Jamar Wilson

Jamar Wilson
Wilson with the Finland national team in 2017
Personal information
Born (1984-02-22) February 22, 1984 (age 40)
Bronx, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican / Finnish
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeAlbany (2002–2007)
NBA draft2007: undrafted
Playing career2007–2022
PositionPoint guard
Career history
2007–2008Wolves Verviers-Pepinster
2008–2009Liège
2009–2010Okapi Aalstar
2010–2011Honka Playboys
20112014Cairns Taipans
2014–2015Adelaide 36ers
2015SPO Rouen
2015–2016Partizan
2016–2017Estudiantes
2017–2018Nanterre 92
2018–2019BC Lietkabelis
2019–2020JL Bourg
2020–2022Kataja Basket
2022Boulazac Basket Dordogne
Career highlights and awards

Jamar J. Wilson (born February 22, 1984) is an American-Finnish former professional basketball player who last played for Boulazac Basket Dordogne of the LNB Pro B. He currently works as an assistant coach for I division A team Tapiolan Honka.

High school career

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Wilson attended All Hallows High School in Bronx, New York for two years before transferring to Our Savior New American School in Centereach, New York. As a senior, he averaged 14.2 points, 5.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game as he led Pioneers to a 25-11 record and the 2002 NACA Division I Boys Basketball National Championship.[1]

College career

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Wilson played college basketball at Albany from 2002 to 2007. He made an immediate impact, as he was named the America East Conference rookie of the year and second-team All-Conference as a freshman after averaging 18.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. After a medical redshirt in the 2003–04 season, Wilson came back to again make the All-Conference second team.

For the next two seasons, Wilson took his game to another level and led the Great Danes to their first two NCAA Division I tournament appearances. Wilson was named first team All-Conference both years and was named America East Conference player of the year in each of his last two seasons. Wilson also raised his level of play in the America East tournament, earning tournament MVP honors both years. Wilson was also named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press both seasons.[1]

Wilson scored 2,164 points in his Albany career – the most in school history. He also set school records in points in a season (620 his senior year), career free throws (601), and finished second all-time in assists (488). He is the first player in school history to have his jersey retired.[2]

Professional career

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Belgium (2007–2010)

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In August 2007, Wilson signed with VOO Wolves Verviers-Pepinster of Belgium for the 2007–08 season.[3] In 27 games for Verviers-Pepinster, he averaged 17.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

In August 2008, Wilson signed with Belgacom Liège Basket for the 2008–09 season.[3] In 30 league games for Liège, he averaged 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

In September 2009, Wilson signed with Generali Okapi Aalstar for the 2009–10 season.[3] In 28 league games for Aalstar, he averaged 12.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Finland (2010–2011)

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In September 2010, Wilson signed with Honka Espoo Playboys of Finland's Korisliiga for the 2010–11 season.[3] In a game against Namika Lahti in January 2011, Wilson scored 45 points, and two days later, scored 44 points against Helsinki. In 42 games for Honka, he averaged 21.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

Australia (2011–2015)

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On August 5, 2011, Wilson signed with the Cairns Taipans for the 2011–12 NBL season.[4] He was named player of the week twice and finished second in the MVP voting.[5]

On April 3, 2012, Wilson re-signed with the Taipans on a two-year deal.[6]

On March 1, 2014, Wilson recorded a career-high 33 points, along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists, in a 92–87 win over the New Zealand Breakers.[7]

In April 2014, it was announced that Wilson would not re-sign with the Taipans for 2014–15.[8]

On July 8, 2014, Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Adelaide 36ers.[9] On January 13, 2015, he was named Player of the Week for Round 14 after scoring an equal game-high 22 points against Melbourne United on January 10.[10] He went on to win Round 17 Player of the Week honors as well after scoring a game-high 25 points against the Townsville Crocodiles on February 1.[11] After earning All-NBL second team honors for the 2014–15 season,[12] Wilson was named the recipient of the Mark Davis Trophy as the 2015 Adelaide 36ers club MVP.[13]

In 107 NBL games over four seasons, Wilson averaged 16.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.[14]

Rouen Basket (2015)

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On March 12, 2015, Wilson signed with French team SPO Rouen Basket for the rest of the 2014–15 LNB Pro A season.[15] In eight games for Rouen, he averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.[16]

Partizan (2015–2016)

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On November 7, 2015, Wilson signed with Serbian team Partizan Belgrade for the rest of the 2015–16 season.[17][18]

Estudiantes (2016–2017)

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On August 1, 2016, Wilson signed with Estudiantes of Spain for the 2016–17 ACB season.[19]

Nanterre 92 (2017–2018)

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On November 7, 2017, Wilson signed with Nanterre 92 for the 2017–18 season.[20]

BC Lietkabelis (2018–2019)

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On August 2, 2018, he signed with BC Lietkabelis of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[21]

JL Bourg (2019–2020)

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On June 12, 2019, he has signed with JL Bourg of the LNB Pro A.[22]

Kataja BC (2020–2022)

