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.jpg) Weis in 2008 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1977-06-22)22 June 1977 (age 48) Thionville, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 1999: 1st round, 15th overall pick |
| Drafted by | New York Knicks |
| Playing career | 1995–2011 |
| Position | Center |
| Career history | |
| 1995–2000 | Limoges CSP |
| 2000 | PAOK |
| 2000–2004 | Unicaja Málaga |
| 2004–2009 | Iurbentia Bilbao |
| 2009 | ViveMenorca |
| 2010–2011 | Limoges CSP |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Medals | |
Frédéric Weis (born 22 June 1977) is a French former professionalbasketball player. Despite being a first-roundNBA draft pick, he never played professionally in North America.
During his pro career, Weis played withUnicaja Málaga andIurbentia Bilbao of theSpanish ACB League,PAOK Thessaloniki in theGreek League, andLimoges in theFrench League. On 28 January 2009,Iurbentia Bilbao waived him after he missed three games due to his health,[1] and on 13 February he signed withViveMenorca.[2]
In March 2011, he announced his retirement.[3]
Weis was selected by theNew York Knicks with the 15th overall pick of the1999 NBA draft. His selection angered many Knicks fans asRon Artest, who had grown up inQueens, New York and played forSt. John's University, was still available. Artest would be selected with the next pick by theChicago Bulls.
Weis took part in theNBA Summer League and then declined to sign a rookie contract, being convinced by his agent - who was also a minority owner of Weis's team, Limoges - to return to France. Weis ended up never playing in an NBA game, later stating that in spite of his interest in going to North America, the Knicks never directly contacted him about returning.[4] On 29 August 2008 the Knicks traded Weis's draft rights to theHouston Rockets forPatrick Ewing Jr.[5]
Weis won the silver medal at the2000 Summer Olympic Games, with the seniorFrench national basketball team. With France's national team he played at the followingEuroBaskets: the1999 EuroBasket, the2001 EuroBasket, the2005 EuroBasket, and the2007 EuroBasket.
At the 2005 EuroBasket, Weis won the bronze medal with his national team. He also played with France's national team at the2006 FIBA World Championship.[6]
Weis is best known for having been "posterized" by theUnited States'Vince Carter during a game between the U.S. andFrance at the2000 Summer Olympic Games on 25 September 2000. After getting the ball off asteal, the 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) Carter drove to the basket and spread his legs as he jumped over the 7-foot-2-inch (2.18 m) Weis before dunking the ball ferociously. The French media dubbed the slam"le dunk de la mort": "the dunk of death". The U.S. won the game 106–94. In anESPN story published on the 15th anniversary of the dunk, Weis said that Carter "deserves to make history. Sadly for me, I was on the video, too. I learned people can fly."[7]
In 2002, Weis's wife, Celia, gave birth to a son, Enzo, while Weis was playing in Spain. After Enzo was diagnosed withautism as a toddler, Weis spiraled intoalcoholism anddepression, and Celia took their son and returned to France.
In 2008, Weis drove to arest stop inBiarritz and attemptedsuicide by intentionally overdosing onsleeping pills. After surviving the attempt, Weis quit drinking and reconciled with his wife. Following his retirement from basketball, Weis and Celia began operating atobacco shop and bar inLimoges.[4][8]
He is currently a television analyst forFrench league games.[7]
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