who is 6'10" (2.08 m) himself, briefly played professional basketball in Argentina after playing college ball at Wyoming and Idaho State.[18] In an interview, Fazekas said that he would like to become a Hungarian citizen and play for the Hungary national basketball team.[19]

Awards

  • Two-time 4A Player of the Year (2001–02, 2002–03)
  • Mr. Basketball-Colorado (2002–03)
  • Three-time WAC Player of the Year (2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07)
  • Wooden Award Finalist (2005–06, 2006–07)
  • Third AP Team All-American (2005–06)
  • Second AP Team All-American (2006–07)
  • First team ESPN All-American (2006–07)
  • Joseph Kearney Award (2006)

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
2007–08 Dallas 402.3.400.000.000.8.0.0.01.0
2007–08 L.A. Clippers 22011.8.571.000.6823.9.6.4.54.7
Career 26010.3.561.000.6823.4.4.3.44.1

International statistics

† Denotes seasons in which Fazekas won a championship
* Led the league
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2012–13 Toshiba 424227.7.545.333.70512.11.2.9.821.5*
2013–14† Toshiba 545430.5.560.445.75613.5*2.1.81.726.4*
2014–15 Toshiba 505031.2.571.401.79312.92.31.01.226.1*
2015–16† Toshiba 545433.0.536.370.78213.5*1.91.01.025.9
2016–17 Kawasaki 606030.3.546.428.81512.72.4.8.827.1*
2017–18 Kawasaki 605929.9.553.446.84610.9*2.81.2.425.3
2018–19 Kawasaki 595031.4.514.383.85711.03.01.1.422.1
2019-20 Kawasaki 404032.0.514.419.83111.03.71.0.423.2
2020–21 Kawasaki 565630.0.534.441.8489.73.7.9.320.7
2021–22 Kawasaki 555529.3.541.420.8648.94.31.0.319.7

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Nevada handles rival UNLV as Pack retires Fazekas's jersey". kolotv.com. February 28, 2019. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  2. ↑ Kaz Nagatsuka (April 16, 2013). "Fazekas, Diouf sparked major turnaround for Brave Thunders". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  3. ↑ Marc Stein (February 19, 2008). "Kidd trade to Mavs will cost Dallas $11 million more than original deal". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Oostende signs big man Nick Fazekas". October 28, 2008. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  5. ↑ "ASVEL Villeurbanne inks Fazekas". Talk Basket. September 1, 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Dijon tabs Fazekas, Craven". Talk Basketball. July 29, 2009. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  7. ↑ "2010 NBA D-League Draft". NBA.com. November 1, 2010. Archived from the original on November 17, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Bighorns waive injured Miles, Fazekas". January 11, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Rosters Set for 2011-12 NBA Development League Regular Season". NBA.com. November 23, 2011. Archived from the original on November 28, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Big Farewell to Nick Fazekas". NBA.com. December 19, 2011. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Former Pack Star Fazekas Signs with Japanese Team". KOLO-TV. July 28, 2012. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  12. ↑ Kaz Nagatsuka (May 20, 2014). "'Unfinished business' fires up MVP Fazekas, Toshiba". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  13. ↑ Kaz Nagatsuka (May 1, 2014). "Fazekas named NBL MVP". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Fazekas leads Toshiba to NBL Finals". The Japan Times. May 11, 2014. Archived from the original on June 1, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  15. ↑ Murray, Chris (March 11, 2020). "Catching up with 27 ex-Nevada standouts playing pro hoops across five continents". Nevada Sports Net. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Japan at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  17. ↑ Nagatsuka, Kaz (2019-08-24). "Japan rallies in second half to beat Germany". The Japan Times Online. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  18. 1 2 Sneddon, Steve (February 8, 2005). "NBA a realistic goal for Fazekas". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved June 29, 2007.
  19. ↑ Juha, Pál (October 1, 2011). ""Gyakran hallok magyar szót" - interjú az egykori NBA-kosarassal, aki magyar válogatott akar lenni" ["We often hear the Hungarian word " - interview with the former NBA basketball player over who wants to be a Hungarian national] (in Hungarian). origo.hu. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
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