Vassil Evtimov

After being selected as a 1996 McDonald's All American, Evtimov played NCAA Division I college basketball with the University of North Carolina. Although he saw limited action off the bench, he participated in two Final Fours with the Tar Heels.[1]

Evtimov was recruited by the legendary coach Dean Smith and was then caught in the transition to coach Bill Guthridge. Despite this, his sophomore year Evtimov led his Tar Heel team in rebounds and points preseason until the NCAA deemed him to have had an unfair advantage by playing overseas for a professional team. He was given an 18-game suspension and returned to the team with 14 games left. Because of these circumstances, he decided to turn professional. He has played for teams in France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Russia, Ukraine and Cyprus over his ten-year professional career.[2]

Vasco Evtimov was a key player for Maroussi BC when they won the Saporta cup in 2001, averaging 13.6 points and 12.6 rebounds during that tournament. Other clubs he has played for are Pau Orthez, Dafni BC, Maroussi BC, Skipper Bologna, PBC Ural Great, ASVEL Basket, CB Sevilla, Lottomatica Roma, KK Union Olimpija, Upea Capo d'Orlando, Climamio Bologna, CB Valladolid, Reggio Emilia, BC Khimik, Panionios BC, AEL Cyprus, Mitteldeutscher BC and Paris-Levallois Basket.[3][4]

In February 2015, he signed with Levski Sofia.[5] Evtimov announced his retirement in October 2016.[6]

In 2019, 20 years after leaving the University of North Carolina early to turn professional, he fulfilled a promise to himself and finished his Communications degree at UNC, dedicating it to legendary basketball coach Dean Smith.[7]

Evtimov has been married to Mary-Martha Evtimov since September 1999 and has three children, Nicholas (2000) and Maria-Grace (2003) and Liliana-Rose (2011).

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