Matjaž Smodiš

Matjaž Smodiš
	Smodiš, during an interview in 2007.
Personal information
Born	December 13, 1979 (age 44); Trbovlje, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Slovenian
Listed height	6 ft 8.75 in (2.05 m)
Listed weight	265 lb (120 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	2001: undrafted
Playing career	1994–2013
Position	Power forward / center
Number	8, 33
Career history
1994–2000	Krka Novo Mesto
2000–2003	Virtus Bologna
2003–2005	Fortitudo Bologna
2005–2011	CSKA Moscow
2011–2012	Cedevita Zagreb
2012–2013	Krka Novo Mesto
Career highlights and awards
	3× EuroLeague champion (2001, 2006, 2008); All-EuroLeague Second Team (2007); 2× LBA champion (2001, 2005); 2× Italian Cup winner (2001, 2002); LBA All-Star (2004); 2× VTB United League champion (2008, 2010); 6× RPBL champion (2006–2011); 3× Russian Cup winner (2006, 2007, 2010); All-RPBL Second Team (2009); Croatian Cup winner (2012); Croatian Cup MVP (2012); 2× Slovenian League champion (2000, 2013); Slovenian League Finals MVP (2013); 2× Slovenian League All Star (1999, 2000);
Men's Basketball
Representing Slovenia
FIBA U20 European Championship

Matjaž Smodiš (born December 13, 1979) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player. Standing at a height of 2.05 m (6'8 3⁄4") tall, he played at the power forward and center positions. During his pro club playing career, he played in seven EuroLeague Finals (2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), and he was a three-time EuroLeague champion (2001, 2006, 2008). He was also an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2007. Smodiš was also the team captain of the senior Slovenian national team. He is currently a sporting director of KK Žoltasti Troti.

Professional career

During his pro career, Smodiš played with teams like Krka Novo Mesto of the Slovenian League and the Italian League clubs Virtus Bologna and Climamio Bologna. Smodiš also played with the Russian League club CSKA Moscow, from 2005 to 2011, being one of the team's major stars. In 2011, he left CSKA Moscow, and signed with the Croatian club Cedevita Zagreb (A1 Croatian League).^[1]

On November 30, 2012, he signed with his home town team, Krka.^[2] Smodiš announced his retirement from playing professional basketball in May 2013, after leading Krka to their 4th consecutive Slovenian national domestic league championship.

National team career

Smodiš was a member of the Slovenian Under-20 junior national team that won the silver medal at the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. Smodiš also played with the senior Slovenian national team. With Slovenia's senior national team, he played at the 1999 EuroBasket, the 2001 EuroBasket, the 2007 EuroBasket, the 2009 EuroBasket, and the 2011 EuroBasket.^[3]

Career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	PIR	Performance Index Rating
Bold	Career high

EuroLeague

†	Denotes season in which Smodiš won the EuroLeague


Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2000–01	Virtus Bologna	21	2	15.2	.505	.326	.769	2.2	.4	.6	.2	7.5	6.0
2001–02		22	8	21.9	.575	.417	.898	5.1	.5	.7	.5	11.5	13.0
2002–03		11	9	19.5	.444	.375	.706	3.6	.7	.9	.9	9.8	9.0
2003–04	Fortitudo Bologna	21	17	26.8	.548	.404	.860	4.7	.7	1.4	.5	11.2	12.9
2004–05	Fortitudo Bologna	14	2	20.7	.573	.455	.811	4.1	.8	1.4	.4	10.5	12.0
2005–06	CSKA Moscow	21	13	25.3	.466	.381	.717	5.5	.7	1.2	.5	12.0	13.1
2006–07	22	19	24.5	.497	.420	.713	3.8	1.3	.7	.1	12.9	14.3
2007–08†	11	8	24.5	.538	.471	.804	5.3	1.1	.4	.2	14.3	16.4
2008–09	15	12	22.7	.380	.386	.816	3.2	1.4	.5	.1	10.3	8.9
2009–10	2	0	9.0	.000	.000	—	1.5	—	—	—	0.0	0.5
2010–11	10	7	19.5	.333	.304	.700	2.7	.4	.2	—	6.8	4.6
Career		170	97	22.2	.493	.395	.778	4.0	.8	.8	.3	10.7	11.2