Drew Neitzel
Encyclopedia
Drew Neitzel is a former point guard
for the Michigan State Spartans
men's basketball
team. Neitzel is currently playing for the German team BBC Bayreuth
.
in Wyoming, Michigan
. He holds the school career records for points (2,462) and assists (692), while ranking second in the state in assists and sixth in scoring. Graduating in 2004, Neitzel received many honors and awards, including the 2004 Mr. Basketball of Michigan
. He was also awarded membership on the 2004 Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News Dream Team, Associated Press Class B Player of the Year, 2004 fourth-team Parade Magazine All-American, and Class B Academic All-State. His single game high scoring effort was against Hudsonville in 2003 when he scored 57 points.
in assists in seven games. He was also named to the Big Ten All-Freshmen Team. He was a key part of a Spartan team that reached the Final Four
, losing to eventual champion North Carolina
.
During the 2005-06 season Neitzel started all 34 games at point guard averaging 8.3 points per contest and ranking third in the Big Ten in assists (5.56) first in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86) and sixth in 3-point field-goal percentage (.404). Neitzel started 35 of 36 games in 2006-07, averaging 35.7 minutes per game and 18.1 ppg to lead the team. He led the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (.879) and in 3-point field goals made (3.26 pg).
On February 28, 2007 Neitzel was named First-Team All-District 11 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. This honor made him eligible for the All-American Teams at the end of the season.
As of March 6, 2007 Neitzel was named to the First-Team All-Big Ten. Neitzel finished the regular season averaging 18.3 points per game, ranking fourth in the Big Ten. In conference games, he ranked third in scoring (18.3 ppg). He leads the conference in free-throw percentage (.884) and 3-point field goals made (3.2 per game), and ranks among the leaders in minutes played (2nd, 35.3 mpg) and assists (6th, 4.1 apg). He scored 20 or more points in 15 games, and averaged 25.8 points against the top two teams in the league, Ohio State and Wisconsin. He was selected as the Big Ten's Player of the Week three times (Nov. 20, Nov. 27 and Feb. 26) and was named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Feb. 26. Among his other accolades, Neitzel was chosen to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason All-America team, and is one of 22 players who will appear on the final national ballot. His last game at Michigan State was against the Memphis Tigers in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2008 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament.
In the 2007-08 season he averaged 13.9 ppg and averaged 35.2 minutes per game, starting in 35 of 36 games. He led the Big Ten and ranked seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ration (2.84) and ranked fourth in assists (4.03 apg), free-throw percentage (.860), and 3-point field goals made (2.69 pg). He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team in 2005-06, 2006–07, and 2007–08, and was second team All-American in 2006-07 and second-team Academic All-American in 2007-08.
Neitzel is MSU's all-time leader in career free-throw percentage (.866). He ranks among the Spartan career leaders in assists (4th, 582), 3-point field goals made (3rd, 273) and 3-point field-goal attempted (3rd, 684), points (14th, 1,534), games played (2nd, 138) and games started (t-5th, 117). He is one of just three players in Michigan State history and 12 players in Big Ten history with 1,500 points and 500 assists. He finished 10th in career assists in Big Ten history (582).
, Neitzel agreed to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves
' summer league
team. In the summer of 2008, he signed with German Basketball Bundesliga
(first division) team Artland Dragons
and played for the team as a combo guard.
Neitzel played for the Portland Trail Blazers
during the 2009 summer league.
For the 2009–2010 season, he plays with Élan Sportif Chalonnais, based in Chalon-sur-Saône
, France.
He has averaged 34 minutes, 11.7 points per game and a 2.7 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
men's basketball
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
team. Neitzel is currently playing for the German team BBC Bayreuth
BBC Bayreuth
BBC Bayreuth is a German basketball club based in Bayreuth, Bavaria..The club won the 2009-10 Pro A Championship and will play Basketball Bundesliga in the 2010-11 season.- Season by season :...
.
High school career
Neitzel attended Wyoming Park High SchoolWyoming Park High School
Wyoming Park High School is a comprehensive secondary public high school in the Wyoming Public Schools district in Wyoming, Michigan...
in Wyoming, Michigan
Wyoming, Michigan
Wyoming is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 72,125. That makes it the 2nd largest community or city in West Michigan, the 14th largest city in the state of Michigan, and the 18th largest community in the state as well...
