Michael Sweetney

Michael Sweetney
Born	(1982-10-25) October 25, 1982
Occupation(s)	Basketball player, basketball coach
Years active	2003–2015 (player), 2019–present (coach)
Known for	Professional basketball career, assistant coach at Yeshiva University, head coach at Ramaz School girls varsity basketball

Michael Damien Sweetney (born October 25, 1982) is a retired American professional basketball athlete. Presently, he holds the position of assistant coach for the men's basketball squad at Yeshiva University and leads the girls varsity basketball program at New York's Ramaz School as head coach.

High school and college careers

Sweetney's basketball journey began at Oxon Hill High School, where he was honored as the Washington Post All Met Basketball Player of the Year. During his tenure at Georgetown University, he maintained an average of 18.2 points per game with an impressive shooting efficiency close to 55% across three seasons. In his junior year, he received Honorable Mention status among All-America selections, was a finalist for the prestigious Naismith College Player of the Year, and was considered for the John R. Wooden Award. Notably, he was the sole player nationwide ranked within the top 20 in both scoring and rebounding that season. Sweetney's collegiate legacy includes ranking seventh in all-time scoring at Georgetown with 1,750 points, fifth in total rebounds with 887, and sixth in blocks with 180.

Professional career

Selected ninth overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the New York Knicks, Sweetney experienced limited court time during his rookie year before being traded to the Chicago Bulls in 2005. Throughout his professional tenure, challenges with maintaining optimal weight affected his performance and durability in the league.

His last appearance in an NBA game occurred during Game 2 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals, where he contributed 2 points over 3 minutes as the Bulls were defeated by the Detroit Pistons. In 2009, Sweetney participated in the Boston Celtics summer league and training camp but was released prior to the regular season. He made another attempt to join the Celtics roster in 2011 but was again waived.

Transitioning to international basketball, Sweetney signed with Puerto Rico's Vaqueros de Bayamon in 2012. The following year included a brief stint with Venezuela's Guaiqueríes de Margarita before returning to Bayamon. In 2014, he joined Club Atlético Atenas in Uruguay and later signed with Puerto Rico's Brujos de Guayama, though his contract there ended mid-season.

After a period away from professional play, Sweetney resumed competing in Uruguay with Urunday Universitario in 2015. Additionally, he played for Team City of Gods in The Basketball Tournament, advancing to the semifinals. Following his playing days, Sweetney has engaged in basketball development initiatives, including managing a basketball camp led by Tamir Goodman.

Coaching career

In 2019, Sweetney embarked on a coaching career by becoming an assistant coach for Yeshiva University's men's basketball team while simultaneously taking on the role of head coach for the girls varsity basketball team at Ramaz School.

External links

• NBA.com Draft profile