Brett Blizzard
Encyclopedia
Brett Alan Blizzard is a basketball player formerly for Virtus Bologna
of the Italian A League
. Originally of American
nationality, Blizzard opted to acquire dual citizenship in Italy while playing overseas. He became eligible to play on Italy's national team because of a distant Italian relative. Including Virtus Bologna, Blizzard has played for five professional teams in his career. Blizzard is currently co-host of "Full Court Press," a high school basketball highlight show on WWAY-TV in Wilmington, NC.
, Florida
. He attended Florida State University School
(colloquially "Florida High School") from 1995–1999. As a standout on the basketball team, Brett earned a full-ride scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington
(UNCW) to play for the UNCW Seahawks in the Colonial Athletic Association
(CAA).
s.
Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame
as the top three-point shooting freshman in the nation. Brett complemented his scoring ability with 76 assists and 62 steals. The Seahawks finished the regular season in fourth place with an 8-8 conference record, but Blizzard solidified his selection as an All-CAA First Team selection by leading UNCW to win the CAA Tournament championship. They defeated Richmond
57-47, with Brett taking home his first of an unprecedented three Tournament MVP awards. In the first round of the 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, the #15-seeded Seahawks faced #2 Cincinnati
, but lost 47-64 in their first ever tournament berth. Blizzard also won the CAA Rookie of the Year award.
, and were thus relegated to play in the 2001 NIT Tournament
. They would go on to lose the opening round game versus Dayton
, 59-68. Blizzard earned his second consecutive All-CAA First Team selection.
after winning both the Colonial Athletic Association regular season and tournament titles. The Seahawks finished 14-4 in conference play and went on to defeat Virginia Commonwealth University, 66-51, in the conference tournament to earn an automatic March Madness
berth. UNCW caught national attention when their #13-seeded Seahawks upset #4 USC in overtime, 93-89, to win their first ever NCAA Tournament game.
Brett scored a team-high 18 points in the contest. Due to his fearless guard play and unique last name, the national media thrust Blizzard into the spotlight and sports commentators would frequently reference him throughout the rest of the tournament. UNCW would lose their next game, however, by a score of 67-76 to Indiana
.
He earned his third consecutive All-CAA First Team award and second CAA All-Tournament Team and MVP awards.
, 70-62, in the CAA Tournament Championship game. Along the way he earned his fourth All-CAA First Team bid and third CAA Tournament MVP award, neither of which had ever been done before (and, to this day, still have not). UNCW entered the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
as an #11 seed. They lost their first round match-up against #6-seeded Maryland
. Aaron Coombs sank two free throws with five seconds remaining, giving the Seahawks a 73-72 lead and placing them in a position to pull off a tournament surprise for the second year in a row. Instead, Maryland won the game 75-73 by hitting a nearly half court buzzer beating three-point shot.
Brett Blizzard finished his career with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington as the holder of 32 school records and sharer of five others. Among them, he finished as the school's all-time leader in scoring for both single season and career (655 and 2,144), steals for both single season and career (70 and 241), and games started/played (both 125). On February 2, 2005, Blizzard became one of only three Seahawk players ever to have his jersey retired.
Following a successful rookie campaign, Blizzard tried to make an NBA roster by participating in two July 2004 NBA Summer League
s while playing for the Phoenix Suns
— the Reebok
Rocky Mountain Revue
in Salt Lake City, Utah
and the Reebok Vegas Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada
. No teams signed him and he went back to Italy.
Virtus Bologna
-Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77...
of the Italian A League
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
. Originally of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nationality, Blizzard opted to acquire dual citizenship in Italy while playing overseas. He became eligible to play on Italy's national team because of a distant Italian relative. Including Virtus Bologna, Blizzard has played for five professional teams in his career. Blizzard is currently co-host of "Full Court Press," a high school basketball highlight show on WWAY-TV in Wilmington, NC.
Early life
Brett Blizzard was born in TallahasseeTallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He attended Florida State University School
Florida State University School
Florida State University School is a laboratory school affiliated with Florida State University. Despite its common moniker, "Florida High", it actually serves grades kindergarten through 12th grade. FSUS is a charter school located within the Southwood community in the southeast part of...
(colloquially "Florida High School") from 1995–1999. As a standout on the basketball team, Brett earned a full-ride scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, sometimes referred to as UNC Wilmington, is a public, co-educational university located in Wilmington, North Carolina...
(UNCW) to play for the UNCW Seahawks in the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
(CAA).
UNCW (1999–2003)
Brett Blizzard entered UNCW in August 1999 as a relative unknown in college basketball, but by his graduation he had become a national media darling for his performances in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
s.
