Mark Dickel

Mark Dickel ( born December 21, 1976 in Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand ) is a New Zealand professional basketball player who has played professionally in several European basketball leagues, including briefly at the Brose Baskets in Bamberg in the German Basketball Bundesliga. With the New Zealand national basketball team Dickel has participated in two Olympic Games. In addition to his athletic achievements Dickel in 2006 caused a sensation when it was closed due to cannabis use and the first three games of the basketball world championship in 2006 missed. In addition, his former contract was dissolved at Lokomotiw Rostov in the Russian Super League.

Down under and studying in the U.S.

Dickel began his career in New Zealand in the Otago Nuggets NZNBL and was 1993 Rookie of the Year this league. In 1996 he began studying in the United States and was responsible for the University of Nevada as a player the Rebels in Las Vegas and is one of the top 3 original donors in the history of college team. After completing his studies, he played for two seasons in Melbourne, Australia for the Victoria Titans in the Australian National Basketball League. In the European summer months - in the southern hemisphere corresponding to the winter months - it was 1998, 2002 and 2003 for teams in his home on basket hunt.

Europe

In 2002, Dickel to Europe and played for Fenerbahçe in Istanbul, Turkey. With good statistics (just under 15 points and nearly six assists per game ), he was able to draw attention to themselves. Start of the season 2003/ 04 he moved to Belgium and to the Channel, before returning in December to the Bosporus to Fener. In the following season 2004/ 05 he played in the TBL in Erdemirspor he had his strongest European season with nearly 20 points and almost 9 assists per game. So he recommended for Lokomotiw from Rostov in Russia. In less than 5 minutes playing time per game but have halved his stats in the Russian Super League. After doping suspension to Dickel had to go to a new club around and landed in Poland. In January 2007, he joined the Greek Marousi Athens. Due to a back injury, he completed only one game for the club.

Start of the season 2007/ 08 Dickel was looking for a new start in the German BBL at the former champions Brose Baskets. His role in the team did not meet his expectations and probably not where the coach Dirk Bauer man, so that his contract was prematurely released by the obligation of Mithat Demirel. Dickel then moved back to the TBL, where he had celebrated his greatest successes in Europe, Selçuk Üniversitesi from Konya. The end of 2008 Dickel was taken from riser to the highest Greek league AS Trikala under contract. After the contract at the end of the season 2008/ 09 ended at first, was repeated throughout the following season. During 2008/ 09 the relegation in the last game could be avoided, this success was the 2009/10 AS Trikala not granted and not to avoid the relegation. From March 2010, Dickel was injured again and served in the interim national coach of Albania selection, before he returned to his home in November 2010. However, before the start of the season in New Zealand, he jumped first at the Sydney Kings in the NBL as a replacement. As of April 2011 he is playing for the Southland Sharks under the command of his elder brother Richard, who is the coach of the team. For the following season, 2012, he returned to the Otago Nuggets, where he began his career.

National

Dickel was with the New Zealand selection participants in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Games 2000 in Sydney and 2004 in Athens. In Sydney, the Tall Blacks, the nickname of the New Zealand national team, with twelve participating teams were second to last in Athens could be improved by one place to 10th position. For the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, New Zealand did not qualify because you failed in the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament at host Greece.

In the Basketball World Championship 2002 in Indianapolis, the Tall Blacks occupied by Dickel, however, an excellent fourth place after was surprising defeat the previously strong aufspielende selection from Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals, who had defeated the eventual champion of Yugoslavia and the medal candidates Spain in the second round. In the bronze medal match you failed the German team at the tournament MVP Dirk Nowitzki. Dickel was the third-best assist provider in this tournament. The FIBA World Championship in Japan in 2006 was overshadowed by Dickel for his doping affair. After two games in which Dickel was eligible to play, he parted with the selection against the Olympic champion of Athens from Argentina already in the second round.

Others

His father Carl was the coach of the New Zealand national team of ladies as well as coach of the Otago Nuggets, where Dickel began his career. His brother Richard is the coach of the newest franchise of the NZNBL, Southland Sharks.