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On February 18, 2020, Wilson signed with Kataja BC of the Finnish league.[23]

Boulazac Basket (2022–present)

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On March 22, 2022, he has signed with Boulazac Basket Dordogne of the LNB Pro B.[24]

National team career

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Wilson never received an invitation to play for the United States national team. After having received Finnish citizenship,[25] he immediately became a potential candidate to be a member of the Finnish national team.[26] He made his international debut for Finland on August 1, 2015, in a friendly match against France.[27]

Wilson was a member of the Finnish national team at EuroBasket 2015. On September 5, 2015, he debuted for the team in a 97–87 overtime loss to France in Round 1, scoring a team-high 21 points.[28] In the fourth match of the group stage against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland won 88–59 behind Wilson's team-high 16 points.[29] Over five tournament games, Wilson averaged 12.0 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.[30]

Personal life

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Wilson is the son of Bobby Livingston and Carolyn Wilson. His cousin, Dyree Wilson, was a two-time All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference selection at Iona College in 2000 and 2001,[1] and his uncle, James "Pookie" Wilson, was a notable street baller in the Bronx.[31]

Wilson and his wife, former Finland national team player Laura Wilson (née Sario) have a daughter named Fiona.[31][32] They had met earlier when the both were playing college basketball in the United States.[33][34] Six months after passing the language test, Wilson received his Finnish passport in June 2015, about five years after his first public intentions to gain Finnish citizenship.[35][36][37]

Career statistics

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National team

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Team Tournament Pos. GP PPG RPG APG
Finland EuroBasket 2015 16th
5
12.0
1.6
2.8
EuroBasket 2017 11th
4
6.3
1.5
3.3

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "#31 Jamar Wilson". ualbanysports.com. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  2. ^ "UAlbany Yearbook: 2011-12 Basketball" (PDF). Albany Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  3. ^ Taipans Sign First Import #5 Jamar Wilson
  4. ^ 2011/12 IINet NBL Championship awards
  5. ^ "Wilson Re-Signs For Two Years". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  6. ^ R20 Report: Wilson shines, Taipans down New Zealand
  7. ^ "Cairns Sign Corey Maynard". Archived from the original on 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2014-04-29.
  8. ^ Jamar Wilson Joins Adelaide
  9. ^ R14 Player of the Week: Jamar Wilson
  10. ^ R17 Player of the Week: Jamar Wilson
  11. ^ NBL Awards: All-NBL First Team
  12. ^ Jamar won the MVP with 97 votes...
  13. ^ Player statistics for Jamar Wilson
  14. ^ SPO Rouen lands Jamar Wilson
  15. ^ "Jamar Wilson". LNB.fr (in French). Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  16. ^ "Official: Octagon Europe point guard &..." Twitter. November 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  17. ^ "Džamar Vilson - Dobrodošao u Partizan!". kkpartizan.rs (in Serbian). November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  18. ^ "Jamar Wilson, base internacional con Finlandia, primer fichaje de Movistar Estudiantes". clubestudiantes.com (in Spanish). August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  19. ^ "Jamar Wilson announced by Nanterre". Eurohoops.net. November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  20. ^ "Jamar Wilson signs with KK Lietkabelis". Sportando. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  21. ^ "JL Bourg signs Jamar Wilson". Sportando. June 12, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  22. ^ "Jamar Wilson signs with Kataja". Sportando. February 18, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  23. ^ "Boulazac adds Wilson to their roster, ex Kataja". Eurobasket. March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  24. ^ New Finn Wilson could bring new dimension to Susijengi
  25. ^ "Jamar Wilsonista Suomen kansalainen, liittyy Susijengi-vahvuuteen". basket.fi (in Finnish). June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  26. ^ "Suomi voitti Ranskan koripallon harjoitusottelussa". mtv.fi (in Finnish). August 1, 2015. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  27. ^ "OT needed but France survive opening examination". eurobasket2015.org. September 5, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  28. ^ "D the key for Finns". eurobasket2015.org. September 9, 2015. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  29. ^ "Jamar Wilson". eurobasket2015.org. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  30. ^ a b Take 40: Jamar Wilson
  31. ^ Taipans’ Jamar Wilson leaves Cairns with NBL future in the air
  32. ^ Koripalloilija Jamar Wilson on Susijengin ja suomalaisten sankari, Apu, 2 September 2017
  33. ^ ”Ammutun tyypin pää iskeytyi viemärikaivon kanteen” – Susijengin takamiehen karut muistot Bronxista, Iltasanomat, 2 September 2015
  34. ^ Jamar Wilsonista Suomen kansalainen, liittyy Susijengi-vahvuuteen (in Finnish)
  35. ^ Takamiesvirtuoosille Suomen kansalaisuus - Susijengille kivikova jokerikortti EM-kisoihin (in Finnish)
  36. ^ Susijengin tähti oli heittämässä vapaaheittoa, kun vastustaja päästi suustaan hirveän sanan – ”Olin järkyttynyt”, Iltalehti, 14 June 2020
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