Nick Muszynski

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Nick Muszynski

| image = Nick Muszynski (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Muszynski with Belmont in 2019

| position = Center

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 245

| league = NZNBL

| team = Wellington Saints

| number = 33

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|11|19}}

| birth_place = Pickerington, Ohio, U.S.

| high_school = Saint Charles Prep
(Columbus, Ohio)

| college = Belmont (2018–2022)

| draft_year = 2022

| career_start = 2018

| career_end =

| years1 = 2022

| team1 = Astoria Bydgoszcz

| years2 = 2023–2024

| team2 = VfL Kirchheim Knights

| years3 = 2024–2025

| team3 = Rip City Remix

| years4 = 2025–present

| team4 = Wellington Saints

| highlights =

4× First-team All-OVC (2019–2022)
OVC Freshman of the Year (2019)
OVC tournament MVP (2020)

}}

Nicholas Muszynski (born November 19, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played college basketball for the Belmont Bruins.

Early life

Growing up, Muszynski played volleyball and swam, but began focusing on basketball in sixth grade. He admired Tim Duncan for his fundamentals, modelling his game after him. Muszynski played basketball for Saint Charles Preparatory School in Columbus, Ohio{{cite web|first=Zach|last=Fleer|title=270 Spotlight: Nick Muszynski (St. Charles, 2017)|url=https://www.270hoops.com/news_article/show/676057-270-spotlight-nick-muszynski-st-charles-2017-|website=270Hoops.com|date=August 4, 2016|access-date=October 10, 2021}} He was a member of the junior varsity team in his sophomore season, before being promoted to the varsity team and averaging 11.5 points and seven rebounds per game as a junior. In his senior season, Muszynski averaged 16 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, leading his team to a 24–3 record.{{cite web|first=Jarrod|last=Ulrey|title=Men's Basketball: St. Charles graduate Nick Muszynski playing at high level|url=https://www.thisweeknews.com/sports/20200504/mens-basketball-st-charles-graduate-nick-muszynski-playing-at-high-level|work=ThisWeek Community News|date=May 4, 2020|access-date=October 10, 2021}} He committed to playing college basketball for Belmont over offers from Air Force, Stony Brook and UNC Asheville.{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Burgess|title=An inside look at Belmont Basketball star forward Nick Muszynski|url=https://bustingbrackets.com/2021/05/23/inside-look-belmont-basketball-star-forward-nick-muszynski/|website=BustingBrackets.com|date=May 23, 2021|access-date=October 10, 2021}}

College career

Muszynski redshirted his first season at Belmont. In his debut game, he posted 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks against Illinois State.{{cite web|first1=Julieann|last1=Challacombe|first2=Ian|last2=Kayanja|title=Bruin Vision: Nick Muszynski's top career highlights|url=http://belmontvision.com/2020/09/bruin-vision-nick-muszynskis-top-career-highlights/|website=BelmontVision.com|date=September 8, 2020|access-date=October 10, 2021}} As a freshman, he averaged 14.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.2 blocks per game. He earned Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Freshman of the Year and First Team All-OVC honors.{{cite web|first=Erik|last=Hall|title=Nick Muszynski: 3 things to know about the Belmont Bruins men's basketball center|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/2021/03/06/nick-muszynski-33-facts-belmont-bruins-basketball-center/4608314001/|work=The Tennessean|date=March 6, 2021|access-date=October 10, 2021}} On November 26, 2019, Muszynski posted a career-high 30 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in an 87–82 loss to Eastern Washington.{{cite web|first=Ryan|last=Collingwood|title=Eastern Washington basketball records big midmajor win over Belmont|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/nov/26/eastern-washington-basketball-records-big-midmajor/|work=The Spokesman-Review|date=November 26, 2019|access-date=October 10, 2021}} On January 4, 2020, he recorded 25 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in an 87–55 win against Eastern Illinois.{{cite web|title=Muszynski's 25 points, 16 boards lifts Belmont to 87-55 win|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401173954|work=ESPN|publisher=Associated Press|date=January 4, 2020|access-date=October 10, 2021}} Muszynski helped Belmont win the 2020 OVC tournament and was named MVP after posting 25 points and eight rebounds against Murray State in the final.{{cite web|title=Belmont Wins 2020 OVC Men's Basketball Championship|url=http://ovcsports.com/news/2020/3/3/2020-ovc-mens-basketball-championship-title-game.aspx|website=OVCSports.com|publisher=Ohio Valley Conference|date=March 7, 2020|access-date=October 10, 2021}} He averaged 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game as a sophomore, repeating on the First Team All-OVC. In his junior season opener against Howard on November 26, Muszynski became Belmont's NCAA Division I career blocks leader.{{cite web|first=Mike|last=Organ|title=Belmont opens the season by going 3-0 and winning the DC Paradise Jam|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2020/11/26/newcomers-lead-belmont-basketball-season-opening-win-over-howard/6434406002/|work=The Tennessean|date=November 26, 2020|access-date=October 10, 2021}} As a junior, he averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, earning First Team All-OVC honors for a third straight year. Muszynski was again named to the First Team All-OVC as a senior.{{cite press release|title=Murray State's Williams and McMahon, Morehead State's Broome and APSU's Hutchins-Everett Earn 2021-22 OVC Men's Basketball Top Honors|url=http://ovcsports.com/news/2022/2/28/murray-states-williams-and-mcmahon-morehead-states-broome-and-apsus-hutchins-everett-earn-2021-22-ovc-mens-basketball-top-honors.aspx|website=OVCSports.com|publisher=Ohio Valley Conference|date=March 1, 2022|access-date=March 1, 2022}}