. He holds the school career records for points (2,462) and assists (692), while ranking second in the state in assists and sixth in scoring. Graduating in 2004, Neitzel received many honors and awards, including the 2004 Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Each year the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of Michigan...
. He was also awarded membership on the 2004 Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News Dream Team, Associated Press Class B Player of the Year, 2004 fourth-team Parade Magazine All-American, and Class B Academic All-State. His single game high scoring effort was against Hudsonville in 2003 when he scored 57 points.
Collegiate career
Neitzel started his college basketball career in 2004-05. He appeared in 33 games, starting 14 of the final 15 contests. Ranked second on the team with 97 assists (2.9 per game) and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.06-to-1, he led all Big Ten freshmen in assists and led the Michigan State SpartansMichigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
in assists in seven games. He was also named to the Big Ten All-Freshmen Team. He was a key part of a Spartan team that reached 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...
, losing to eventual champion North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...
.
During the 2005-06 season Neitzel started all 34 games at point guard averaging 8.3 points per contest and ranking third in the Big Ten in assists (5.56) first in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86) and sixth in 3-point field-goal percentage (.404). Neitzel started 35 of 36 games in 2006-07, averaging 35.7 minutes per game and 18.1 ppg to lead the team. He led the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (.879) and in 3-point field goals made (3.26 pg).
On February 28, 2007 Neitzel was named First-Team All-District 11 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. This honor made him eligible for the All-American Teams at the end of the season.
As of March 6, 2007 Neitzel was named to the First-Team All-Big Ten. Neitzel finished the regular season averaging 18.3 points per game, ranking fourth in the Big Ten. In conference games, he ranked third in scoring (18.3 ppg). He leads the conference in free-throw percentage (.884) and 3-point field goals made (3.2 per game), and ranks among the leaders in minutes played (2nd, 35.3 mpg) and assists (6th, 4.1 apg). He scored 20 or more points in 15 games, and averaged 25.8 points against the top two teams in the league, Ohio State and Wisconsin. He was selected as the Big Ten's Player of the Week three times (Nov. 20, Nov. 27 and Feb. 26) and was named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Feb. 26. Among his other accolades, Neitzel was chosen to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason All-America team, and is one of 22 players who will appear on the final national ballot. His last game at Michigan State was against the Memphis Tigers in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2008 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament.
In the 2007-08 season he averaged 13.9 ppg and averaged 35.2 minutes per game, starting in 35 of 36 games. He led the Big Ten and ranked seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ration (2.84) and ranked fourth in assists (4.03 apg), free-throw percentage (.860), and 3-point field goals made (2.69 pg). He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team in 2005-06, 2006–07, and 2007–08, and was second team All-American in 2006-07 and second-team Academic All-American in 2007-08.
Neitzel is MSU's all-time leader in career free-throw percentage (.866). He ranks among the Spartan career leaders in assists (4th, 582), 3-point field goals made (3rd, 273) and 3-point field-goal attempted (3rd, 684), points (14th, 1,534), games played (2nd, 138) and games started (t-5th, 117). He is one of just three players in Michigan State history and 12 players in Big Ten history with 1,500 points and 500 assists. He finished 10th in career assists in Big Ten history (582).
Professional career
After not being drafted in the 2008 NBA Draft2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
, Neitzel agreed to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
' 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...
team. In the summer of 2008, he signed with German Basketball Bundesliga
Basketball Bundesliga
The Basketball Bundesliga — commonly abbreviated BBL — is the highest level league of club basketball in Germany. The league comprises 18 teams. A BBL season is split into a league stage and a playoff stage...
(first division) team Artland Dragons
Artland Dragons
Artland Dragons is a basketball club based in Quakenbrück, Germany that plays in the Basketball Bundesliga. Their home arena is Artland Arena, which has room for 3000 spectators.-History:...
and played for the team as a combo guard.
Neitzel played for the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
during the 2009 summer league.
For the 2009–2010 season, he plays with Élan Sportif Chalonnais, based in Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
, France.
He has averaged 34 minutes, 11.7 points per game and a 2.7 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.