| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1978-05-11)11 May 1978 (age 47) Whitehorse,Yukon, Canada | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Canadian / New Zealand | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 195 cm (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 100 kg (220 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| College | Victoria (1997–1999) Eastern Washington (1999–2001) | ||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 2001:undrafted | ||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2001–2007 | ||||||||||||||
| Position | Shooting guard | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Auckland Stars | ||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Harbour Kings | ||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Äänekosken Huima | ||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Auckland Stars | ||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | New Zealand Breakers | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Aaron Duane Olson (born 11 May 1978)[1] is a Canadian-New Zealand former professionalbasketball player who played the majority of his career in New Zealand.
Born inWhitehorse,Yukon, Canada to a New Zealand mother and a Canadian father, Olson moved back and forth between the two countries as a youth, spending time living inNelson and theBay of Islands region.[2] Olson attended college at theUniversity of Victoria in Canada before switching toEastern Washington University in 1999. He played in 46 games for theEastern Washington Eagles over two seasons, averaging 11.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.[3]
In 2001, Olson returned to New Zealand and joined theAuckland Stars of theNational Basketball League. After a one-season stint with theHarbour Kings in 2002, Olson returned to the Stars in 2003 and continued playing for them until 2005, helping the club win back-to-back championships in 2004 and 2005.[4] He also spent the 2002–03 season playing in Finland forÄänekosken Huima.[citation needed]
Between 2003 and 2007, Olson played for theNew Zealand Breakers in the AustralianNational Basketball League. In 130 games for the Breakers over four seasons, he averaged 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.[5]
In May 2007, Olson announced his retirement from professional basketball.[6]
Known for his outside shooting touch and gritty defence, Olson debuted for theTall Blacks against theCzech Republic in 2003, was ruled ineligible to faceAustralia in that year's Oceania Championships, but was cleared to represent New Zealand at the 2004 Olympics and subsequently the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.[4]
