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Matt Walsh (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Matt Walsh is an American professional basketball
player who currently plays for UCAM Murcia
in Spain
. He is listed at 1.99m (6'6½"), and he plays at the small forward
and shooting guard
positions.
. He attended Germantown Academy, a private preparatory school in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
, where he played high school basketball for the Germantown Patriots.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Billy Donovan
's Florida Gators basketball
team for three seasons from 2002 to 2005. As a junior, Walsh led the Gators to the Southeastern Conference
(SEC) tournament championship and the second round of the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
.
originally signed Walsh as an undrafted
free agent
out of the University of Florida in 2005. He was then waived on November 18, 2005, after playing in two NBA regular season games. In the 2006 NBA preseason, he was signed by the New Jersey Nets
, and they then released him in October.
In the 2006-07 season, Walsh played with Olympia Larissa
in the Greek League
, having a successful year for both the team and himself. He was considered one of the most valuable players in the Greek League that year, and he was also the second best scorer of the competition, averaging 17.8 points per game. Walsh also played with the Cleveland Cavaliers
in the NBA Summer League
in 2007, and he later signed a one-year contract with Bàsquet Manresa
of the Spanish ACB League
.
In August 2009, Walsh signed with the Adriatic League club Union Olimpija. In February 2010, he joined the Greek League club Aris
. On October 25, 2010 he signed a one-year contract with ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne
in France
.
In November 2011 he signed with UCAM Murcia
in Spain
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who currently plays for UCAM Murcia
CB Murcia
Club Baloncesto Murcia, S.A.D., also known as UCAM Murcia by sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Murcia, Region of Murcia, Spain. The team plays in ACB...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He is listed at 1.99m (6'6½"), and he plays at the small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
and shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
positions.
Early years
Walsh was born in Holland, PennsylvaniaHolland, Pennsylvania
Holland is an unincorporated community in Northampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located next to Newtown, Richboro, and Churchville. One of its communities is Village Shires, which has approximately 4,000 residents.-History:...
. He attended Germantown Academy, a private preparatory school in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Fort Washington is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,446 at the 2010 census.-Prior to the Revolutionary War:...
, where he played high school basketball for the Germantown Patriots.
College career
Walsh accepted an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan
William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. is an American college basketball coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team of the University of Florida...
's Florida Gators basketball
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
team for three seasons from 2002 to 2005. As a junior, Walsh led the Gators to the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) tournament championship and the second round of the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 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 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
.
Professional career
The Miami HeatMiami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
originally signed Walsh as an undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
out of the University of Florida in 2005. He was then waived on November 18, 2005, after playing in two NBA regular season games. In the 2006 NBA preseason, he 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...
, and they then released him in October.
In the 2006-07 season, Walsh played with Olympia Larissa
Olympia Larissa BC
GS Olympia Larissa BC is a Greek professional basketball club that is based in Larissa, Greece. The club's full name is Gymnastikos Syllogos Olympia Larissa Basketball Club. It was founded in 1979, making it one of the youngest sports clubs in Greece. Its colors are orange and green...
in the Greek League
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
, having a successful year for both the team and himself. He was considered one of the most valuable players in the Greek League that year, and he was also the second best scorer of the competition, averaging 17.8 points per game. Walsh also played with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
in the 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...
in 2007, and he later signed a one-year contract with Bàsquet Manresa
Basquet Manresa
Bàsquet Manresa, S.A.D., known as Assignia Manresa for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Manresa, Catalonia, Spain, playing in Liga ACB. The team was founded in 1931. They are currently playing their home games at the Pavelló Nou Congost...
of the Spanish ACB League
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
.
In August 2009, Walsh signed with the Adriatic League club Union Olimpija. In February 2010, he joined the Greek League club Aris
Aris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
. On October 25, 2010 he signed a one-year contract with ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne
ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne
ASVEL Basket or ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne is a French professional basketball team located in the city of Villeurbanne, which is a suburb of Lyon, France. The club, which is the basketball section of the ASVEL multi-sport club, competes in the French Pro A league. The club's home games are played at...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In November 2011 he signed with UCAM Murcia
CB Murcia
Club Baloncesto Murcia, S.A.D., also known as UCAM Murcia by sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Murcia, Region of Murcia, Spain. The team plays in ACB...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Personal
- Walsh has dated PlayboyPlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
playmate Lauren AndersonLauren AndersonLauren Anderson is an American model who was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month in July, 2002 and has appeared in numerous Playboy videos. Lauren was the winner of the TV special Who Wants to Be a Playboy Centerfold?, broadcast on Fox in May 2002...
, another former University of Florida alum.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators basketball players
External links
- NBA.com Profile
- NBA Stats @ BasketballReference.com
- Euroleague.net Profile
- Basketpedya.com Profile
- Spanish League Profile