.jpg) Karnowski duringEuroBasket 2017 | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1993-11-08)November 8, 1993 (age 31) Bydgoszcz, Poland | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Polish | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 285 lb (129 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| College | Gonzaga (2012–2017) | ||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 2017:undrafted | ||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2009–2022 | ||||||||||||||
| Position | Center | ||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2023–present | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| As a player: | |||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Toruń | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Wladyslawowo | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Siarka Tarnobrzeg | ||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Andorra | ||||||||||||||
| 2018 | →Fuenlabrada | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Toruń | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Zielona Góra | ||||||||||||||
| 2021-2022 | Toruń | ||||||||||||||
| As a coach: | |||||||||||||||
| 2023-current | Arizona Wildcats (Graduate Assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Przemysław Marcin "Przemek" Karnowski (Polish pronunciation:[ˈpʂɛmɛkkarˈnɔfskʲi]; born 8 November 1993) is theArizona men’s basketball graduate assistant and a formerprofessional basketball player.[1]
He completed hiscollege career atGonzaga University in theUnited States in 2017, and played professionally inSpain andPoland. He has also played for thePolish national team. He had been viewed by someNBA draft analysts as a potential first round pick in the 2016 draft, but chose to return to Gonzaga for his final season of college eligibility in2016–17.[2]
Przemek narrowed his decision down toCalifornia andGonzaga. He committed to Gonzaga on May 29, 2012.[3] For his freshman season he was behind star Canadian centerKelly Olynyk, a future lottery pick in the2013 NBA draft. In the 2013–14 season Karnowski averaged 10.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game as the Bulldogs' starting center.[4] As a junior, he averaged 11 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1 block per game.[4] Due to back problems, Karnowski had surgery after playing only five games in his senior season. He was averaging 8.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in those five games.[5]
The surgery followed a prolonged episode of back pain so severe that by the time of the operation, it took him over an hour to get out of bed and perform normal morning activities; he was also unable to walk without crutches. He developed an infection after undergoing the surgery and lost roughly 60 pounds (27 kg). Karnowski's recovery proceeded ahead of schedule; while he was told he would be unable to perform any strenuous activities for ten months post-operation, he was running after seven months. For the rest of his Gonzaga career, the team's training staff placed him on a customized conditioning program to protect his back, and he did not participate in any basketball-related activity outside of games and scheduled practices.[6]
On May 24, 2016, Gonzaga announced that Karnowski had received a medical redshirt and would return to the school for one final college season in 2016–17.[2] In his final season with Gonzaga he led Gonzaga to the best start in the history of the organization (29-0) whilst posting the best offensive and defensive numbers of his career: 12.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 block in just 22.5 minutes per game coming to thetournament. On February 2, 2017, Karnowski became the career leader in wins for Gonzaga, passingKevin Pangos andKyle Dranginis (both 122 wins).[7] Following the game withBYU, Karnowski became the active leader inDivision I basketball games played with 143, passingNigel Hayes (Wisconsin),Nate Britt andIsaiah Hicks (bothNorth Carolina).[8] Karnowski would be surpassed later that season by Hayes andDuke'sAmile Jefferson, and passed both in a win in Gonzaga's Final Four matchup withSouth Carolina. After the2017 West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament, Karnowski became theNCAA's career leader in wins with 132, passingShane Battier (131).[9] During his senior season he was nominated to theKareem Abdul-Jabbar Award[10] and Senior CLASS Award.[11]
Karnowski graduated withBachelor of Education inSport Management andMBA with one of the highest GPAs inWCC, for which he was named to the 2016-17 WCC Men's Basketball All-Academic Team.[12] With 13 points performance and two crucial baskets he led his team to a 77–73 victory in the NCAA tournament semifinal, giving the Gonzaga Bulldogs their first ever appearance in the NCAA March Madness Final.
During his tenure with Gonzaga Bulldogs he became a fan favorite not only because his skills, but also because of his outgoing and friendly attitude as well as his signature beard. Some fans even wear fake beards during games to impersonate Karnowski. His name is found difficult to spell for basketball fans from the US, thus he was given fancy nicknames like "Shem" (short for "Przemysław"), "Big Shem," or "Mount Karnowski" (in reference to his size).
His performances are also widely recognized in his country, Poland. Tens of thousands of Polish fans watched his March Madness surge overnight, because of the time difference.
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Gonzaga | 34 | 1 | 10.8 | .567 | – | .444 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 5.4 |
| 2013–14 | Gonzaga | 36 | 36 | 25.3 | .593 | .000 | .500 | 7.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 10.4 |
| 2014–15 | Gonzaga | 38 | 37 | 24.5 | .622 | 1.000 | .509 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 11.0 |
| 2015–16 | Gonzaga | 5 | 5 | 24.8 | .594 | – | .462 | 5.4 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 8.8 |
| 2016–17 | Gonzaga | 39 | 39 | 22.9 | .601 | .000 | .582 | 5.8 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12.2 |
| Career | 152 | 118 | 21.2 | .600 | .333 | .513 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 9.8 | |
In the 2011–12 season, Karnowski played forSiarka Jezioro Tarnobrzeg of the PolishPLK. In 35 games, he averaged 10.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.[13] After the regular season, Karnowski won thePLK Rookie of the Year Award.[14]
He went undrafted in the2017 NBA draft, but joined theCharlotte Hornets for the2017 NBA Summer League.[15]
On July 28, 2017, Karnowski agreed to terms with SpanishLiga ACB teamMoraBanc Andorra.[16] On July 8, 2018, Karnowski part ways withMoraBanc Andorra.[17] On August 16, 2018, he signed withTwarde Pierniki Toruń of thePolish Basketball League.[18]
On August 17, 2020, Karnowski signed withStelmet Zielona Góra of thePLK and theVTB United League.[19]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Pierniki Torun | 14 | 0 | 21.4 | .560 | .000 | .612 | 9.1 | 1.2 | .9 | 2.5 | 12.2 |
| 2010–11 | SMS Wladyslawowo | 23 | 0 | 31.0 | .517 | .250 | .547 | 9.6 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 14.0 |
| 2011–12 | ASK KS Siarka Tarnobrzeg | 35 | 18 | 25.6 | .520 | .067 | .560 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 10.1 |
Karnowski guided the Polish junior national team to the championship game of the2010 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, inHamburg. He wasnamed to the All-Tournament Team.[20] and was named Best Center of the tournament byEurobasket.com[21] after averaging 14.5 points, 11 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per contest.[22] Joining him on the official All-Tournament Team was Canada'sKevin Pangos who would later be his teammate at Gonzaga.
Karnowski represented the seniorPolish national basketball team atEuroBasket 2013, inSlovenia. He averaged 3.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 0.3 APG.[23]
Karnowski joined theArizona men’s basketball staff as a graduate assistant in January 2023.[1]
He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Marketing at Arizona.
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