Kyle Weems

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Kyle Weems

| image = Kyle Weems (cropped).jpg

| caption = Weems in September 2019

| position = Small forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 6

| weight_lb = 220

| league = LBA

| team = Derthona Basket

| number = 34

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|8|23}}

| birth_place = Topeka, Kansas, U.S.

| highschool = Highland Park (Topeka, Kansas)

| college = Missouri State (2008–2012)

| draft_year = 2012

| career_start = 2012

| career_end =

| years1 = 2012–2013

| team1 = Telekom Baskets Bonn

| years2 = 2013–2014

| team2 = Medi Bayreuth

| years3 = 2014–2015

| team3 = JSF Nanterre

| years4 = 2015–2016

| team4 = Strasbourg

| years5 = 2016–2018

| team5 = Beşiktaş

| years6 = 2018–2019

| team6 = Tofaş

| years7 = 2019–2023

| team7 = Virtus Bologna

| years8 = 2023–present

| team8 = Derthona Basket

| highlights =

EuroCup champion (2022)
Italian League champion (2021)
2x Italian Supercup winner (2021, 2022)
EuroChallenge champion (2015)
Match des Champions MVP (2014)
MVC Player of the Year (2011)
AP Honorable Mention All-American (2011)

}}

Kyle Jordan Weems (born August 23, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Derthona Basket of the Italian LBA. He played collegiately for Missouri State University and was named Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and an All-American in 2011.

College career

Weems, a {{Height|ft=6|in=6}} forward from Topeka, Kansas, came to Missouri State in 2007. He redshirted the 2007–08 season and played his freshman season in 2008–09 season. As a freshman, Weems started 19 games and averaged 10.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and was named to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) all-freshman team. As a sophomore, Weems helped lead the Bears to the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) championship as he averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. In the CIT final, Weems scored 14 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four shots against Pacific.{{cite web| title = MSU profile| publisher = Missouri State Athletics| year = 2011| url = http://www.missouristatebears.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/weems_kyle00.html| access-date = January 7, 2012| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120119181441/http://www.missouristatebears.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/weems_kyle00.html| archive-date = January 19, 2012}}

In his junior season, Weems became a force in the MVC. He upped his averages to 16.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and led the Bears to their first MVC regular season championship.{{cite web| title = Bears Earn First MVC Regular-Season Title with 69–64 Win Over WSU| publisher = Missouri State Athletics| year = 2011| url = http://www.missouristatebears.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022611aaa.html| access-date = January 7, 2012| archive-date = March 4, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034643/http://www.missouristatebears.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022611aaa.html| url-status = dead}} At the end of the season, Weems was named the MVC Player of the Year{{cite news |title= Weems named Valley player of year|author= Kevin Haskin|newspaper= Topeka Capital-Journal |date= March 1, 2011|url=http://cjonline.com/sports/basketball/2011-03-01/weems-named-valley-player-year |access-date=January 7, 2012}} and an Associated Press honorable mention All-American — the first player so honored in MSU's Division I history. The Bears played in the 2011 National Invitation Tournament, defeating Murray State in the first round before falling to Miami in the second round.

Prior to the start of his senior season, Weems was named to the preseason candidate list for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.{{cite web| title = NCAA men's and women's basketball candidates announced for 2011–12 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award| publisher = Lowe's Senior CLASS| year = 2011 | url =http://www.seniorclassaward.com/news/view/ncaa_mens_and_womens_basketball_candidates_announced_for_2011-12_lowes_seni/| access-date = January 7, 2012}} He was also named the preseason MVC Player of the Year.{{cite web| title = Creighton Picked to Win MVC Men's Basketball| publisher = Missouri Valley Conference| year = 2011| url = http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/news/2011-12/5553/creighton-picked-to-win-mvc-mens-basketball/| access-date = January 7, 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120508030646/http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/news/2011-12/5553/creighton-picked-to-win-mvc-mens-basketball/| archive-date = May 8, 2012| url-status = dead}}

