Amit Tamir
Encyclopedia
Amit Yosef Tamir(born December 2, 1979 in Jerusalem) is an Israel
i professional basketball player. He is a 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) tall center
/forward
and he currently plays for Maccabi Rishon LeZion
.
's youth team in 1997, and got the chance to play in the professional team from 1998 until 2001.
He spent three years in the Israeli Army before enrolling in college. During that time he played for the Israeli Under-22 team at the 1998 European Championships.
Tamir went to the U.S. and played for the University of California
in 2001. As a freshman he scored a career-best 39 points – the fifth-highest total ever at Cal – in a double-overtime win over Oregon to earn both Pac-10 and ESPN.com National Player of the Week honors. He was co-winner of Cal’s Best Academic Performance Award.
As a junior in 2002–03 he led the Bears in rebounding, while also ranking 2nd in assists and 3rd in scoring. His 61 three-pointers were the third most in school history. He was granted only three years of eligibility after playing in an organized competition in Israel after turning 21. He was a 2003–04 Playboy All-America member, a member of Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 2002, and the All-Pac-10 team in 2003, the only player in the conference to earn both First Team Pac-10 All-Academic and All-Pac-10 status in 2003,. and voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team in 2004.
After graduation, he moved to Greece and played for PAOK Thessaloniki BC
, and took part in the ULEB Cup
with PAOK in 2004.
In 2005, he played in Greece for a few months with AEK Athens BC
and also Gymnastikos S. Larissas before moving back to Israel.
He signed with the Maccabi Givat Shmual, who were struggling in last place of the top league. After Tamir and a new coach were signed, the team improved greatly and was close to being in the Final Four
.
In the 2006/2007 season he played in Belgium for Spirou Charleroi
. In 2007/2008 he started the season in Cherkassy
from Ukraine
, but he was released and joined Hapoel Holon
during the season, with whom he won the Israeli League championship.
In the 2008/2009 season he played for Elitzur Ashkelon. In the 2009/2010 season he moved to played for APOEL B.C.
from Cyprus
. In November 2010 he returned to play for Hapoel Jerusalem B.C..
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i professional basketball player. He is a 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) tall center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
/forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
and he currently plays for Maccabi Rishon LeZion
Maccabi Rishon LeZion (basketball)
Maccabi Rishon LeZion is a basketball club based in Rishon LeZion in central Israel. The club plays in Ligat HaAl, the top division of Israeli basketball.-History:...
.
Basketball career
Tamir started to play on Hapoel JerusalemHapoel Jerusalem (basketball)
Hapoel 'Migdal' Jerusalem is a professional basketball team that is based in Jerusalem, Israel. The club currently plays in the Eurocup, Israeli Super League , and the Israeli State Cup.-History:...
's youth team in 1997, and got the chance to play in the professional team from 1998 until 2001.
He spent three years in the Israeli Army before enrolling in college. During that time he played for the Israeli Under-22 team at the 1998 European Championships.
Tamir went to the U.S. and played for the University of California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 2001. As a freshman he scored a career-best 39 points – the fifth-highest total ever at Cal – in a double-overtime win over Oregon to earn both Pac-10 and ESPN.com National Player of the Week honors. He was co-winner of Cal’s Best Academic Performance Award.
As a junior in 2002–03 he led the Bears in rebounding, while also ranking 2nd in assists and 3rd in scoring. His 61 three-pointers were the third most in school history. He was granted only three years of eligibility after playing in an organized competition in Israel after turning 21. He was a 2003–04 Playboy All-America member, a member of Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 2002, and the All-Pac-10 team in 2003, the only player in the conference to earn both First Team Pac-10 All-Academic and All-Pac-10 status in 2003,. and voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team in 2004.
After graduation, he moved to Greece and played for PAOK Thessaloniki BC
PAOK BC
P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki B.C. is the professional basketball department of the Greek multi-sports club P.A.O.K., originally founded in 1926 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club has established a firm reputation in Greek sports, especially for its success in European leagues...
, and took part in the ULEB Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
with PAOK in 2004.
In 2005, he played in Greece for a few months with AEK Athens BC
AEK Athens BC
AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
and also Gymnastikos S. Larissas before moving back to Israel.
He signed with the Maccabi Givat Shmual, who were struggling in last place of the top league. After Tamir and a new coach were signed, the team improved greatly and was close to being in the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
.
In the 2006/2007 season he played in Belgium for Spirou Charleroi
Spirou Charleroi
Spirou Charleroi, also known as Spirou Basket, is a Belgian professional basketball club that is located in Charleroi, Belgium. The club competes in the top Belgian League...
. In 2007/2008 he started the season in Cherkassy
Cherkassy (basketball)
BK Cherkasy is a higher-tier Ukrainian professional basketball club that plays its home games in Cherkasy, Ukraine. The team is also known as the "Cherkas'ki Mavpy" , which means "Cherkasy Monkeys"....
from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, but he was released and joined Hapoel Holon
Hapoel Holon
-External links:* * *...
during the season, with whom he won the Israeli League championship.
In the 2008/2009 season he played for Elitzur Ashkelon. In the 2009/2010 season he moved to played for APOEL B.C.
APOEL B.C.
APOEL is a professional basketball team from Nicosia, Cyprus. APOEL is one of the most successful basketball clubs in Cyprus by winning 10 Championships, 11 Cups and 10 Supercups. APOEL B.C. is part of the APOEL multisport club.-History:...
from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. In November 2010 he returned to play for Hapoel Jerusalem B.C..
Personal
- He tried his luck in the 2004 NBA Draft2004 NBA DraftThe 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...
but was undraftedUndraftedAn undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
. - He played in the NBA's summer league for Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
but again did not make it into the NBA because he was not signed by the Magic.