Brian Zoubek
Encyclopedia
Brian Henry Zoubek is a 7'1" basketball center
. He was a member of the Duke Blue Devils' 2010 NCAA Championship
team.
, and his mother, Liza Cartmell, rowed crew at Wellesley
. His older sister, Sarah, played basketball at Yale University
.
he led the Bulldawgs to a four-year record of 110–10 with three straight championships, was a 2006 fourth team Parade
All-America
selection, named to the 2006 Jordan All-America team, a two-time Newark Star-Ledger first team all-state selection, and a three-time all-conference and All-South Jersey selection, as well as 2006 New Jersey
state Player of the Year.
Zoubek averaged 24.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks per game as a senior. He was rated 33rd overall by The Recruiting Services Consensus Index, and ranked 24th in the Rivals.com
Top 150 prospects of 2006.
and Columbia.
In the summer of 2007 he broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot in a pickup game. After surgery, he was on crutches until early fall 2007, and then in a carbon cast inside a boot with a steel shank. In January 2008, he broke his left foot again, this time in practice. Doctors realized his foot had not healed, and in the off-season he again had surgery, followed by crutches, the boot, and rehab.
Zoubek recorded his first double double with 11 points and 13 rebounds against St. John's
on February 24, 2008. A fan favorite at Duke, he was often showered with chants of "Zooooouuu" from the Cameron Crazies
after grabbing a rebound or scoring.
2009–10
The team's rebounding and defense improved with him in the lineup in 2009–10. In February 2010, he had a career-high 17 rebounds in his first career start against Maryland
, cementing his spot in the starting lineup. He was a key supporting player of the team, and was 7th in the ACC with 7.7 rebounds per game (and 2nd on the offensive boards, with 3.5 rebounds per game). Per 40 minutes of play, he averaged 16.8 rebounds. Zoubek led the NCAA in pace-adjusted offensive rebounding at 7.8 per 40 minutes for the season and is second in this category for the past decade - only DeJuan Blair
of Pittsburgh
has put up better numbers. He ended his career 4th on Duke's all-time list in offensive rebounds (276), and in his senior year set the school's single-season record of 145. He was also named to the All-ACC academic team.
Explaining his resurgence after suffering through foot injuries his sophomore and junior years, he said:
Teammate Jon Scheyer
said: "He's a player you love to play with and you hate to play against. He's just really physical. He's such a big body. Even if he doesn't mean to, you run into him. And you really feel it."
Games: 32, PPG: 3.1, RPG: 2.2, APG: 0.2, FG%: 52.4%
Sophomore
Games: 25, PPG: 3.8, RPG: 3.8, APG: 0.5, FG%: 59.4%
Junior
Games: 36, PPG: 4.1, RPG: 3.7, APG: 0.4, FG%: 57.5%
Senior (through April 4, 2010)
Games: 39, PPG: 5.5, RPG: 7.7, APG: 1.0, FG%: 63.5%
along with teammate Jon Scheyer
.
On July 1, 2010, Zoubek was signed by the New Jersey Nets
to a contract. He was later waived on October 22, 2010.
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...
. He was a member of the Duke Blue Devils' 2010 NCAA Championship
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
team.
Family
Zoubek's father, Paul, played football and baseball at Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, and his mother, Liza Cartmell, rowed crew at Wellesley
Wellesley
- People :* Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , Irish soldier, statesman, and Prime Minister of the UK* Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington , British politician* Arthur Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington , British soldier...
. His older sister, Sarah, played basketball at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
High school
At Haddonfield Memorial High SchoolHaddonfield Memorial High School
Haddonfield Memorial High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Haddonfield, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Haddonfield Public Schools....
he led the Bulldawgs to a four-year record of 110–10 with three straight championships, was a 2006 fourth team Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection, named to the 2006 Jordan All-America team, a two-time Newark Star-Ledger first team all-state selection, and a three-time all-conference and All-South Jersey selection, as well as 2006 New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
state Player of the Year.
