Mohamed Kherrazi

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Mohamed Kherrazi

| image = Mohamed Kherrazi.png

| caption = Kherrazi playing for ZZ Leiden in 2016

| position = Power forward

| height_m = 2.01

| height_in =

| weight_kg = 93

| team =

| league =

| number =

| nationality = Dutch

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1990|6|29}}

| birth_place = Errachidia, Morocco

| draft_year =

| career_start = 2010

| years1 = 2010–2011

| team1 = ABC Amsterdam

| years2 = 2011–2019

| team2 = ZZ Leiden

| years3 = 2019–2020

| team3 = Landstede Hammers

| years4 = 2020–2021

| team4 = Feyenoord

| years5 = 2020–2021

| team5 = →Kangoeroes Mechelen

| years6 = 2021–2022

| team6 = Heroes Den Bosch

| years7 = 2022–2023

| team7 = Leuven Bears

| highlights = *2× Dutch national champion (2013, 2022)

DBL Rookie of the Year (2010)
3× DBL Defensive Player of the Year (2015–2016, 2019)
2× Dutch Cup champion (2012, 2019)
3× Dutch Supercup champion (2011, 2012, 2019)
5× DBL All-Defense Team (2015–2019)

| career_number = 9, 11, 14

| career_end = 2023

}}

Mohamed Kherrazi (born 29 June 1990) is a Dutch-Moroccan former basketball player. During his career, he was a member of the Netherlands national team. Kherrazi is a three-time DBL Defensive Player of the Year winner, a record.

Kherrazi played 15 seasons of professional basketball, the majority of them being in the Netherlands with two short stints in Belgium.

Early life

Kherrazi was born and grew up in Errachidia, where he started playing basketball with his brothers. They watched videos on their father's old computer and trained themselves. At age 12, his family moved to the Netherlands.{{Cite web |title=Nu online: Mohamed Kherazzi gaat in de korte documentaire ‘Kherrazi 11:11’ van Jasper de Kloet terug naar zijn basketbalroots. |url=https://www.basketball.nl/nieuwsoverzicht/mohamed-kherrazi-gaat-korte-documentaire-terug-naar-zijn-roots/ |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=Basketball.nl |language=nl}}

Professional career

In his first professional season with ABC Amsterdam Kherrazi was named the DBL Rookie of the Year. In 2011, he signed with Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden.{{Cite web|url=https://sleutelstad.nl/2011/08/19/zz-leiden-trekt-mohamed-kherrazi-aan/|title=ZZ Leiden trekt Mohamed Kherrazi aan|website=Sleutelstad}} In the 2014–15 season, Kherrazi was named the DBL Defensive Player of the Year. In 2019, Kherrazi won his third Defensive Player award, which was a new record.{{cite web|url=https://basketballleague.nl/nieuws/4854|title=Defensive Player: Mohamed Kherrazi|work=basketballleague.nl|accessdate=23 April 2019}}

On 12 August 2019, Kherrazi signed with Landstede Zwolle.{{cite web|url=http://landstedebasketbal.nl/landstede-basketbal-lijft-mohamed-kherrazi-in.html|title=Landstede Basketbal lijft Mohamed Kherrazi in|work=landstedebasketbal.nl|accessdate=12 August 2019}}

On 1 October 2020, Kherrazi signed with Feyenoord Basketball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.feyenoordbasketball.nl/2020/10/01/mohamed-kherrazi-tekent-bij-zeeuwzeeuw-feyenoord/|title=Mohamed Kherrazi tekent bij Zeeuw & Zeeuw Feyenoord|date=1 October 2020|accessdate=1 October 2020|language=nl}} On 1 December, Feyenoord announced Kherrazi had extended his contract until 2022 but will play temporarily for Kangoeroes Mechelen in Belgium. Because the DBL season had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kherrazi continued with Kangoeroes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dutchbasketballleague.nl/nieuws/kherrazi-verlengt-en-vertrekt/|title=Kherrazi verlengt en vertrekt|website=Basketball League}} On 27 August 2021, Kherrazi and Feyenoord parted ways.{{cite news |title=FEYENOORD EN KHERRAZI UIT ELKAAR |url=https://www.feyenoordbasketball.nl/2021/08/27/feyenoord-en-kherrazi-uit-elkaar/ |access-date=28 August 2021 |work=Zeeuw & Zeeuw Feyenoord Basketball |date=27 August 2021}}