Professional career

=Germany, France and Turkey (2012–2019)=

Weems went undrafted in the 2012 NBA draft. On July 26, 2012, he signed his first professional contract with Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany's top professional league.{{cite web| title = Telekom Baskets Bonn land rookie Kyle Weems| publisher = Sportando.net | year = 2012 | url =http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/germany/41630/telekom-baskets-bonn-land-rookie-kyle-weems.html | access-date = August 2, 2012}} On August 19, 2013, he signed with BBC Bayreuth.{{cite web|title=BBC Bayreuth signs Kyle Weems|url=http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/germany/61786/bbc-bayreuth-signs-kyle-weems.html|publisher=Sportando.net|access-date=19 August 2013}}

On June 10, 2014, he signed with JSF Nanterre of the French LNB Pro A for the 2014–15 season.{{cite news|title=PRO A: Kyle Weems, la deuxième recrue !|url=http://www.jsfnanterre.com/fr/actualite/basket/pro/3203/pro-a-kyle-weems-la-deuxieme-recrue|access-date=June 10, 2014|work=jsfnanterre.com|date=June 10, 2014|archive-date=June 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617154402/http://www.jsfnanterre.com/fr/actualite/basket/pro/3203/pro-a-kyle-weems-la-deuxieme-recrue|url-status=dead}}

On July 5, 2015, he signed with Strasbourg IG for the 2015–16 season.{{cite news|title=SIG Strasbourg lands Kyle Weems|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/france/167202/sig-strasbourg-lands-kyle-weems.html|access-date=July 5, 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=July 5, 2015}}

On July 15, 2016, Weems signed a 1+1 deal with Turkish team Beşiktaş.{{cite news|title=Besiktas sign Kyle Weems|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/turkey/206471/besiktas-sign-kyle-weems.html|work=Sportando.com|access-date=15 July 2016|date=15 July 2016}} In the 2017–18 season he averaged 8.6 points per game. Weems signed with Tofaş S.K. on July 10, 2018.{{cite web |title=Tofas lands Kyle Weems |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/turkey/bsl/281167/tofas-lands-kyle-weems.html |website=Sportando |access-date=July 10, 2018 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

=Virtus Bologna (2019–2023)=

On July 20, 2019, he signed with Virtus Bologna of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). {{Cite web|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurocup/909794/virtus-bologna-added-kyle-weems/|title=Virtus Bologna added Kyle Weems|date=July 20, 2019|publisher=Eurohoops|language=En|access-date=September 20, 2019}} On April 7, 2020, after more than a month of suspension, the Italian Basketball Federation officially ended the 2019–20 season, due to the coronavirus pandemic that severely hit Italy.[https://sportando.basketball/en/italian-basketball-federation-officially-ends-lba-2019-20-season/ Italian Basketball Federation officially ends LBA 2019–20 season], Sportando Virtus ended the season first, with 18 wins and only 2 defeats, but the title was not assigned.[https://sportando.basketball/en/italian-basketball-president-petrucci-announces-that-lba-title-wont-be-assigned/ Italian Basketball president Petrucci announces that LBA title won’t be assigned], Sportando On May 5, the EuroCup season ended too.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nba/basketballs-euroleague-cancels-season-because-of-virus/2020/05/25/dfa5c618-9e84-11ea-be06-af5514ee0385_story.html Basketball’s EuroLeague cancels season because of virus]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Washington Post

In the following season, in April 2021, despite a winning record of 19–2, Virtus was defeated in the EuroCup's semifinals by UNICS Kazan.[https://bologna.repubblica.it/sport/2021/04/14/news/virtus-kazan-296460587/ Virtus, la notte più nera. In Eurolega vanno i russi], la Repubblica However, the season ended with a great success. In fact, after having knocked out 3–0 both Basket Treviso in the quarterfinals and New Basket Brindisi in the semifinals, on 11 June Virtus defeated 4–0 its historic rival Olimpia Milano in the national finals, winning its 16th national title and the first one after twenty years.[https://www.gazzetta.it/Basket/SerieA/11-06-2021/basket-finale-scudetto-bologna-virtus-milano-olimpia-gara-4-4101900719362.shtml Virtus, sei magnifica! Bologna, scudetto dopo 20 anni, Milano schiacciata 4–0], Gazzetta dello Sport On 30 June, Weems signed another two-year deal with Virtus.[https://sportando.basketball/virtus-bologna-ufficiale-il-rinnovo-di-kyle-weems/ Virtus Bologna: ufficiale il rinnovo di Kyle Weems], Sportando

