| Yeshiva Maccabees | |
|---|---|
| Position | Assistant coach |
| League | Skyline Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1982-10-25)October 25, 1982 (age 42) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 348 lb (158 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Oxon Hill (Oxon Hill, Maryland) |
| College | Georgetown (2000–2003) |
| NBA draft | 2003: 1st round, 9th overall pick |
| Selected by theNew York Knicks | |
| Playing career | 2003–2017 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 50,60 |
| Coaching career | 2019–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2003–2005 | New York Knicks |
| 2005–2007 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2009–2010 | Shaanxi Kylins |
| 2010 | Erie BayHawks |
| 2010 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2010 | Metros de Santiago |
| 2010–2011 | Club Biguá |
| 2011 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2012 | Vaqueros de Bayamón |
| 2013 | Guaiqueríes de Margarita |
| 2013 | Vaqueros de Bayamón |
| 2014 | Club Atlético Atenas |
| 2014 | Brujos de Guayama |
| 2015–2017 | Urunday Universitario |
| As coach: | |
| 2019–present | Yeshiva University (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Medals | |
Michael Damien Sweetney (born October 25, 1982) is an American former professionalbasketball player. He is now the assistant coach of theYeshiva University Men's basketball team and head coach of the girls varsity basketball team at New York'sRamaz School.[1][2]
Sweetney went toOxon Hill for high school, where he was namedWashington Post All Met Basketball Player of the Year. He continued the tradition of highly skilled big men atGeorgetown University, averaging 18.2 points while shooting nearly 55% over his three-year collegiate career. He was especially dominant over his junior year, in which he was named Honorable MentionAll-America by AP, as well as being aNaismith College Player of the Year finalist and a candidate for theJohn R. Wooden Award.
That year, Sweetney was the only player in the nation to rank in the top 20 in scoring andrebounding. Despite playing only three seasons, he ranks seventh on Georgetown's career scoring list (1,750), fifth in rebounds (887) and sixth inblocks (180).
Sweetney was selected by theNew York Knicks with the 9th overall pick, in the2003 NBA draft. After a two-year stint with only 42regular season contests inhis rookie year, he was traded to theChicago Bulls on October 4, 2005, alongsideTim Thomas andJermaine Jackson, forEddy Curry andAntonio Davis.[3]
Sweetney has battled weight issues throughout his life and career. It was reported inThe Chicago Tribune that, if Sweetney did not lose a certain amount of weight, his career could be in danger.[4]
Sweetney's final NBA game ever ended up being in Game 2 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 7, 2007. In that game, the Bulls would lose 87 - 108 to theDetroit Pistons while Sweetney recorded 2 points in 3 minutes of playing time.[5]
In the summer of 2009 he played with theBoston Celtics summer league team. He was invited to attend training camp in October 2009 to try out with the Celtics and attempt to resume an NBA career. He was waived on October 22.[6] In early December 2011, Sweetney rejoined the Boston Celtics for training camp,[7] but he was cut on December 22, 2011.
On January 13, 2012, Sweetney agreed to a deal with theVaqueros de Bayamon of theBSN, Puerto Rico's basketball league.[8] In February 2013, he signed a one-month deal with the Venezuelan teamGuaiqueríes de Margarita.[9] After his contract expired, he returned to the Vaqueros de Bayamon.[10] In February 2014, he signed with Club Atlético Atenas.[11]
On May 1, 2014, he signed withBrujos de Guayama.[12] He was waived on July 1, 2014.[13]
In November 2015, after more than a year off, Sweetney signed a contract in Uruguay withUrunday Universitario.[14]
Sweetney competed forTeam City of Gods inThe Basketball Tournament. He was a center on the 2015 team who made it to the semifinals, losing toOverseas Elite 84–71. Sweetney has since runTamir Goodman's basketball camp.[1]
In 2019, Sweetney became an assistant coach for the Yeshiva University men's basketball team[15] and head coach of the girls' varsity basketball team atRamaz School.[16][17]
