Brenton Joe Birmingham (born November 29, 1972) is an American and Icelandic former professional basketball player who for the majority of his career played in the Úrvalsdeild karla.[2] He won the Icelandic championship three times[3] and was voted the Icelandic Basketball Player of the Year in 2006[4] and Úrvalsdeild domestic player of the year in 2007.[5]

Brenton Birmingham
Personal information
Born (1972-11-29) November 29, 1972 (age 52)
New York, United States
NationalityAmerican / Icelandic
Listed height196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
CollegeBrooklyn (1990–1992)
Manhattan (1992–1994)
Playing career1995
1998–2016
PositionGuard
Number10
Coaching career1994–1998
Career history
As player:
1995Tapiolan Honka
1998–1999Njarðvík
1999–2000Grindavík
2000–2002Njarðvík
2002–2003Rueil Pro Basket
2003London Towers
2003–2008Njarðvík
2008–2010Grindavík
2010–2011Njarðvík
2011–2016Njarðvík-b
As coach:
1994–1998Manhattan College (assistant)[1]
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Iceland
Games of the Small States of Europe
Gold medal – first place 2007 Monaco National Team

Basketball

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College career

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Birmingham started his college career with Brooklyn College but after it announced it was abandoning its basketball program in the spring of 1992, he transferred to Manhattan College.[6] In two seasons with the Jaspers he averaged 13.4 points per game.[7] He was elected to the Jaspers' Hall of Fame in 2010.[8]

Club career

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Birmingham started his professional career in 1995, when he was a late-season addition to Korisliiga club Tapiolan Honka. In 5 games for Honka, he averaged 22.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He spent the majority of his career in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild karla with Njarðvík and Grindavík, but also played for Rueil Pro Basket in France and the London Towers in England.[9] He twice posted a quadruple-double in the Úrvalsdeild playoffs. On 16 March 2020, Birmingham had 17 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals for Grindavík in a first round victory against Keflavík.[10] A year later, on 17 April 2001, he had 28 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists and 11 steals in the championship clinching victory against Tindastóll in the Úrvalsdeild finals.[11][12]

Icelandic national team

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Birmingham played 19 games for the Icelandic National Basketball team between 2002 and 2007.[13] In 2007, he helped Iceland winning gold in basketball at the Games of the Small States of Europe.[14]

Acting career

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In the late nineties, Birmingham auditioned for He got game. In 1999, he appeared in Game Day, starring Richard Lewis.[3]

Personal life

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Birmingham lives in Njarðvík in southwestern Iceland with his wife and four children, and works as an air traffic controller at Keflavík Airport.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Birmingham lands in Jaspers' Hall of Fame
  2. ^ a b Edda Sif Pálsdóttir (November 26, 2018). "Frá New York til Njarðvíkur". RÚV. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Íslendingur með bandarískt vegabréf". Víkurfréttir (in Icelandic). 25 December 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  4. ^ Brenton og Helena leikmenn ársins hjá KKÍ
  5. ^ Brenton og Helena best
  6. ^ "Seton Hall Is Taught Humility By Rider". The New York Times. December 2, 1992. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Brenton Birmingham". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  8. ^ Patel, Ronak (November 12, 2010). "Birmingham lands in Jaspers' Hall of Fame". gojaspers.com. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  9. ^ Anton Ingi Leifsson (2 April 2020). "Jón Arnór segir Brenton besta útlendinginn sem spilað hefur á Íslandi". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  10. ^ "UMFG – Keflavík". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Association. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  11. ^ Arnar Geir Halldórsson (10 October 2020). "Tæp 20 ár frá ótrúlegasta afreki í íslenskum körfubolta". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  12. ^ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (18 April 2001). "Endursýning í Síkinu". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 18. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  13. ^ A-landslið karla
  14. ^ Kýpverjar réðust á allt og alla
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