SASSARI, Italy — Veteran Czech basketball star Jiří Hubálek, a former Iowa State standout, has signed with Shardana Basket to lead a new socio-sports project, the club announced on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-11 big man will not only suit up as a player but will also play an active role off the court. Hubálek is set to put his extensive high-level basketball experience toward developing the club’s youth and minibasket sectors, helping to foster growth and build a culture for the young organization.
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“For a society and a project so young as Shardana, having an athlete with an experience of this level who chooses to put himself at the club’s disposal represents something exceptional,” the team said in a statement. The club added that the mission of the partnership extends beyond winning games to “creating people, skills, culture, and the future”.
Hubálek, a Prague native, is a highly respected figure in Sardinian basketball. He previously played for Dinamo Sassari, where he contributed to the team’s historic promotion to Italy’s top-tier Serie A. He also played in Italy’s Legadue, represented the Czech Republic internationally, and was a fundamental player in the successes of Pallacanestro Sennori.
Prior to his professional career in Europe, Hubálek established himself as a dominant presence in American collegiate basketball. After earning first-team all-Region XI honors at Marshalltown Community College, he competed there for one year before transferring to Iowa State University, where he played from 2005 to 2008.
From 2008: Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott shared a quiet moment with (33) Jiri Hubalek during pre-game ceremony for the four seniors on the team in their last home game against Kansas State at Hilton Coliseum Saturday, March 8.
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During his senior year with the Cyclones (2007-08), Hubálek led the team in both scoring (12.4 points per game) and rebounding (7.3 rebounds per game) to earn third-team All-Big 12 honors. He was also named to the Big 12 All-Underrated Team and finished his collegiate career ranked 19th all-time on Iowa State’s career blocked shots list with 48 blocks.
Iowa State Jiri Hubalek (33), in action against Texas in 2007, is guarded by Damion James (5) and Kevin Durant (35). | Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
In his junior season (2006-07), Hubálek averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds, winning Iowa State’s Most Improved Player Award and earning second-team Academic All-Big 12 honors.
From 2007: Iowa State head men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott gets a smile out of (33) Jiri Hubalek in final minutes of game against Nebraska in game played at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday night, Jan. 10.
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The veteran center brings his extensive basketball journey full circle, choosing to invest his skills back into Sardinian basketball to help guide the next generation of players.
