Maik Kotsar

Maik-Kalev Kotsar (born 22 December 1996) is an Estonian professional basketball player for Hamburg Towers of the Basketball Bundesliga. He played college basketball for South Carolina Gamecocks. Kotsar also has played for the Estonia men's national basketball team as well as the Estonia men's national 3x3 team. Listed at 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) and 270 pounds (122 kg), he plays the power forward and center positions.

Maik Kotsar
Kotsar in March 2020
No. 11 – Hamburg Towers
PositionPower forward / Center
LeagueBasketball Bundesliga
Personal information
Born (1996-12-22) 22 December 1996
Tallinn, Estonia
NationalityEstonian
Listed height2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)
Listed weight122.5 kg (270 lb)
Career information
High school
CollegeSouth Carolina (2016–2020)
NBA draft2020 / Undrafted
Playing career2015–present
Career history
2011–2015Audentes
2020–presentHamburg Towers
Career highlights and awards
  • Second-team All-SEC (2020)

College career

On 7 March 2016, Kotsar committed to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks.[1] In his freshman year, Kotsar saw action in all 37 games with 33 starts, averaging 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as South Carolina advanced to its first-ever Final Four, losing 73–77 to Gonzaga. Kotsar earned second-team All-SEC honors after averaging 11.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game during his senior season.[2]

Maik Kotsar attended the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business. He majored in Finance and minored in Management. By the time of his graduation he had been named to the President's List, was on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll and had been named to the SEC Honor Roll all four years, and was named to the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Honors Court.[3]Possibly his most notable academic achievement came his senior year when he was named University of South Carolina's Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. This award is given each year to one graduating senior with exceptional and outstanding academic achievement.[4]

Professional career

On August 16, 2020, Kotsar signed with the Hamburg Towers of the Basketball Bundesliga.[5]

National team career

Kotsar made his debut for the Estonian national team on 29 June 2018, in a 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifier against Great Britain, scoring 8 points in a 65–74 away defeat.[6]

FIBA 3X3

Kotsar's 3x3 career started in the U18 division in 2013 with the Sprite Streetball 2013 Tallinn tournament where he advanced to the U18 Estonia Finals and eventually the 2013 FIBA 3x3 World Championships on September 26 2013.[7] Kotsar continued to compete 3x3 through 2014 and 2015. His FIBA 3x3 career returned from hiatus in 2018 Ghetto Basket Pro Camp in Riga on May 10th of that year. His team would advance all the way to the FIBA 3x3 World Cup tournament. Kotsar's Estonia Mens 3x3 team would be defeated by the Poland national 3x3 team who would themselves go on to win 3rd place in the entire tournament after being eliminated in the semifinals. The Estonian 3x3 Men's Team's run came to an end at the preliminary stage pools at 3rd place of the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup – Men's tournament and they took home 9th place. [8]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 South Carolina 373323.9.490–.3964.8.7.7.45.8
2017–18 South Carolina 333326.5.426.222.5664.81.4.9.58.0
2018–19 South Carolina 302423.4.438.500.4434.7.91.0.96.7
2019–20 South Carolina 313130.5.497.000.6906.32.31.51.111.2
Career 13112126.0.464.265.5415.11.31.0.77.8

References
  1. "Estonian forward Maik-Kalev Kotsar commits to South Carolina basketball". The State. 7 March 2016.
  2. "Kotsar And Couisnard Earn Coaches Postseason Accolades". gamecocksonline.com. 10 March 2020.
  3. https://247sports.com/college/south-carolina/Article/NABC-Honors-Court-Maik-Kotsar-Jair-Bolden-South-Carolina-Gamecocks-basketball-149189657/
  4. https://247sports.com/college/south-carolina/Article/South-Carolina-Gamecocks-mens-basketball-senior-forward-Maik-Kotsar--146826184/
  5. "Maik Kotsar joins Hamburg Towers". Sportando. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  6. "Viimasel veerandil mängu käest andnud Eesti korvpallikoondis kaotas Suurbritanniale" (in Estonian). Delfi Sport. 29 June 2018.
  7. https://play.fiba3x3.com/players/4a9465f6-334a-490f-ba0e-0e6a9965b7b2/activity
  8. http://www.fiba.basketball/3x3WC/2018
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