On September 21, the team won its second Supercup, defeating Olimpia Milano 90–84.[https://www.repubblica.it/sport/basket/2021/09/21/news/basket_supercoppa_alla_virtus_bologna_il_primo_trofeo_stagionale_milano_ancora_ko-318837432/ Basket, la Virtus Bologna vince la Supercoppa: Milano ancora ko], la Repubblica Moreover, after having ousted Lietkabelis, Ulm and Valencia in the first three rounds of the playoffs, on 11 May 2022, Virtus defeated Frutti Extra Bursaspor by 80–67 at the Segafredo Arena, winning its first EuroCup and qualifying for the EuroLeague after 14 years.{{cite web |title=Game Night: Virtus is the 7DAYS EuroCup champion and headed back to the EuroLeague! |url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/news/game-night-a-new-7days-eurocup-champ-is-crowned-tonight/?pageTitle=Homepage&historyUrl=/eurocup/|website=euroleaguebasketball.net |date=11 May 2022}} However, despite having ended the regular season at the first place and having ousted 3–0 both Pesaro and Tortona in the first two rounds of playoffs, Virtus was defeated 4–2 in the national finals by Olimpia Milan.{{cite web |title=Olimpia Milano campione d'Italia, Virtus Bologna ko 81–64 in gara-6|url=https://sport.sky.it/basket/serie-a/2022/06/18/olimpia-milano-virtus-bologna-risultato|website=Sky Sport|date=18 June 2022}}

On 29 September 2022, after having ousted Milano in the semifinals, Virtus won its third Supercup, defeating 72–69 Banco di Sardegna Sassari and achieving a back-to-back, following the 2021 trophy.{{cite web |title=Supercoppa, trionfa la Virtus Bologna! Canestro decisivo di Mickey, Sassari cede 72–69|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Basket/SerieA/29-09-2022/basket-supercoppa-trionfa-virtus-bologna-sassari-ko-72-69-450409276762.shtml|website=Gazzetta dello Sport|date=29 September 2022}} However, despite good premises Virtus ended the EuroLeague season at the 14th place, thus it did not qualify for the playoffs.[https://bolognabasket.org/virtus-il-punto-a-fine-eurolega/ Virtus, il punto a fine EuroLega]. BolognaBasket Moreover, the team was defeated in the Italian Basketball Cup final by Brescia. In June, after having ousted 3–0 both Brindisi and Tortona, Virtus was defeated 4–3 by Olimpia Milan in the national finals, following a series which was widely regarded among the best in the latest years of Italian basketball.[https://video.repubblica.it/sport/basket-milano-batte-bologna-nella-decisiva-gara-7-e-vince-il-suo-30esimo-scudetto-gli-highlights/447915/448883 Basket, Milano batte Bologna nella decisiva gara 7 e vince il suo 30esimo scudetto. Gli highlights]. la Repubblica[https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/06/basket-serie-a-playoff-olimpia-milano-batte-virtus-bologna-in-gara-7-e-vince-lo-scudetto-al-forum-assago-c279332e-c2fa-46be-a199-3ff966b78a99.html Basket, Milano batte Bologna 67–55 nella finalissima e si conferma campione per la trentesima volta]. Rai News

=Derthona Basket (2023–present)=

On July 11, 2023, he signed with Derthona Basket of the Italian LBA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.derthonabasket.it/un-grande-nome-per-il-derthona-kyle-weems-e-bianconero/|title=Un grande nome per il Derthona: Kyle Weems è bianconero|last=|first=|date=July 11, 2023|website=derthonabasket.it|publisher=|language=it|access-date=July 30, 2023}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20160818195248/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/gamecent/p/pid/6076309/playerview.html FIBA profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120119181441/http://www.missouristatebears.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/weems_kyle00.html Missouri State Athletic profile]

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Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:American expatriate basketball people in France

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Germany

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Turkey

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Basketball players from Kansas

Category:Beşiktaş men's basketball players