 | |
| No. 35 – UCAM Murcia | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Liga ACB |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1997-10-23)23 October 1997 (age 27) Kvistofta,Helsingborg, Sweden |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Listed height | 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 2017:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2015–present |
| Career history | |
| 2015–2016 | Helsingborg BBK |
| 2016–2017 | Clavijo |
| 2017–2023 | Joventut Badalona |
| 2023–present | UCAM Murcia CB |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Simon Fredrik Stefan Birgander (born 23 October 1997) is a Swedish professionalbasketball player forUCAM Murcia CB in the SpanishLiga ACB.
He cut his teeth in the youth ranks ofHelsingborg Basket in his native Sweden before making his debut in the country's second-tier leagueBasketettan in the early stages of the 2015–16 season. He had a tremendous presence inside in terms of blocking shots (5.8 bpg) in Basketettan play, while averaging 11.7 points and 13.5 rebounds per contest (12 games played).[1]
Birgander left Sweden in January 2016 to head to Spain, where he joinedCB Clavijo of theLEB Gold, the second-tier division.[2] He was also made eligible to play forEBA side Natural Rioja Vintage Clavijo. In EBA play, he was a major contributor on the defensive end of the court, averaging 3.6 blocks a game in 14 games of the 2015–16 campaign, while scoring 7.4 points and pulling down 9.3 rebounds per outing.
In April 2017, Birgander put his name into the2017 NBA draft. Two months later, he became one of only 10 international underclassmen to remain in the NBA Draft that year. However, he went undrafted.[3] He signed withJoventut de Badalona of the Spanish top-flightLiga ACB in July 2017.[4] In 2019 and 2020, he was injured (knee) and unable to play for a total of 352 days.[5]
On July 1, 2023, Birgander signed with fellow Liga ACB sideUCAM Murcia CB.[6]
Birgander was a key member of the Swedish under-18 national team who won gold at the 2015 Division B European Championship, averaging 3.8 points, 6.0 boards as well as a tournament-high 2.5 blocks a game.[7] In 2016, he averaged 7.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per contest at the under-20 European Championships in Finland.[8]