Zoubek averaged 24.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks per game as a senior. He was rated 33rd overall by The Recruiting Services Consensus Index, and ranked 24th in the Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
Top 150 prospects of 2006.
College
Zoubek started his Duke career with two double figure scoring games, against UNC GreensboroUNC Greensboro Spartans men's basketball
The UNCG Spartans men's basketball team represents the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in NCAA Division I. The school's team currently competes in the Southern Conference.-Program history:...
and Columbia.
In the summer of 2007 he broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot in a pickup game. After surgery, he was on crutches until early fall 2007, and then in a carbon cast inside a boot with a steel shank. In January 2008, he broke his left foot again, this time in practice. Doctors realized his foot had not healed, and in the off-season he again had surgery, followed by crutches, the boot, and rehab.
Zoubek recorded his first double double with 11 points and 13 rebounds against St. John's
St. John's Red Storm
The St. John's Red Storm is the nickname used for the 16 varsity athletic programs of St. John's University. St. John's 16 NCAA Division I teams compete in the Big East Conference, with the exception of the fencing and lacrosse teams, which compete in the ECAC...
on February 24, 2008. A fan favorite at Duke, he was often showered with chants of "Zooooouuu" from the Cameron Crazies
Cameron Crazies
The Cameron Crazies are the student supporters of Duke University's basketball teams, named for Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Crazies stand courtside in a 1,200 seat student section and begin cheering during warmups...
after grabbing a rebound or scoring.
2009–10
The team's rebounding and defense improved with him in the lineup in 2009–10. In February 2010, he had a career-high 17 rebounds in his first career start against 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...
, cementing his spot in the starting lineup. He was a key supporting player of the team, and was 7th in the ACC with 7.7 rebounds per game (and 2nd on the offensive boards, with 3.5 rebounds per game). Per 40 minutes of play, he averaged 16.8 rebounds. Zoubek led the NCAA in pace-adjusted offensive rebounding at 7.8 per 40 minutes for the season and is second in this category for the past decade - only DeJuan Blair
DeJuan Blair
DeJuan Lamont Blair is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . Before turning pro Blair played center for the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team from 2007 to 2009...
of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
has put up better numbers. He ended his career 4th on Duke's all-time list in offensive rebounds (276), and in his senior year set the school's single-season record of 145. He was also named to the All-ACC academic team.
Explaining his resurgence after suffering through foot injuries his sophomore and junior years, he said:
It's a process. A lot of days in the gym, a lot of sweat, a lot of hatred toward [assistant coach Steve WojciechowskiSteve WojciechowskiSteve "Wojo" Wojciechowski is an American basketball coach and former player. He played at Duke University from 1994 until 1998 where he was the team's point guard. He currently is an associate head coach at Duke under head coach Mike Krzyzewski...
] for all the stuff he put me through [laughing]. But it was all worth it. It's hard to see the future in all the work you put in. How's it going to help you, and is it worth it? It is. This really proves that.
Teammate Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
said: "He's a player you love to play with and you hate to play against. He's just really physical. He's such a big body. Even if he doesn't mean to, you run into him. And you really feel it."
Statistics
FreshmanGames: 32, PPG: 3.1, RPG: 2.2, APG: 0.2, FG%: 52.4%
Sophomore
Games: 25, PPG: 3.8, RPG: 3.8, APG: 0.5, FG%: 59.4%
Junior
Games: 36, PPG: 4.1, RPG: 3.7, APG: 0.4, FG%: 57.5%
Senior (through April 4, 2010)
Games: 39, PPG: 5.5, RPG: 7.7, APG: 1.0, FG%: 63.5%
Professional
Brian Zoubek went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
along with teammate Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
.
On July 1, 2010, Zoubek was signed by the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
to a contract. He was later waived on October 22, 2010.
See also
- 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans2006 high school boys basketball All-AmericansAn All-American team is an honorary sports team that is generally composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". The term is used in...
- 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball teamThe 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils won the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, claiming the school's fourth national title.Duke led...