:Drilon Hajrizi

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Drilon Hajrizi

| image = Drilon Hajrizi.jpg

| image_size = 300

| caption = Hajrizi in 2023

| number = 12

| position = Forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 8

| weight_lb = 238

| league = Kosovo Superleague
Liga Unike

| team = Trepça

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|1|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Mitrovicë, Kosovo, Yugoslavia

| nationality = Kosovan

| high_school =

| college =

| draft_year = 2013

| career_start =

| years1 = 2008–2013

| team1 = Trepça

| years2 = 2013–2016

| team2 = Peja

| years3 = 2016–2017

| team3 = Sigal Prishtina

| years4 = 2018–2019

| team4 = Kanazawa Samuraiz

| years5 = 2019

| team5 = Bashkimi Prizren

| years6 = 2019–2020

| team6 = Peja

| years7 = 2020–present

| team7 = Trepça

| highlights =

4× Kosovo League champion (2012, 2017, 2024, 2025)
4× Kosovo League MVP (2012, 2016, 2022, 2024)
8× Kosovo Cup winner (2012, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
5× Kosovo Cup MVP (2012, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Liga Unike champion (2024)

}}

Drilon Hajrizi (born 17 January 1991) is a Kosovan professional basketball player and he is currently playing with the Trepça of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague.

Professional career

=Kanazawa Samuraiz=

On 3 January 2018, Hajrizi joined B.League side Kanazawa Samuraiz, on a six-month contract.{{cite news|url=https://topsporti.com/artikulli/drilon-hajrizi-transferohet-ne-japoni/fbk|title=Drilon Hajrizi transferohet në Japoni|trans-title=Drilon Hajrizi transferred to Japan|quote=Basketbollisti mitrovicas, që së fundi ishte pjesë e Prishtinës, drejt Japonisë do të niset ditën e premte (5 janar), ndërsa kontrata e tij me skuadrën japoneze është 6 mujore|language=Albanian|website=TopSporti|date=3 January 2018}} On 17 January 2018, Kanazawa Samuraiz announced the transfer of Hajrizi via a status on their official Facebook account.{{cite news|url=http://www.eurobasket.com/Kosovo/news/519612/Drilon-Hajrizi-presented-at-Japanese-team|title=Drilon Hajrizi presented at Japanese team|website=Eurobasket|date=17 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://lajmi.net/zyrtare-drilon-hajrizi-ne-japoni/|title=ZYRTARE: Drilon Hajrizi në Japoni|trans-title=OFFICIAL: Drilon Hajrizi in Japan|language=Albanian|website=Lajmi.net|date=17 January 2018}}

=Bashkimi Prizren=

On 28 January 2019, Hajrizi joined Kosovo Basketball Superleague side Bashkimi Prizren.{{cite news|url=https://telegrafi.com/zyrtare-bashkimi-nenshkruan-drilon-hajrizin/|title=Zyrtare: Bashkimi nënshkruan me Drilon Hajrizin|trans-title=Official: Bashkimi signed with Drilon Hajrizi|language=Albanian|publisher=Telegrafi|date=28 January 2019}} On 2 February 2019, he in his debut scored 14 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists completing the game with double-double in a 75–83 home defeat against Ponte Prizreni.{{cite news|url=https://topsporti.com/artikulli/si-debutoi-drilon-hajrizi-te-bashkimi/fbk|title=Si debutoi Drilon Hajrizi te Bashkimi?|trans-title=How did Drilon Hajrizi debut with Bashkimi?|quote=Arritje historike për Drilonin kjo, derisa në debutimin e tij për ekipin prizrenas, lojtari nga Mitrovica ka shënuar 14 pikë, 13 kërcime e 5 asistime duke përfunduar ndeshjen me double-double|language=Albanian|website=TopSporti|date=2 February 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://topsporti.com/artikulli/prizreni-mposhte-bashkimin-per-here-te-pare/fbk|title=Prizreni mposhtë Bashkimin për herë të parë|trans-title=Prizreni defeated Bashkimi for the first time|quote=Humbja e pësuar sonte bën që trajneri i ri i Bashkimit, Jeronimo Sarin, ta fillojë me disfatë aventurën e tij te skuadra portokallezi, ndërsa përveç tij te Bashkimi sonte debutoi edhe Drilon Hajrizi, i cili zhvilloi paraqitje mjaft të mirë personale, duke luajtur me double-double prej 14 pikëve, 13 kërcimeve e 4 asistimeve|language=Albanian|website=TopSporti|date=2 February 2019}}

