Mario Kasun: Difference between revisions

| caption = {{small|Kasun with [[FC Barcelona Bàsquet|FC Barcelona]] in February 2008.}}

| height_in = 01

| weight_lb = 260

| team3 = [[Köln 99ers|RheinEnergie Köln]]

| team4 = [[Deutsche Bank Skyliners|Frankfurt Opel Skyliners]]

| team7 = [[Efes Pilsen SKS.K.|Efes Pilsen]]

| team9 = [[Mens Sana Basket|Montepaschi Siena]]

| team10 = [[Al- Wasl SC|Al Wasl Dubai]]

* [[Turkish Cup Basketball Cup|Turkish Cup]] winner (2009)

Kasun started playing basketball at a local club in [[Delnice]] when he was 14, before he started playing professionally with BC Zrinjevac in [[Zagreb]]. He was part of the 1998-991998–99 Croatian junior team and the Croatian under-21 team in 2000.

Kasun played at 2002 NBA pre-draft camp in [[Chicago]], being one of the tallest players, and showing some center skills. During 50 minutes over three games, he totalled 20 points and had 14 rebounds and six blocked shots, converting nine of 17 shots (52.9%).<ref name=NBA.com>[http://www.nba.com/draft2002/profiles/mario_kasun.html NBA.com: Mario Kasun<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2002, he was initially selected by the [[National Basketball Association]]'s (NBA) [[Los Angeles Clippers]] in the second round (41st overall) of the [[2002 NBA Draftdraft]]. On June 26, he was traded by the Clippers to the [[Orlando Magic]] in exchange for future considerations. Regardless of this, he then moved to [[Germany]] to play for the [[Deutsche Bank Skyliners]], based in [[Frankfurt]]. With them he won the German championship and also appeared in the 2003-2004 [[2003–04 ULEB Cup]].

In 2004, he returned to the US to play for the [[Orlando Magic]]. In the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]] he played in 45 games for Orlando and averaged 7.9 minutes per game. In [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]], he appeared in 28 games. Kasun's final NBA game was played on March 4, 2006, in a 94–110 loss to the [[Denver Nuggets]] where he recorded 4 points in 4 minutes of playing time. Kasun averaged 2.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in a total of 73 games in his NBA career.

In July 2006 he returned to Europe again, signing a three-year contract with [[FC Barcelona (basketball)Bàsquet|FC Barcelona]] andlead laterby inhead 2008coached with[[Duško Ivanović]] and general manager [[EfesZoran PilsenSavić]].

In August 2012 he signed a two-year contract with [[Montepaschi Siena]].<ref>[http://www.sportando.net/eng/italy/serie-a/42626/mens-sana-siena-officially-adds-mario-kasun.html Mens Sana Siena officially adds Mario Kasun]</ref> In December 2012, Kasun left the team for personal reasons.<ref>[http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/104809/180/montepaschi-siena-center-kasun-part-ways Montepaschi Siena, center Kasun part ways]</ref> In September 2013, he signed with [[Al- Wasl SC|Al Wasl Dubai]] for the 2013–14 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Al Wasl inks Mario Kasun|url=http://basketball.eurobasket.com/Croatia/news/334353|accessdate=30 September 2013|newspaper=Eurobasket.com}}</ref>

| style="text-align:left;"| [[Anadolu Efes Pilsen S.K.|Efes Pilsen]]

| style="text-align:left;"| [[MensMontepaschi Sana BasketSiena|Montepaschi]]

Kasun was part of the [[CroatianCroatia national basketball team]] at [[EurobasketEuroBasket 2005]], [[EurobasketEuroBasket 2007]] and [[EurobasketEuroBasket 2009]]. After a disappointing result for Croatia in the Eurobasket 2009, Mario Kasun announced his retirement from the national team with this words: "This was my last game for the national team. Every time I gave everything on the court, but it seems that is not enough. I need the summer to rest and not be injured. Obviously I am not stable in the head anymore."<ref>[http://www.24sata.hr/sport/prka-i-kasun-oprostili-se-porazom-od-reprezentacije/136480/ Kasun goodbye] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924183011/http://www.24sata.hr/sport/prka-i-kasun-oprostili-se-porazom-od-reprezentacije/136480/ |date=2009-09-24 }} {{hrin iconlang|hr}}</ref>

==PrivatePersonal life==

In a March 2005 interview with ''[[Inside Hoops]]'', Kasun referred to [[Dražen Petrović]] as one of his favorite players and number one idol.<ref>[http://www.insidehoops.com/kasun-interview-030605.shtml InsideHoops.com -– Mario Kasun Interview<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Kasun is famous for his tattoos, of which he has 30, having gotten his first when he was only 15. His tattoos are mostly related with his faith and his family. On his right forearm and wrist he has an angel and four letters: E, D, M and A. Those represent the first letter on the name of every member in his family: E for his sister "Eva", D for his father, "Drago" (angels, inner side of right [[biceps]]), M is meant for his own name, "Mario" and A for mother "Ankica" (right [[rib]]). On his back he has a big tattoo of another angel, which he describes as “watching"watching my back”back".<ref name=24sata>[https://archive.today/20120526093035/http://www.24sata.hr/index.php?cmd=show_clanak&tekst_id=28462&_no_browse=1 Kasun's tattoos] {{deadin linklang|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{hr icon}}</ref>

* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=sie&pcode=BOD Euroleague.net Profileprofile]

* [http://www.eurobasket.com/player.asp?Cntry=ITA&PlayerID=7701 Eurobasket.com Profileprofile]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110313091031/http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=BBP ACB.com Profileprofile] {{esin iconlang|es}}

{{2002 NBA Draftdraft}}

[[Category:National Basketball AssociationNBA players from Croatia]]