Mateo Drežnjak

Mateo Drežnjak (born March 8, 1999) is a Croatian professional basketball player for SC Derby of the Prva A Liga and the ABA League. Standing at 1.95 m, he plays at the shooting guard position.

Mateo Drežnjak
Drežnjak in 2022
No. 23 – SC Derby
PositionShooting guard
LeaguePrva A Liga
ABA League
Personal information
Born (1999-03-08) 8 March 1999
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
NationalityCroatian
Listed height6 ft 4.7 in (1.95 m)
Career information
NBA draft2021: undrafted
Playing career2015–present
Career history
2015–2020Široki
2020–2022Cibona
2022–presentSC Derby
Career highlights and awards

Professional career

Drežnjak started his professional career in Široki. At the age of 20 he was one of the leaders of the team playing in the Bosnian League and the ABA League Second Division.[1]

In June 2020, Drežnjak moved to Cibona of the Croatian League and the ABA League, signing a four-year contract.[2]

On 7 July 2022, Drežnjak signed a one-year deal with SC Derby of the Prva A Liga and the ABA League.[3]

National team career

Drežnjak played for the Croatian national basketball team youth selections. He was part of the teams that were ninth at the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship and won the gold medal at the 2017 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B.

Drežnjak was part for the Croatia national B team at the 2019 NBA Summer League and 2019 FIBA Stanković Continental Champions' Cup.[4][5]

Drežnjak debuted for the Croatian A team at the EuroBasket 2022 qualification. In the first two games played against Sweden and Netherlands in February 2020, he was the top scorer of the team.[6][7]

In February 2020, FIBA named Drežnjak one of the 10 most promising European talents.[8]

Personal life

Drežnjak trained karate for six years then turned to basketball following his brother Dario.[9] Mateo's older brother Dario (born 1998) is also a professional basketball player and has played for the Bosnia and herzegovina national basketball team youth selections and the Croatia national B team. Dario and Mateo had played together for Široki.[10]

References
  1. "Tko je novi junak hrvatske košarke? Drežnjaku je tek 20, a već je glavni u klubu". index.hr (in Croatian). 21 February 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. "Veliko pojačanje Cibone: Hrvatski reprezentativac Drežnjak stigao u Zagreb". gol.dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). 20 June 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  3. "Mateo Drežnjak becomes first newcomer in SC Derby team for the 2022/23 season". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  4. "Košarka: Hrvatska u finalu Kupa Borislava Stankovića". nacional.hr (in Croatian). 23 July 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. "NOVA HRVATSKA IZGUBILA OD PISTONSA, ALI JE DOBILA SJAJNOG IGRAČA! DEBITIRAO JE ZA REPREZENTACIJU, A IZGLEDA DA IZ NJE NEĆE ISPASTI SLJEDEĆIH 15 GODINA". jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 6 July 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  6. "Hrvatska dobila igrača na duge staze tamo gdje je najviše nedostajao". gol.dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). 22 February 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  7. "Hrvatska preokrenula protiv Nizozemske, Drežnjak i Planinić među najboljima". jabuka.tv (in Croatian). 24 February 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  8. "The future is now: 10 rising stars who impressed in the February window". fiba.basketball. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  9. "Rođen je u BiH, igra za Široki Brijeg, a odabrao je Hrvatsku: Nikada to ne bih napravio!". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). 19 February 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  10. "Za mlađeg brata kažu da je talentiraniji od nas obojice". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). 21 July 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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