Michael Craion

Michael Craion (born 2 August 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Union Tours Basket Métropole of the French NM1.

Michael Craion
Craion with KR in the 2015 Icelandic Cup finals
Union Tours Basket Métropole
PositionPower forward
LeagueNM1
Personal information
Born (1989-08-22) August 22, 1989
Pennsylvania, United States
NationalityAmerican
Listed height196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight93 kg (205 lb)
Career information
High schoolRuskin
(Kansas City, Missouri)
College
NBA draft2012: undrafted
Playing career2012–present
Number7, 15, 54
Career history
2012–2014Keflavík
2014–2016KR
2016–2017CEP Lorient
2017–2018SVBD
2018–2019Keflavík
2019ADA Blois Basket 41
2019–2020KR
2020–presentUnion Tours
Career highlights and awards

He won the Icelandic championship in 2015 and 2016, and was widely regarded as the best foreign player in the country,[1][2][3] winning the Úrvalsdeild Foreign Player of the year three times.[4]

College career

Craion played two seasons at Independence Community College before playing for Oral Roberts from 2009 to 2012, where he averaged 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 69 games. In 2010, he was a second team All-Summit League and the Newcomer of the Year.[5] He missed most of the 2010–2011 season after breaking his leg.[6][7]

Professional career

Craion started his professional career in 2012 with Keflavík in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild. In his first season, he averaged 21.4 points and 13.1 rebounds but Keflavík was knocked out by Stjarnan in the first round of the playoffs.[8] In August, 2013, Craion resigned with Keflavík.[9] For the season he averaged 23.2 points and 12.2 rebounds and was named the foreign player of the year[10] but was unable to prevent Keflavík from being knocked out again by Stjarnan in the first round of the playoffs.

After two season with Keflavík, Craion left and joined defending champions KR in 2014. In his first season with KR, he averaged 24.6 points and 12.4 rebounds,[11] helping the club winning the national championship.[12] For his effort he was named the Playoffs MVP[13] and the foreign player of the year.

He resigned with KR for the 2015–2016 season and helped the club win both the national championship and the Icelandic Basketball Cup.[14][15][2] After the season he was named the foreign player of the year for the third straight season.[4]

In August 2016, Craion signed with CEP Lorient in the French NM1 where he averaged 17.7 points and 7.8 rebounds.[16][17] Prior to the 2017–2018 season, Craion left Lorient and joined NM1's Saint-Vallier.[18] He started 34 of 35 games for Saint-Vallier, averaging 14.1 points and 8.3 rebounds.

On 14 September 2018, Craion returned to Iceland and signed with Keflavík.[19] In 25 regular season and playoff games, he averaged 21.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

On April 24, 2019, he has signed with ADA Blois Basket 41 of the French LNB Pro B.[20]

In August 2019, Craion returned Iceland, signing with his old team KR.[21] In 21 games, he averaged 19.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists.[22]

In August 2020, Craion signed with Union Tours Basket Métropole of the French NM1.[22]

Honours

Club

Individual

References
  1. Anton Ingi Leifsson (9 January 2016). "Körfuboltakvöld: "Craion er besti leikmaðurinn í deildinni"". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  2. Jóhann Ólafsson (6 January 2016). "Sá besti skrúfar hitann í botn og spilar körfubolta". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  3. Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (20 April 2016). "Pavel: Craion væri heimsklassa línumaður í handbolta". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  4. Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (6 May 2016). "Helena og Haukur Helgi valin bestu leikmenn tímabilsins". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  5. Mike Brown (5 March 2010). "Golden Eagles honored". Tulsa World. p. B8. Retrieved 23 June 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  6. Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (8 October 2012). "Keflvíkingar bæta við sig manni fyrir leik kvöldsins". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  7. Mike Brown (4 July 2011). "Treading lightly". Tulsa World. pp. B1, B3. Retrieved 23 June 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  8. Stefán Árni Pálsson (28 March 2013). "Umfjöllun og viðtöl: Stjarnan – Keflavík 82–77 – Stjarnan í undanúrslit". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  9. Kolbeinn Tumi Daðason (7 August 2013). "Craion til Keflavíkur". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  10. "Tekur út marga óvissuþætti að fá Craion". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 9 July 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  11. Tómas Þór Þórðarson (5 May 2015). "KR ætlar að halda Craion fari hann ekki sömu leið og meistarakanar KR-inga". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  12. Eiríkur Stefán Ásgeirsson; Tómas Þór Þórðarson (29 April 2015). "Umfjöllun, viðtöl og myndir: Tindastóll – KR 81–88 – KR meistari annað árið í röð". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  13. "Craion valinn bestur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 29 March 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  14. "Craion áfram í KR". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 11 August 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  15. "Craion ekki með KR í vetur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 15 August 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  16. Henry Birgir Gunnarsson (15 August 2016). "Craion farinn frá KR". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  17. "Basket. N1M : Michael Craion signe au CEP Lorient". Ouest-France (in French). 16 August 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  18. "Basket-ball. Michael Craion quitte le Cep Lorient (N1)". Ouest France (in French). 31 May 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  19. Kristinn Páll Teitsson (14 September 2018). "Craion snýr aftur til Íslands: Samdi við Keflavík í dag". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  20. "Ada Blois Basket sign Michael Craion". Eurobasket. April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  21. Davíð Eldur (27 August 2019). "Mike Craion til KR". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  22. "Tours sign Michael Craion, ex KR". Eurobasket.com (in Icelandic). 17 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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