Mirza Begić
Mirza Begić (born July 9, 1985) is a retired Bosnian-born Slovenian professional basketball player. The center, he represented the Slovenian national team in the international competitions. Professional career. Early years. Begić began his career playing with Sloboda Dita Tuzla in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He made his professional debut with Sloboda in the Bosnia and Herzegovina League during the 2001–02 season. He then arrived to Slovenia in 2002, and stayed in KK Koper for 2 months. In the 2002–03 season, he played for Union Olimpija's junior team. Then he moved to Triglav Kranj in the Slovenian League . Begić averaged 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks, in 16.9 minutes in his first season in the Slovenian League in 2003–04. In 2004, Begić signed with the Italian League club Virtus Bologna. In his first season with the club he was loaned to Huy Basket in Belgium's First Division. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. In the 2005-06 season, he was released by Virtus Bologna. In the 2006–07 season, Begić moved back to Slovenia. He signed with Geoplin Slovan. He averaged 9.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 22.2 minutes per game in  the Adriatic League, and 9.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in the Slovenian League. Union Olimpija. On July 30, 2007, Begić signed a 2-year contract with Union Olimpija. He made his Euroleague debut on October 24, 2007, versus the Italian League club Montepaschi Siena. Begić averaged 3.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in his first season of the Euroleague play. In his second season in Euroleague, he averaged career-high 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. In his second season in the Adriatic League, he averaged 3.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He  played in the 2008 Adriatic League Final Four in Ljubljana, where his team, Union Olimpija, lost in the semifinals against Partizan Belgrade. In his third season in the Adriatic League, he finished with averages of 8.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He won the Slovenian National Championship and Slovenian Cup with Union Olimpija in 2008 and 2009. On November 24, 2008, he renewed his contract through the end of the 2010–11 season. Real Madrid. On January 18, 2011, Begić reached an agreement with the Spanish League club Real Madrid to play for the club until the end of the  2012–13 season. The 2012–13 season was successful for Begić in Real Madrid, reaching the Euroleague final and winning the Spanish League. 2013–2020. On July 20, 2013, Begić signed a two year-contract with the back-to-back defending Euroleague champions Olympiacos of the Greek League. He left Olympiacos after one season. On September 20, 2014, Begić signed a one-year deal with his former team Union Olimpija. On November 19, 2014, he left Olimpija and signed a one-month deal with Laboral Kutxa Baskonia. On December 24, 2014, he extended his contract with Laboral Kutxa Baskonia for the rest of  the season. On October 14, 2015, Begić signed with the New Orleans Pelicans, only to be waived by the team two days later. On December 7, 2015, Begić signed with Spanish club Dominion Bilbao Basket for the rest of the season. On July 27, 2016, Begić signed with Croatian club Cedevita Zagreb for the 2016–17 season. On August 13, 2017, Begić signed with Petrochimi Bandar Imam of the Iranian Basketball Super League. On January 17, 2018, he returned to Olimpija. On July 15, 2019 he signed with Mornar Bar. On February 8, 2020 he parted ways with Mornar averaging 3.6  points and 1.6 rebounds in 14 games of ABA League. On September 21, 2020, he has decided to retire from professional basketball. Slovenian national team. Begić was a member of the Slovenian under-20 national team. He competed at the 2005 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in Russia, which he led in blocked shots per game. He has also been a member of the senior men's Slovenian national basketball team. He played at the EuroBasket 2011, which he also led in blocked shots per game. Personal life. Begić was born in Bijeljina, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. He lived in his  native Bosnia and Herzegovina until 2002, when he moved to Slovenia and subsequently took Slovenian citizenship.