Randal Falker
{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Randal Falker
| image =
| caption = Falker in 2016
| position = Power forward / center
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 254
| league = Romanian League
| team = CSU Sibiu
| number =
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|7|22}}
| birth_place = St. Louis, Missouri
| highschool = Gateway (St. Louis, Missouri)
| college = Southern Illinois (2004–2008)
| draft_year = 2008
| career_start = 2008
| career_end =
| years1 = 2008–2012
| team1 = Cholet
| years2 = 2012–2013
| team2 = Beşiktaş
| years3 = 2013–2016
| team3 = Nancy
| years4 = 2016–2017
| team4 = AEK Athens
| years5 = 2017
| team5 = Steaua Bucharest
| years6 = 2017–2018
| team6 = Salta Basket
| years7 = 2018
| team7 = Steaua Bucharest
| years8 = 2018–present
| team8 = Sibiu
| highlights =
- French League Foreign Player's MVP (2014)
- French League Top Rebounder (2014)
- French League champion (2010)
- Match des Champions winner (2010)
- 2× First-team All-MVC (2007, 2008)
- 2x MVC All-Defensive Team (2007, 2008)
- MVC Defensive MVP (2007)
- MVC Most-Improved Team (2006)
}}
Randal Alan Falker{{Cite web|url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/72557/sid/6491/tid/1171/_/2009_EuroChallenge/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521003041/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/72557/sid/6491/tid/1171/_/2009_EuroChallenge/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 21, 2022|title=Player Profile|publisher=FIBA}} (born July 22, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for CSU Sibiu of the Romanian League. He is {{convert|2.01|m|ftin|abbr=on}} tall and weighs {{convert|115|kg|lb|abbr=on}}[http://www.mackolik.com/Basketbolcu/1171/Randal-Falker Randal Falker 201 cm Kilo 115 kg Pozisyon Pivot (5) {{in lang|tr}}.] power forward-center.
High school career
Falker played high school basketball at Gateway. He was rated by Scout.com as a two-star prospect, the No. 3 power forward in the state of Missouri, and the No. 85 overall prospect nationally, in the class of 2003.{{cite news|title=Randal Falker, Southern Illinois F - Scout|url=http://www.scout.com/player/26272-randal-falker|accessdate=October 10, 2016|work=scout.com}}
College career
Falker played 3 seasons (2004–2007) in the NCAA college basketball championship, playing for Southern Illinois University's Salukis under coach Chris Lowery.{{cite web |url=http://siusalukis.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/falker_randal00.html |title=Player Bio: Randal Falker |publisher=Southern Illinois University |accessdate=1 May 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404153000/http://siusalukis.cstv.com:80/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/falker_randal00.html |archive-date=4 April 2008}} As a sophomore, Falker's explosive rebounding and shot-blocking won him MVP honors at the Missouri Valley Conference. As a junior, the 6-foot-7-inch forward averaged 12.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Salukis. Falker led the league in blocked shots and helped SIU advance to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA basketball tournament.
Professional career
After not being drafted at the NBA's 2008 NBA draft, Falker decided to initiate his pro career in Europe. To this end, in the summer of 2008, he signed with Cholet Basket (French Pro A League), where he became a major player of the team, under head coach Erman Kunter, and one of the best rebounders of the league.{{cite web |url=http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/on-court/transactions/eurocup-2009-10/i/54956/3695/cholet-re-signs-forward-randal-falker |title=CHOLET re-signs forward Randal Falker |work=EurocupBasketball.com |date=3 July 2009 |accessdate=1 May 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110215100851/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/on-court/transactions/eurocup-2009-10/i/54956/3695/cholet-re-signs-forward-randal-falker |archive-date=15 February 2011}} With Cholet, he also played in European-wide competitions, such as the EuroChallenge 2008–09 season, where his team reached the Final game, the EuroCup 2009–10 season, and the EuroLeague 2010–11 season. In 2010, he won the French Pro A League championship with Cholet.
On September 26, 2012, Falker signed with Beşiktaş – one of the Turkish Basketball Super League teams, for the 2012–13 season.{{cite web |title=Besiktas, ufficiale la firma di Randal Falker |trans-title=Besiktas adds Randal Falker|url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/eng/europe/turkey/44082/besiktas-adds-randal-falker.html |work=Sportando |first=E. |last=Carchia |date=26 September 2012 |accessdate=1 May 2022 |language=it}}
On July 3, 2013, Falker signed a one-year contract with SLUC Nancy Basket of France.{{cite web |title=SLUC Nancy, firmato Randal Falker |trans-title=SLUC Nancy signs Randal Falker |url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/eng/europe/france/58436/sluc-nancy-signs-randal-falker.html |work=Sportando |first=E. |last=Trapani |date=3 July 2013|accessdate=1 May 2022|language=it}} In February 2014, he extended his contract until 2016.{{cite web |url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/france/111557/randal-falker-extends-with-nancy-until-2016.html |title=Randal Falker extends with Nancy until 2016 |work=Sportando |first=E. |last=Trapani |date=14 February 2014 |accessdate=1 May 2022}} At the end of the 2013–14 LNB Pro A season, he was named the league's best foreign player of the season.{{cite web |url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/france/119377/capela-falker-diot-and-dobbins-win-french-pro-awards.html |title=Capela, Falker, Diot and Dobbins win French Pro Award |work=Sportando |first=E. |last=Carchia |date=10 May 2014 |accessdate=1 May 2022}}
On October 10, 2016, Falker signed with Greek club AEK Athens{{cite web |url=http://www.eurohoops.net/featured/324426/aek-waives-owens-signs-falker |title=AEK waives Owens and signs Falker |work=EuroHoops.net |first=Antigoni |last=Zachari |date=10 October 2016 |accessdate=1 May 2022}} and on January 29, 2017, he signed with Steaua București of the Liga Națională.{{cite web |url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/romania/224513/steaua-bucarest-sign-randal-falker.html |title=Steaua Bucarest sign Randal Falker |website=Sportando |first=D. |last=Destri |date=29 January 2017 |accessdate=1 May 2022}} On August 13, 2018, Falker joined CSU Sibiu of the Romanian League.{{cite web |title=Randal Falker signs with CSU Sibiu |url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/romania/285530/randal-falker-signs-with-csu-sibiu.html |website=Sportando |first=E. |last=Carchia |date=13 August 2018 |accessdate=1 May 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=001949 Euroleague.net Profile]
- [http://www.eurobasket.com/player.asp?Cntry=FRA&PlayerID=43167 Eurobasket.com Profile]
- [http://widgets.baskethotel.com/site/esake/player/5340735/ Greek Basket League Profile]
- [http://www.lnb.fr/fr/Pro-A/200006/Joueurs/A42637/Randal-Falker LNB.fr Profile] {{in lang|fr}}
- [http://www.mackolik.com/Basketbolcu/1171/Randal-Falker Mackolik.com Profile] {{in lang|tr}}
{{LNB Pro A MVP}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Falker, Randal}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in France
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Romania
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Turkey
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from St. Louis
Category:Beşiktaş men's basketball players
Category:Cholet Basket players
Category:SLUC Nancy Basket players