Thabo Sefolosha

Thabo Patrick Sefolosha (; born 2 May 1984) is a Swiss former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Turkish Basketball League, LNB Pro A, and Lega Basket Serie A. In 2006, Sefolosha became the first player from Switzerland to play in the NBA, and in 2013, he was labelled the best Swiss basketball player of all time by Swiss newspaper Freiburger Nachrichten.

Early life Sefolosha was born on 2 May 1984 in Vevey, Switzerland to Patrick Sefolosha, a South African musician, and Christine Sefolosha (née Beck), a Swiss artist. Sefolosha speaks French, Italian, and English.

Professional career

Early years (2001–2006) Sefolosha was invited to join the junior Swiss national basketball team, and at age 17, he began a professional career with Vevey Riviera Basket, in Switzerland's top domestic league.

Chicago Bulls (2006–2009) Sefolosha was taken with the 13th pick of the 2006 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and promptly traded to the Chicago Bulls for the 16th pick (Rodney Carney), and cash considerations. In an article on Bulls.com, Sefolosha was quoted saying "I was certainly surprised (at the draft) when someone came up and said that I was the next to be picked. I thought maybe he had made a mistake or something. But a few minutes later he came back and told me that not only was I going to be picked, but that I was going to be traded to Chicago, which really got me excited." Sefolosha was selected to the All-NBA Defensive Second Team for the 2009–10 NBA season.

In October 2011, during the 2011 NBA lockout, Sefolosha signed with Fenerbahçe Ülker in Turkey, but only for Euroleague matches. His deal had an out-clause that allowed him to return to Oklahoma City at the end of the lockout. He played seven games with Fenerbahçe Ülker during the 2011–12 Euroleague season.

In 2012, Sefolosha and the Thunder reached the NBA Finals, but were defeated by the Miami Heat in five games.

Sefolosha was a permanent member of the starting five, including in the Thunder's run to the finals. Starting as shooting guard, before James Harden (who came off the bench), Sefolosha received major playing time mainly due to his defensive abilities.

Atlanta Hawks (2014–2017)

On 15 July 2014, Sefolosha was acquired by the Atlanta Hawks in a sign-and-trade deal, along with rights to Giorgos Printezis, in exchange for the rights to Sofoklis Schortsanitis.

On 31 January 2015, Sefolosha was ruled out for six to eight weeks with a strained right calf. On April 9, he was ruled out for the rest of the regular season due to a fractured tibia suffered while being arrested by members of the New York City Police Department.

Utah Jazz (2017–2019) On 18 July 2017, Sefolosha signed a multi-year deal with the Utah Jazz.

On 12 January 2018, in Utah's 99–88 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Sefolosha suffered a right MCL injury. He underwent season-ending surgery five days later. On 3 April, Sefolosha was suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

Houston Rockets (2019–2020) On 23 September 2019, Sefolosha signed a one-year deal with the Houston Rockets.

Initial retirement Sefolosha announced his retirement from professional basketball on 31 March 2021.

Vevey Riviera Basket (2023) Despite announcing his retirement two years prior, Sefolosha signed with the Swiss team Vevey Riviera Basket on 26 January 2023, returning to the club where he first played professionally.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

Euroleague

Personal life On 8 April 2015, Sefolosha and teammate Pero Antić were arrested outside a nightclub in New York City for allegedly interfering with police after Chris Copeland of the Indiana Pacers was stabbed in the abdomen following an argument. During the altercation, the NYPD officers broke Sefolosha's right leg, shutting him down for the rest of the season. He underwent surgery on April 16, to repair a fractured tibia and ligament damage.

The prosecution offered Sefolosha a plea bargain, which would have involved a dismissal of the charges after six months, but Sefolosha refused it on 9 September 2015, even though his attorney, Alex Spiro, urged him to take it. Sefolosha said that he wanted to let the case proceed to trial instead; at the same time, charges against Antić were dropped. Sefolosha's court hearing was set on 5 October. Four days later, a Manhattan jury found him not guilty of all three misdemeanor charges: obstructing government administration, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. On 21 October, Sefolosha announced that he would be suing the city of New York as well as eight police officers for up to $50 million in damages. On 9 April 2017, it was announced Sefolosha had settled with the NYPD for $4 million, a "substantial portion" of which he donated to Gideon's Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating public defenders.

In October 2017, Sefolosha revealed that he saved a woman the previous month from drowning while he and his family were on a rafting trip down the Provo River.