Hubalek Shines At Portsmouth

AMES, Iowa- Iowa State's Jiri Hubalek may have been one of the last guys invited to the Portsmouth Invitational last weekend, but he was the first on the list of many professional suitors when he left. The 6-11 center raised eyebrows with his performance at Portsmouth, making the all-tournament team while averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds against the best senior basketball players in the nation.

Hubalek did it all at Portsmouth. He was one of the top rebounders at the camp, ranking fourth among all players, and he was the third-best scorer. He also showcased his shooting touch, drilling 8-of-14 from 3-point range at NBA distance.

“It was a great feeling to be able to go there and play well,” Hubalek said. “I am a competitor and I love to compete. It was a fun experience.”

His outstanding effort will no doubt increase his stock in regards to his goal of playing professional basketball. Hubalek and his agent have already begun fielding interest from a number of NBA teams.

“We have already received positive feedback from some NBA teams,” Hubalek said. “I think it really helped my chances. Larry Legend (Larry Bird- general manager of the Indiana Pacers) was there all three days, so it was cool to play in front of one of the best players ever.”

Hubalek's next goal is to get invited to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando, Fla. The June camp is the final test for all players, seniors and early entrees, to display their skills in front of the NBA scouts.

“I am still hopeful I could be invited to Orlando,” Hubalek said. “I really hope I get the invitation. That would be another great opportunity for me.”

A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Hubalek was a third-team all-Big 12 pick for the Cyclones in 2008, leading the squad in both scoring (12.4) and rebounding (7.3). He finished his three-year career with 936 points and 522 rebounds.

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Jiri Hubalek

Jiri Hubalek

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