Aleksander Balcerowski
Balcerowski (right) in 2022
No. 8 – Panathinaikos
PositionCenter
LeagueGreek Basket League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (2000-11-19) 19 November 2000
Świdnica, Poland
NationalityPolish
Listed height2.17 m (7 ft 1 in)
Listed weight127 kg (280 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2022: undrafted
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2023Gran Canaria
2021–2022→ Mega Basket
2023–presentPanathinaikos
Career highlights and awards

Aleksander Roman "Olek" Balcerowski (born November 19, 2000) is a Polish professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He also represents the senior Polish national team in international competition.

Playing career

Balcerowski started his career in Górnik Wałbrzych, Poland. In 2014, he joined Herbalife Gran Canaria at the age of 14 and entered their youth system. Less than three years later, he became the second youngest player to be on Herbalife Gran Canaria men's team, as he made his first team debut at just 17 years and 14 days old. Having participated in the EuroLeague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Ciutat de L'Hospitalet twice, Balcerowski made his debut in the EuroCup, playing against Tofaş S.K. in December 2017.[1]

At the end of the 2020–21 EuroCup Basketball competition, he was awarded the EuroCup Basketball Rising Star.[2] He made 65.6 percent of his two-point shots, averaging 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15 EuroCup games.[3]

In 2020, when playing for Gran Canaria he recorded a career-high 10 rebounds in a game against CB Zamora and a career-best 26 points against CB Villarrobledo.[4]

Following the 2020–21 season, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft. In July 2021, he was loaned to Mega Basket of the ABA League for the 2021–22 season.[5] On 19 July 2021, he withdrew his name from consideration for the 2021 NBA draft.[6] He left Mega in February 2022.[7] He went undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft.

On July 28, 2023, Balcerowski signed a two-year contract with EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos.[8]

Family

His father Marcin played for Górnik Wałbrzych in Poland's second and third-tier leagues before a car accident in 1998 that left him using a wheelchair. He later transitioned to wheelchair basketball and became a member of the Polish national team. In 2021, he was named head coach of the Polish wheelchair basketball national team. His mother Sylwia, originally from Lublin, Poland, also has a background in basketball.[9]

National team career

Balcerowski was a member of the Poland national team that finished eighth at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[10] He was the youngest player at the tournament.[11] In over eight tournament games, he averaged 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "BALCEROWSKI, ALEKSANDER - Welcome to 7DAYS EuroCup". www.eurocupbasketball.com. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  2. ↑ "Aleksander Balcerowski to make NBA Summer League debut with Celtics, Madar absent". basketnews.com. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Career Story of Aleksander Balcerowski". BetVip. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  4. ↑ "Olek Balcerowski | ACB.COM". https (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  5. ↑ "Zvezda u usponu Evrokupa naredne sezone u dresu Mege". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "NBA announces 51 early entry candidates withdraw from 2021 Draft". nba.com. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  7. ↑ "Mega ostala bez centra koji je namučio Zvezdu". b92.net. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  8. ↑ "Στα πράσινα ο Αλεξάντερ Μπαλτσερόφσκι". paobc.gr. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Tomasz Wiśniowski. "Kariera, wypadek, wózek. A potem miłość, która wszystko zmieniła". tvn24.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Poland presents World Cup squad". eurohoops.net. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  11. ↑ "Balcerowski, youngest player in the World Cup represents Poland's bright future". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  12. ↑ "[POL] Aleksander Roman BALCEROWSKI Center". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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