On 28 August 2021, Kherrazi signed a two-year contract with Heroes Den Bosch.{{cite news |title=Oranje international Mohamed Kherrazi completeert selectie Heroes Den Bosch! - Heroes Den Bosch - Basketball |url=https://heroesdenbosch.com/nieuws/oranje-international-mohamed-kherrazi-completeert-selectie-heroes-den-bosch |access-date=28 August 2021 |work=Heroes Den Bosch |language=en}} In his first season with Heroes, Kherrazi won his second national championship. On 21 September 2022, Kherrazi and Den Bosch agreed to terminate his contract.{{Cite web |title=Wegen Heroes Den Bosch en Mohamed Kherrazi scheiden - Heroes Den Bosch - Basketball |url=https://heroesdenbosch.com/nieuws/mohamed-kherrazi |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Heroes Den Bosch |language=en}}

On December 2, 2022, he signed with Leuven Bears of the BNXT League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Belgium/news/781175/Mohamed-Kherrazi-(ex-Den-Bosch)-joins-Leuven|title=Mohamed Kherrazi (ex Den Bosch) joins Leuven|last=|first=|date=December 2, 2022|website=|publisher=Eurobasket|language=En|access-date=December 2, 2022}}

In September 2023, Kherrazi announced his retirement on social media.

National team career

Kherrazi made his debut for the Netherlands national basketball team in 2014, during the qualification rounds for EuroBasket 2015. With the Netherlands, Kherrazi qualified for EuroBasket 2015, which was the first continental tournament for the Dutch in 25 years.

At EuroBasket 2015, Kherrazi averaged 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, helping the Netherlands to a 1–4 record.{{Cite web |title=Mohamed Kherrazi profile, EuroBasket 2015 |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/58388/sid/9318/tid/334/_/2015_EuroBasket_2nd_Qualifying_Round/index.html |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=FIBA.COM}} Seven years later, he played at EuroBasket 2022, where he averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds as a starter.{{Cite web |title=Mohamed KHERRAZI at the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobasket/2022/player/Mohamed-Kherrazi |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=FIBA.basketball |language=en}} The Netherlands were winless at the tournament, finishing 0–5.

Honours

=Club=

;ZZ Leiden

2× Dutch Basketball League: (2013, 2022)
2× Dutch Cup: (2012, 2019)
2× Dutch Supercup: (2011, 2012)

;Landstede Hammers

Dutch Supercup: (2019)

=Individual awards=

DBL Rookie of the Year: (2010)
3× DBL Defensive Player of the Year: (2015, 2016, 2019)
5× DBL All-Defense Team (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Player profile

{{quote box|width=23em|align=right|quote="He (Kherrazi) is physical strong, isn't scared, is a great rebounder, an excellent defender and for a player of his age he knows how to bring the ball to the right players."http://www.leidschdagblad.nl/sport/sportregionaal/article27063202.ece/Mohamed-Kherrazi-en-de-defensieve-kracht-van-ZZ-Leiden_ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}|source=Toon van Helfteren, 2012}}

Kherrazi is known as a good defender and solid rebounder. He usually plays as power forward but is occasionally used as small forward.

Personal

His brother, Hicham, is also a professional player and has played for Apollo Amsterdam and Aris Leeuwarden.{{cite news |title=Hicham Kherrazi, Basketball Player |url=https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/48117/hicham-kherrazi |access-date=28 August 2021 |work=Proballers |language=en}}

In 2020, the short film Kherrazi 11:11, about his life, was released.