Marek Klassen

Marek Klassen (born June 11, 1992) is a Canadian professional basketball player who currently plays for Kyiv-Basket of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague and FIBA Europe Cup.

Marek Klassen
No. 10 – Kyiv-Basket
PositionPoint guard
LeagueUkrainian Basketball SuperLeague
Personal information
Born (1992-06-11) June 11, 1992
Vancouver, British Columbia
NationalityCanadian
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolYale Secondary School
(Abbotsford, British Columbia)
CollegePoint Loma Nazarene (2010–2015)
NBA draft2015 / Undrafted
Playing career2015–present
Career history
2015–2016CSU Sibiu
2016Leeds Force
2016–2017Worcester Wolves
2017–2018İTÜ
2018–2019Aliağa Petkim
2019Fraser Valley Bandits
2019–2020Erie Bayhawks
2020–presentKyiv-Basket

Highschool career

Klassen attended Yale Secondary School from 2007–2010. He won two provincial championships with the Yale Lions (2008-2010). In his senior year in 2010 the Yale Lions won the British Columbia provincial championship.[1] Klassen averaged 33 points per game and was named MVP of the tournament, final game MVP, and Player of the Year in British Columbia.[2] Upon graduation he ranked as a top 5 Canadian point guard.[3]

College career

Klassen started every game of his college career including 31 starts as a freshman leading to the Freshman of the Year award for the Pacific West Conference.[4] As a senior at Point Loma in 2014-15 Klassen averaged 12.67 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 27.8 minutes in 29 appearances.[5] Other notable accomplishments include Klassen shooting a career 43% from 3 point range, being named as a two sport NCAA All-American (Basketball and Track and Field) and NCAA Academic All-American. During his senior year Klassen enrolled in the Point Loma one year MBA program to complete his masters in business before starting his professional career.

Professional career

In 2015 Klassen began his professional career with CSU Sibiu in the Liga Națională. He stayed with CSU Sibiu until January 2016 when he moved to Leeds Force of the British Basketball League. His influence on and off the court helped the Force to make the Playoffs for the first time. Averaging 17.7 points 5.8 rebounds 8.1 assists 2.3 steals per game he led the league in assists, steals, fouls drawn, 5th in points per game and was named to the BBL team of the year.[6]

Following his campaign in Leeds, Klassen joined the Worcester Wolves a top performing club in the British Basketball League during the summer of 2016.[7] Klassen took up roll as Captain of the Wolves and was seen as a stand out summer acquisition.[8] It was a successful season in which the Wolves made it to the BBL Cup Final and BBL Championship Semi-final falling eventually to the Newcastle Eagles by 2 points on aggregate score. Klassen led the team and league in assists averaging 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists per game.[9]

Klassen next transitioned to the Turkish Basketball First League where he signed with İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi B.K. in August 2017.[10] A successful season in which Klassen averaged 15.12 points, 5.58 rebounds, 6.58 assists per game.[11] He played in Istanbul for the duration of the 2017–2018 season. He finished leading his team in assists and top 3 in the Turkish Basketball league standings.

Returning for his second season in the Turkish Basketball First League Klassen signed with Aliağa Petkim for the 2018–2019 season. He helped the team reach the league quarterfinals and semi-finals of the Turkish Cup. Klassen averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 assists while shooting 42% from 3 point range.[12] He helped his team to a semi-final appearance and finished top 3 in the Turkish Basketball League in assists.

After finishing in early June in Turkey, Klassen returned home to Canada to play in the CEBL. A newly minted FIBA league.[13] He was drafted 12th overall in the inaugural 2019 CEBL Entry Draft to the Fraser Valley Bandits.[14] Klassen was an all star with the Bandits during the summer season that lasted until late August 2019.[15] He finished the season as CEBL assist leader and set the record for most assists in a game at 15.[16]

Klassen signed his next contract with the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA G League in November 2019. He only stayed in the G League for a limited time as he was tabbed by Kyiv-Basket in early January 2020.[17] He is currently averaging 12 points and 8 assists, good enough to lead the league in assists. He has helped the team qualify for the semi-finals of the Ukrainian Cup, and the top 8 of FIBA Europe Cup.

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References
  1. "BC Boys Basketball". BCboysbasketball.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. "Character Shines on the Court". CanadianChristianity.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  3. "Canadian Class of 2010". Hoopstarscanada.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  4. "PointLoma stats for Marek Klassen". PLNUsealions.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  5. "RealGM stats for Marek Klassen". RealGM.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  6. "Leeds Force stats for Marek Klassen". basketball.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  7. "BBC Sport Signing Alert". BBC.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. "Daily Star report-Marek Klassen". Dailystar.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  9. "Eurobasket Stats report". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  10. "Klassen signs with Turkish Basketball Team". Abbynews.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  11. "RealGM stats for Marek Klassen ITU". RealGM.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  12. "RealGM stats for Marek Klassen Petkim". RealGM.com. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  13. "Marek Klassen comes home to play". thebandits.ca. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  14. "Marek Klassen to lead Bandits". thebandits.ca. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  15. "CEBL major award winners". CEBL.ca. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  16. "CEBL Player Leaders". CEBL.ca. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  17. "Kyiv-basket Tabs Marek Klassen". usbasket.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
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