Sveinbjörn Claessen
Sveinbjörn Claessen in 2014
ÍR
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueÚrvalsdeild karla
Personal information
Born(1986-02-22)22 February 1986
Reykjavík, Iceland
NationalityIcelandic
Listed height195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight90 kg (198 lb)
Career information
High schoolMira Mesa
(San Diego, California)
Playing career2004–2018
2019–2020
PositionShooting guard / small forward
Number5, 10
Career history
As player:
2004–2018ÍR
2019–2020ÍR
As coach:
2018–presentÍR (assistant)
Career highlights and awards

Sveinbjörn Claessen (born 22 February 1986) is an Icelandic basketball coach and a former member of the Icelandic men's national basketball team. Nicknamed Mr. ÍR,[1][2][3] he has spent his entire career with Íþróttafélag Reykjavíkur, winning the Icelandic Cup with the club in 2007.

Playing career

Sveinbjörn came up through the junior ranks of ÍR, spending one year playing with Mira Mesa Senior High School in San Diego, California at the age of 17.[4] Originally a point guard, he moved to the wing position when he started playing for ÍR's senior team in the Úrvalsdeild karla during the 2004–2005 season.[5]

He helped ÍR to victory in the Icelandic Cup finals in 2007, scoring 8 points and handing out 7 assists in the 83-81 victory against Hamar/Selfoss.[6] The following season, he was named to the Úrvalsdeild Domestic All-First Team[7] He helped ÍR reach the semi-finals in the playoffs where they led 2-0 against Keflavík, before collapsing and losing the next three games and the series.[8]

In the second game of the 2009–2010 season, Sveinbjörn tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, causing him to miss the rest of the season.[9] He returned in November 2010 and averaged 6.7 points in 14 regular season games, his lowest since his rookie season. He upped the averages to 14.3 points in the playoffs but was unable to prevent ÍR from being swept, 0-3, by Keflavík in the first round.[10] In the third game of the 2011-2012 season, Sveinbjörn tore an anterior cruciate ligament again, this time in his right knee, and missed the rest of the season.[11][12]

His best statistical season came in 2013–2014 when he averaged 19.9 points, scoring 20 points in 14 of his 22 games, tops among Icelandic players.[13] He led ÍR to the Cup finals again during the season[14] but they were unable to repeat their 2007 success, losing to Grindavík 89-77.[15]

On 3 December 2015, he became the second ÍR player to reach 200 games in the Úrvalsdeild karla, after Eiríkur Önundarson who played 350 games for ÍR in the league.[16]

During the 2017–2018 season, the recurrent knee injuries were starting to take their toll. Although he appeared in all 22 games of the regular season, he averaged a career low 4.0 points in 14 minutes per game. He subsequently retired after ÍR's loss against Tindastóll in the semi-finals of the playoffs that year.[17]

Sveinbjörn made a comeback in October 2019 with ÍR. He was an unused substitute in a victory against Þór Akureyri on 25 October. On 15 November, he saw his first minutes since 2018 when he played 4 minutes, scoring 2 points, in a victory against Fjölnir.

National team career

Sveinbjörn played 5 games for the Icelandic men's national basketball team from 2007 to 2009.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Kristinn Páll Teitsson (3 May 2018). "Herra ÍR leggur skóna á hilluna". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Mikill vill meira". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 7 December 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  3. ↑ Elvar Geir Magnússon (30 October 2014). "Umfjöllun, viðtöl og tölfræði: Fjölnir - ÍR 75-81 - Breiðhyltingar brutu ísinn". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "1 á 1 Sveinbjörn Claessen". karfan.is (in Icelandic). 25 February 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  5. ↑ Davíð Eldur (20 August 2018). "Sveinbjörn Claessen: Ég hefði ekki verið tekinn svona af lífi". karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Sigurður Elvar Þórólfsson (19 February 2017). "Aldarafmælið byrjar vel". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. B5. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Eiríkur Stefán Ásgeirsson (11 May 2008). "Hlynur og Pálína best". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  8. ↑ Skúli Unnar Sveinsson (17 April 2008). "Afrek að vinna ÍR". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Sveinbjörn Claessen frá í 6-9 mánuði". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 23 October 2009. p. C2. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Úrvalsdeild karla Iceland Express-deildin (2011 Tímabil) - Sveinbjörn Claessen". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  11. ↑ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (3 November 2011). "Sveinbjörn sleit krossband í Grindavíkurleiknum - ekki meira með í vetur". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  12. ↑ Kristján Jónsson (4 November 2011). "Áfall ekki nógu sterkt orð". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. C1. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  13. ↑ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (19 March 2014). "Sveinbjörn tuttugu stiga kóngur vetrarins". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  14. ↑ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (22 February 2014). "Tvö geta fengið bikarmeistaratitil í afmælisgjöf í dag?". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  15. ↑ "Grindavík bikarmeistari karla 2014". RÚV (in Icelandic). 22 February 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  16. ↑ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (3 December 2015). "Tímamótaleikur hjá Sveinbirni". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  17. ↑ Kristján Jónsson (3 May 2018). "Sveinbjörn er hættur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  18. ↑ "A-Landslið - Úrslit". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
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