Professional career

=Astoria Bydgoszcz (2022)=

After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Muszynski signed with Astoria Bydgoszcz of the Polish Basketball League on August 5, 2022,{{cite web|title=Skład skompletowany! Nick Muszynski nowym centrem Enea Abramczyk Astorii|url=https://www.astoria.bydgoszcz.pl/43-aktualnosci/2044-sklad-skompletowany-nick-muszynski-nowym-centrem-enea-abramczyk-astorii|website=Astoria.Bydgoszcz.pl|date=August 5, 2022|access-date=August 21, 2022|language=pl}} but was released on November 30.{{cite web|first=Piotr|last=Janczarczyk|title=Astoria rozstała się z podkoszowym - PolskiKosz.pl|url=https://polskikosz.pl/astoria-rozstala-sie-z-podkoszowym/|website=Polskikosz.pl|date=November 30, 2022|access-date=October 18, 2024|language=pl}}

=VfL Kirchheim Knights (2023–2024)=

On January 23, 2023, Muszynski signed with VfL Kirchheim Knights of the German ProA.{{cite web|author=Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim|title=😁 Wir stellen vor:🤜Unser neuer Center Nicholas Muszynski🤛|url=https://www.facebook.com/Bozic.Knights/posts/pfbid0Jgvn3MJMCDPRfiAKx3qztWK6TE2a23aaiXD3s3SC9f66iuD3DyNdLRWa4ZomqKGsl|website=Facebook.com|date=November 30, 2022|access-date=October 18, 2024|language=German}} In 16 games to finish the 2022–23 season, he averaged 7.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.{{cite web |title=Nick Muszynski, Basketball Player, News, Stats - australiabasket |url=https://basketball.australiabasket.com/player/Nick-Muszynski/421190 |website=Eurobasket LLC |access-date=28 February 2025 |url-access=subscription}} He returned to Kirchheim for the 2023–24 season and averaged 12.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 blocks in 39 games.

=Rip City Remix (2024–2025)=

On October 17, 2024, Muszynski signed with the Portland Trail Blazers,{{cite web|first=Tristan|last=Tucker|title=Trail Blazers Sign Nick Muszynski To Exhibit 10 Deal|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/10/trail-blazers-signing-nick-muszynski-to-exhibit-10-deal.html|website=HoopsRumors.com|date=October 17, 2024|access-date=October 18, 2024}} but was waived the next day.{{cite web|first=Luke|last=Adams|title=Wolves’ Omoruyi, Lakers’ Goodwin Among Latest Players Waived|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/10/wolves-omoruyi-lakers-goodwin-among-latest-players-waived.html|website=HoopsRumors.com|date=October 18, 2024|access-date=October 20, 2024}} On October 28, he joined the Rip City Remix of the NBA G League.{{cite tweet|author=Rip City Remix|title=Your official 2024 Remix training camp roster 🫨💿|number=1850928196042346714|user=ripcityremix|date=October 28, 2024|access-date=November 4, 2024}} He was waived by the Remix on January 20, 2025.{{cite web|title=2024-2025 Rip City Remix Transaction History|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/gleague/teams/Rip-City-Remix/67/Transaction_History/2025|website=RealGM.com|access-date=January 21, 2025}}

=Wellington Saints (2025–present)=

On February 28, 2025, Nick signed with the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) for the 2025 season.{{cite web |title=Nick Muszynski joins the 2025 squad |url=https://www.saints.co.nz/news/article/nick-muszynski-joins-the-2025-squad |website=Wellington Saints |date=February 28, 2025 |access-date=February 28, 2025}}