Mario Austin Explained

Mario Austin
Position:Power forward / center
Height Ft:6
Height In:9
Weight Lb:264
Nationality:American
Birth Date:26 February 1982
Birth Place:Livingston, Alabama
Highschool:Sumter County (York, Alabama)
College:Mississippi State (2000–2003)
Draft Year:2003
Draft Round:2
Draft Pick:36
Draft Team:Chicago Bulls
Career Start:2003
Career End:2015
Years1:2003
Team1:CSKA Moscow
Years2:2004
Team2:Jackson Rage
Years3:2004–2005
Team3:Lauretana Biella
Years4:2005–2007
Team4:Hapoel Jerusalem
Years5:2007–2008
Team5:Benetton Treviso
Years6:2008
Team6:Beşiktaş Cola Turka
Years7:2009
Team7:Fujian Xunxing
Years8:2009–2010
Team8:Meridiano Alicante
Years9:2010
Team9:Atléticos de San Germán
Years10:2010–2011
Team10:BC Dnipro
Years11:2011
Years12:2011
Team12:Shahrdari Gorgan
Years13:2011
Team13:Kyiv
Years14:2012–2013
Team14:Al Kuwait
Years15:2013–2014
Team15:Kazma
Years16:2015
Team16:KB Peja
Years17:2015
Team17:Deportivo Valdivia
Highlights:

Mario Trevon Austin (born February 26, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player.

College career

Austin played 3 seasons at Mississippi State under head coach Rick Stansbury. He is well known for hitting a clutch 3-point shot in the first 3-point attempt of his career at Mississippi State in a 2002 win over Kentucky.[1] Austin was named second team All-SEC that season (2001–02).

Austin returned to the Bulldogs in 2002–03 and was named first team All-SEC. Austin declared for the 2003 NBA draft at the season, choosing not to return to Mississippi State for his senior year.[1]

Professional career

After being drafted 36th overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, Austin left to play overseas, starting his professional career with CSKA Moscow, but was released after an injury before playing an official game. Afterwards he signed with the Jackson Rage of the WBA where he spent the remainder of the season.

In 2004, he signed with Italian team Lauretana Biella and in 2005 he was with Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. who got sponsored by billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak shortly before, he quickly became one of the dominant players in the team and led it to the Uleb Cup semi-finals and to the Israeli League Finals

In the summer of 2007, he joined the Bulls for the 2007 NBA Summer League[2] and later, he signed with Benetton Treviso.[3]

On July 18, 2008, Austin signed with Beşiktaş Cola Turka.[4]

At the start of the 2009–10 season, Austin was signed by Meridiano Alicante, but was released on January 21, 2010.[5] On April 10, 2010, Austin was signed by the Atléticos de San Germán of the Puerto Rican league but was waived the next month.[6]

On August 13, 2010, Austin signed with Ukrainian club BC Dnipro.[7] On April 2, 2011, the Bulls traded his draft rights to the Utah Jazz as part of the Carlos Boozer sign-and-trade.[8]

On October 31, 2011, Austin signed with BC Kyiv.[9]

On November 3, 2012 Austin signed with Al Kuwait.[10] On November 9, 2013, he signed with Kuwaiti club Kazma.[11]

On February 3, 2015, Austin signed with KB Peja of the Siguria Superleague[12] and on October 9, Austin signed with Deportivo Valdivia of the Liga Nacional de Básquetbol de Chile (LNB).[13] On November 14, he was waived by Deportivo Valdivia.[14] [15]

Throughout his 12 years of professional basketball, Austin never played in an NBA game. Making him 1 of 11 players from the 2003 NBA Draft Class to never play in the league.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Today in MSU History: Mario Austin's Three. January 5, 2015. January 5, 2015. ForWhomtheCowbellTolls.com. SBNation.
  2. News: 2015 Las Vegas Summer League Basketball. October 9, 2015. InsideHoops.com.
  3. News: Mario Austin, biennale con la Benetton. August 30, 2007. Legabasket.com. August 30, 2007. Italian. September 30, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070930031248/http://195.56.77.208/news/?id=84076. dead.
  4. News: Beşiktaş Pivotunu Buldu. July 18, 2008. BJK.com. July 18, 2008. Turkish. July 19, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080719113536/http://www.bjk.com.tr/tr/haberler.php?h_no=12864. dead.
  5. News: Mario Austin and Meridiano Alicante part ways. January 21, 2010. The Hoops Market. January 21, 2010.
  6. News: Atléticos de San Germán sign Ernest Brown to replace Mario Austin. May 29, 2010. The Hoops Market. May 29, 2010.
  7. News: Steve Burtt and Mario Austin join Dnipro. August 3, 2010. Eurobasket.com. August 3, 2010.
  8. Web site: An Unnecessarily Exhaustive Guide To The NBA Prospects Of The Unsigned NBA Draft Picks. April 2, 2011. shamsports.com. February 4, 2015.
  9. News: BC Kyiv announces Mario Austin. October 9, 2015. Sportando.com. October 31, 2011.
  10. Web site: Mario Austin signs with Al Kuwait. Court-Side.com. November 3, 2012. May 18, 2013.
  11. Web site: Mario Austin firma in Kuwait. BasketNet.it. November 9, 2013. October 9, 2015.
  12. News: Mario Austin (ex Kazma) signs at Peja. February 3, 2015. Asia-Basket.com. February 3, 2015.
  13. News: Mario Austin deals with Valdivia. October 9, 2015. Court-Side.com. October 9, 2015.
  14. Web site: Durrell Summers se integra al CDV. DeportivoValdivia.cl. November 13, 2015. November 15, 2015. Spanish. https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023410/http://www.deportivovaldivia.cl/index.php/noticias/63-durrell-summers-se-integra-al-cdv. November 17, 2015. dead.
  15. Web site: Una semana más de espera para la LNB. EconomiaYNegocios.cl. November 14, 2015. November 15, 2015. Spanish.