Joel Przybilla (; born October 10, 1979) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player who played the
center position for 13 seasons in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA).
High school career
Przybilla was born in
Monticello, Minnesota, and attended
Monticello High School, where he was coached by Max LaVelle of the Monticello Magic. He was named 1998
Minnesota Mr. Basketball, along with Darius Lane.
He was also named to USA Today's All-USA second team and earned Parade All-American honors, and was a two-time Associated Press Minnesota Player of the Year honoree.
College career
Przybilla spent two years at the
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
and left as second on the Golden Gophers' all-time single-season list with 84 blocks. He finished his sophomore season first in the Big Ten in field goal percentage, second in blocks and third in rebounding.
College statistics
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 1998–99
, style="text-align:left;", Minnesota
, 28 , , , , 25.5 , , .560 , , .000 , , .577 , , 5.8 , , 1.5 , , .0 , , .0 , , 6.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 1999–2000
, style="text-align:left;", Minnesota
, 21 , , , , 30.4 , , .613 , , .000 , , .495 , , 8.4 , , 2.4 , , .8 , , 3.9 , , 14.2
, -
NBA career
Przybilla was selected with the 9th overall pick in the
2000 NBA draft by the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
, but was later traded to the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
for their first-round pick,
Jason Collier, and a future first-round pick on draft night. After playing for the Bucks for over three seasons, on February 15, 2004, he was traded to the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
in a three-team trade.
On August 25, 2004, Przybilla signed a two-year deal with the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
. He made an immediate impact averaging 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in the
2004–05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It began on November 2, 2004, and ended on June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating the defending champion Detroit Pistons, 4â ...
. On July 17, 2006, he re-signed with the Trail Blazers to a reported five-year, $32 million contract.
Bill Duffy, Przybilla's agent, explained his reasons for re-signing with the Blazers this way: "He's extremely loyal, and they gave him an opportunity two years ago when no one else did."
On March 22, 2008, Przybilla recorded a career-high 25 rebounds, two shy of the franchise record overall and one shy of the franchise record in a regulation game.
On January 2, 2009, he was fined $7,500 and assessed a flagrant foul for striking
Tyson Chandler.
In a game against the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
on December 22, 2009, he suffered a ruptured patella tendon as well as a dislocated patella after landing awkwardly on his right knee. Two days later, he had surgery to repair the tear in the tendon and missed the rest of the 2009–10 season.
On February 24, 2011, Przybilla was traded, along with
Dante Cunningham,
Sean Marks and two future first-round draft picks, to the
Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for
Gerald Wallace.
On February 27, 2012, Przybilla re-signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.
On August 9, 2012, Przybilla signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, with whom he began his NBA career. His final NBA game was played on February 11, 2013, in a 90 - 102 loss to the Washington Wizards where he recorded only 3 rebounds in under 5 minutes of playing time.
On August 25, 2014, Przybilla officially retired from the NBA after sitting out the entire 2013–14 season.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 33 , , 13 , , 8.2 , , .343 , , – , , .273 , , 2.2 , , .1 , , .1 , , .9 , , .8
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 71 , , 62 , , 15.9 , , .535 , , .000 , , .422 , , 4.0 , , .3 , , .3 , , 1.7 , , 2.7
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 32 , , 17 , , 17.1 , , .391 , , – , , .500 , , 4.5 , , .4 , , .3 , , 1.4 , , 1.5
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 5 , , 0 , , 6.6 , , .000 , , – , , .500 , , 2.0 , , .6 , , .0 , , .0 , , .2
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, 12 , , 12 , , 26.2 , , .360 , , – , , .414 , , 8.4 , , .3 , , .4 , , 1.4 , , 4.0
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 76 , , 50 , , 24.4 , , .598 , , – , , .517 , , 7.7 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 2.1 , , 6.4
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 56 , , 52 , , 24.9 , , .548 , , – , , .532 , , 7.0 , , .8 , , .4 , , 2.3 , , 6.1
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 43 , , 43 , , 16.3 , , .474 , , – , , .370 , , 3.9 , , .3 , , .2 , , 1.6 , , 2.0
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 77 , , 67 , , 23.6 , , .576 , , .000 , , .680 , , 8.4 , , .4 , , .2 , , 1.2 , , 4.8
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 43 , , 23.8 , , .625 , , .000 , , .663 , , 8.7 , , .3 , , .4 , , 1.2 , , 5.5
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 30 , , 9 , , 22.7 , , .523 , , – , , .647 , , 7.9 , , .3 , , .3 , , 1.4 , , 4.1
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 31 , , 9 , , 14.4 , , .618 , , – , , .565 , , 3.9 , , .4 , , .2 , , .5 , , 1.8
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Charlotte
, 5 , , 0 , , 14.8 , , .400 , , – , , .250 , , 4.8 , , .0 , , .0 , , .2 , , 1.8
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 27 , , 19 , , 16.6 , , .458 , , – , , .611 , , 5.1 , , .2 , , .2 , , .6 , , 2.0
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 12 , , 1 , , 5.7 , , .250 , , – , , .000 , , 1.8 , , .3 , , .1 , , .2 , , .2
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 592 , , 397 , , 19.8 , , .552 , , .000 , , .557 , , 6.2 , , .4 , , .3 , , 1.4 , , 3.9
Playoffs
, -
, align="left" ,
2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 2.0 , , .000 , , – , , – , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0
, -
, align="left" ,
2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
, align="left" ,
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, 4 , , 3 , , 8.3 , , 1.000 , , – , , – , , 2.5 , , .3 , , .0 , , .5 , , .5
, -
, align="left" ,
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
, align="left" ,
Portland
, 6 , , 6 , , 27.0 , , .556 , , – , , .500 , , 7.3 , , 1.3 , , .7 , , 2.0 , , 3.8
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 11 , , 9 , , 17.9 , , .579 , , – , , .500 , , 4.9 , , .8 , , .4 , , 1.3 , , 2.3
Personal life
Przybilla was born the third of four children of Doug, an American Express employee, and Linda Przybilla, a middle school teacher's assistant.
He is of German (maternally) and Polish descent.
He and his wife, Noelle, have two sons, Anthony and Jayden.
References
External links
*
Przybilla — IPrzybilla — II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Przybilla, Joel
Living people
1979 births
American men's basketball players
American people of German descent
American people of Polish descent
Atlanta Hawks players
Basketball players from Minnesota
Charlotte Bobcats players
Centers (basketball)
Houston Rockets draft picks
McDonald's High School All-Americans
Milwaukee Bucks players
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players
Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
Sportspeople from Wright County, Minnesota
Portland Trail Blazers players