=Return to Peja=

On 11 September 2019, Hajrizi returned to Kosovo Basketball Superleague club Peja.{{cite news|url=https://telegrafi.com/zyrtare-drilon-hajrizi-rikthehet-te-kb-peja/|title=Zyrtare: Drilon Hajrizi rikthehet te KB Peja|trans-title=Official: Drilon Hajrizi returned to BC Peja|language=Albanian|publisher=Telegrafi|date=11 September 2019}}

=Return to Trepça=

On 3 January 2021, Hajrizi signed for KB Trepça of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague.{{cite news|url=https://www.gazetaexpress.com/drilon-hajrizi-rikthehet-te-kb-trepca/|title=Drilon Hajrizi rikthehet te KB Trepça|language=Albanian|publisher=Gazeta Express|date=3 January 2021}}

International career

Hajrizi was one of the first players of Kosovo and his official debut with Kosovo came on 31 August 2016 in the EuroBasket 2017 qualification match against Slovenia.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/European%20Championships/2016/0831_SLO_KOS.asp|title=Slovenia (113–68) Kosovo|website=Eurobasket|date=31 August 2016}}

Controversial transfers

=Prishtina (2016)=

After Hajrizi transferred to Prishtina, he and the club faced massive criticism from the supporter's group Plisat, who were against the former Trepça player.{{cite news|url= https://zeri.info/sport/109403/plisat-drilon-hajrizi-nuk-do-te-luaje-ne-prishtine-dhe-pike/|title= Plisat: Drilon Hajrizi nuk do të luajë në Prishtinë dhe pikë|work=zëri.info|date=25 September 2016|access-date=14 June 2024}} As a result, Plisat demanded a resignation from the board members.{{cite news|url= https://telegrafi.com/plisat-nuk-e-duan-hajrizin-kerkojne-doreheqjen-e-kryesise-se-sigal-prishtines/|title= Plisat nuk e duan Hajrizin: Kërkojnë dorëheqjen e kryesisë së Sigal Prishtinës|work=Telegrafi|language=sq|access-date=14 June 2024}}

=Undesirable return to Trepça=

In January 2021, Torcida, the Trepça supporters who share a fierce rivalry with Prishtina, announced that they oppose the return of Hajrizi.{{cite news|url=https://www.epokaere.com/torcida-kundershton-rikthimin-e-drilon-hajrizit-te-trepca/ |title=Torcida kundershton rikthimin e Drilon Hajrizit te Trepça|work=Epoka e Re|date=4 January 2021|language=sq|access-date=14 June 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.koha.net/en/sport/252649/torcida-reagon-pas-kalimit-te-hajrizit-te-trepca|title= "Torcida" reacts after the transfer of Hajrizi to Trepça|work=Koha|date=3 January 2021|quote= But his move to Pristina, after a period spent in Peja, made him unwanted by Torcida.|access-date=14 June 2024}} On June 12, 2024, Trepça announced Hajrizi as the new captain of the squad which immediately was criticized by Torcida, who declared they would boycott KB Trepça's games due to the decision.{{cite news|url= https://klankosova.tv/torcida-bojkoton-trepcen-nuk-e-duan-kapiten-drilon-hajrizin/|title=“Torcida” bojkoton Trepçën, nuk e duan kapiten Drilon Hajrizin|work=Klan Kosova|date=13 June 2024|language=sq|access-date=14 June 2024}}