Joel Przybilla
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| Position | Center |
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| Height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) |
| Weight | 255 lb (116 kg) |
| Team | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Jersey | #10 |
| Born | October 10, 1979 Monticello, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Monticello High School |
| College | Minnesota |
| Draft | 9th overall, 2000 Houston Rockets |
| Pro career | 2000–present |
| Former teams | Milwaukee Bucks (2000–2004) Atlanta Hawks (2004) |
Joel Anthony Przybilla (born October 10, 1979) is an American professional basketball player. A 7'1" (2.16 m) center of Polish descent, he currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA.
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[edit] High school career
Przybilla was born in Monticello, Minnesota, and attended Monticello High School, where he was was coached by Max LaVelle on the Monticello Magic.
[edit] College career
He played two seasons at the University of Minnesota. He left Minnesota during the middle of his sophomore season due to differences with first-year coach Dan Monson.
[edit] NBA career
Przybilla was the 9th overall selection in the 2000 NBA Draft, chosen by the Houston Rockets, but traded the same day to the Milwaukee Bucks for their pick, Jason Collier. He has since played for the Bucks, the Atlanta Hawks and the Trail Blazers. Upon free agency, Phoenix and Toronto showed interest but Portland was the only team offering guaranteed money[1] and he signed for a reported $3.35 million over two years on August 24, 2004. [2]He made an immediate impact averaging 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in that 2004-2005 NBA season.
Przybilla became a free agent again at the end of the 2005-2006 season. After being pursued by several teams, he agreed to re-sign with the Blazers; the contract is reportedly for 5 years and US $32 million.[3] Among his suitors were the Chicago Bulls, and the Detroit Pistons, seeking to replace the outgoing Ben Wallace.[3] Bill Duffy, Przybilla's agent, explained his reasons for re-signing with the Blazers as opposed to likely championship contenders this way: "He's extremely loyal, and they gave him an opportunity two years ago when no one else did."[3] At the same time, the Blazers' offer was the most generous, surpassing the Pistons' $29 million offer and the $24 million offered by the Spurs.[4] On 22 March 2008, Przybilla pulled a career high 25 rebounds, two shy of the franchise record overall and one shy of franchise record in a regulation game.[5]
[edit] Trivia
His nickname, dating back to his time at the University of Minnesota, is "The Vanilla Gorilla"
While in Portland, his nicknames have included: "Joel Dolla-Dolla-Billa", "Pryzbila the Thrilla"
[edit] References
- ^ BLAZERS: Joel Przybilla Rip City Feature
- ^ ESPN - Blazers sign Przybilla - NBA
- ^ a b c Liz Robbins. "Pistons Quickly Plug a Hole in the Middle With Mohammed", New York Times, 2006-07-05. Retrieved on 2006-07-05.
- ^ John Canzano. "'Ours not to reason why' Przybilla stayed", The Oregonian, 2006-07-05. Retrieved on 2006-07-05.
- ^ Template error: argument title is required.
[edit] External links
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