Freshman season
Blizzard started all 31 games as a true freshman in 1999-2000. In fact, he would go on to start every single game of his collegiate career. During his first season, Brett lead the team in scoring by sinking 483 points (15.6 ppg). He made 94 three-pointers out of 201 attempts, which earned him the Ed SteitzEd Steitz
Edward S. "Ed" Steitz was an American basketball coach and official. He was considered the leading worldwide authority on amateur basketball rules. A graduate of Cornell University, he was a coach of Springfield College for ten years and a director of athletics from 1956 to 1990...
Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
as the top three-point shooting freshman in the nation. Brett complemented his scoring ability with 76 assists and 62 steals. The Seahawks finished the regular season in fourth place with an 8-8 conference record, but Blizzard solidified his selection as an All-CAA First Team selection by leading UNCW to win the CAA Tournament championship. They defeated Richmond
Richmond Spiders men's basketball
The Richmond Spiders men's basketball team represents the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia and currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference...
57-47, with Brett taking home his first of an unprecedented three Tournament MVP awards. In the first round of the 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, the #15-seeded Seahawks faced #2 Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
, but lost 47-64 in their first ever tournament berth. Blizzard also won the CAA Rookie of the Year award.
Sophomore season
Brett's sophomore campaign (2000–01) was the least personally successful year of his tenure. In 30 games, Blizzard scored fewer points (415), had fewer steals (48) and made fewer three-pointers than the previous season. Despite the production dropoff, the Seahawks finished the regular season with an 11-5 conference record, good for second place. UNCW lost the conference tournament championship game, however, to George MasonGeorge Mason Patriots men's basketball
The George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represents George Mason University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I...
, and were thus relegated to play in the 2001 NIT Tournament
2001 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Memphis 86, Detroit 71...
. They would go on to lose the opening round game versus Dayton
Dayton Flyers men's basketball
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Dayton. They are known for a rivalry with Xavier University, playing for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy each year.-History:The...
, 59-68. Blizzard earned his second consecutive All-CAA First Team selection.
Junior season
In 2001-02, Brett Blizzard lead the Seahawks into the NCAA Tournament2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 2002, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia...
after winning both the Colonial Athletic Association regular season and tournament titles. The Seahawks finished 14-4 in conference play and went on to defeat Virginia Commonwealth University, 66-51, in the conference tournament to earn an automatic March Madness
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
berth. UNCW caught national attention when their #13-seeded Seahawks upset #4 USC in overtime, 93-89, to win their first ever NCAA Tournament game.
Brett scored a team-high 18 points in the contest. Due to his fearless guard play and unique last name, the national media thrust Blizzard into the spotlight and sports commentators would frequently reference him throughout the rest of the tournament. UNCW would lose their next game, however, by a score of 67-76 to Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
.
He earned his third consecutive All-CAA First Team award and second CAA All-Tournament Team and MVP awards.
Senior season
By scoring 655 points (109 three-pointers) and eclipsing the 2,000 career point milestone, Blizzard once again lead UNCW to the CAA regular season and tournament titles. The Seahawks produced a 15-3 conference record and then defeated DrexelDrexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
, 70-62, in the CAA Tournament Championship game. Along the way he earned his fourth All-CAA First Team bid and third CAA Tournament MVP award, neither of which had ever been done before (and, to this day, still have not). UNCW entered the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
as an #11 seed. They lost their first round match-up against #6-seeded Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
. Aaron Coombs sank two free throws with five seconds remaining, giving the Seahawks a 73-72 lead and placing them in a position to pull off a tournament surprise for the second year in a row. Instead, Maryland won the game 75-73 by hitting a nearly half court buzzer beating three-point shot.
Brett Blizzard finished his career with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington as the holder of 32 school records and sharer of five others. Among them, he finished as the school's all-time leader in scoring for both single season and career (655 and 2,144), steals for both single season and career (70 and 241), and games started/played (both 125). On February 2, 2005, Blizzard became one of only three Seahawk players ever to have his jersey retired.
Wilmington Wave Rockers
In 2003, Brett played for the Wilmington Wave Rockers, one of five teams in the now defunct Carolina Basketball League (CBL), formerly known as the Extreme Basketball Association (XBA). He was a starter for the entire season, but after one year he left and signed a four-year contract with Montepaschi Siena.Aurora Basket Jesi
In 2003-04, Blizzard got loaned to Sicc BPA Jesi (later renamed Aurora Basket Jesi) from Paschi Siena. For the season, he started 41 games and averaged 12.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.Following a successful rookie campaign, Blizzard tried to make an NBA roster by participating in two July 2004 NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
s while playing for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
— the Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
Rocky Mountain Revue
Rocky Mountain Revue
The Rocky Mountain Revue, until 2008, was one of the NBA's summer leagues, along with the Vegas Summer League and the Orlando Pro Summer League. It is hosted by the Utah Jazz. It started in 1984 as a pro-am league with students and alumni of Utah, BYU, Weber State and Utah State...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and the Reebok Vegas Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. No teams signed him and he went back to Italy.