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Salah Mejri

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Salah Mejri
NameSalah Mejri
PositionCentre
Height cm218
Weight kg118
Birth date15 June 1986
Birth placeTunis
NationalityTunisia
CollegeUniversity of Texas at El Paso
Draft year2005
Career start2003
Years12003–2004
Team1Club Africain
Years22004–2005
Team2JS Kairouan
Years32007–2008
Team3Étoile Sportive du Sahel
Years42008–2010
Team4Al Riyadi Beirut
Years52010–2012
Team5Olimpia Milano
Years62012–2015
Team6Real Madrid Baloncesto
Years72015–2019
Team7Dallas Mavericks
Years82019–2021
Team8Zaragoza

Salah Mejri (born 15 June 1986) is a Tunisian former professional basketball centre who played in Europe, Asia, and the National Basketball Association. He was the first Tunisian player to appear in an NBA regular-season game, and he reached continental club success with Real Madrid Baloncesto while also representing Tunisia national basketball team at multiple FIBA tournaments and the Olympic Games. Mejri combined international club honors with pioneering status for African basketball players in top leagues.

Early life and background

Mejri was born in Tunis and raised in a family from Gafsa Governorate before moving within Tunis Governorate. He began playing organized sports at local clubs including Club Africain and JS Kairouan while attending secondary school in Tunis. During his youth he drew attention at regional tournaments such as the Arab Club Basketball Championship and the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup, earning moves to teams known across North Africa and the Middle East like Étoile Sportive du Sahel and Al Riyadi Beirut. His early mentors included coaches from Tunisia national basketball team development programs and club figures linked to FIBA Africa competitions.

College and early career

After initial club experience in Tunisia and a stint in Lebanon with Al Riyadi Beirut, Mejri pursued opportunities in the United States and Europe. He trained with programs connected to University of Texas at El Paso personnel and undertook workouts referencing talent pipelines used by Euroleague scouts. Before his breakthrough in Europe, he featured in tryouts that involved representatives from NBA Development League organizations, European Club Championship scouts, and agents with ties to FIBA World Championship participants. His performances in friendly tournaments against squads from Spain, Italy, and France accelerated interest from Italian Lega Basket Serie A clubs.

Professional career

Mejri moved to Italy and signed professionally with clubs that faced opponents such as Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna. His play in Serie A and later with Real Madrid Baloncesto in the Liga ACB and EuroLeague established him as a high-level centre. With Real Madrid Baloncesto he won multiple titles including the EuroLeague championship and the Liga ACB crown, competing against teams like FC Barcelona Bàsquet, CB Estudiantes, and TAU Cerámica. In 2015 Mejri signed with the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, appearing in regular-season games and joining teammates including Dirk Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews, and Harrison Barnes. He later returned to Europe to play for Zaragoza in the Liga ACB and had spells linked with clubs from Saudi Arabia and Lebanon during offseasons. His club career intersected with coaches and executives affiliated with FIBA Europe, NBA Europe, and multinational sports agencies.

National team career

Mejri debuted for the Tunisia national basketball team at senior level in continental qualifying tournaments under the auspices of FIBA Africa. He was a key member of the squad that achieved a landmark performance at the FIBA Africa Championship 2011 and helped Tunisia secure qualification to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Mejri also represented Tunisia at the FIBA Basketball World Cup and in later editions of the AfroBasket tournament, frequently matched against national teams such as Angola national basketball team, Nigeria national basketball team, and Egypt national basketball team. His national team tenure involved clashes at venues governed by FIBA and encounters with players from Spain national basketball team and France national basketball team on international tours.

Player profile and playing style

As a 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) centre, Mejri was noted for rim protection, shot-blocking, and defensive positioning, traits comparable in role to centres used by Real Madrid Baloncesto and Dallas Mavericks coaching staffs. Offensively he contributed with pick-and-roll finishes, offensive rebounds, and interior scoring in matchups with EuroLeague and NBA bigs including veterans from Serbia national basketball team and Lithuania national basketball team. Coaches from Liga ACB and the NBA utilized him as a rotational centre to anchor defenses and alter opponent strategies, often deploying him alongside perimeter players who had backgrounds in NCAA Division I men's basketball and EuroCup Basketball competition.

Personal life

Mejri's personal life includes links to sporting networks across Tunisia, Spain, Italy, and the United States. He has been involved in community and youth outreach programs connected to federations like the Tunisian Basketball Federation and participated in events celebrating North African athletes alongside figures from African Union-supported sports initiatives and ambassadors connected to Olympic Solidarity. His off-court activities intersected with sponsorships and appearances coordinated by agencies operating in Europe and Middle East markets.

Career statistics and achievements

Mejri's club honors include EuroLeague titles and Liga ACB championships with Real Madrid Baloncesto, domestic cups in Spain and Italy, and a historic NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks. Internationally he contributed to Tunisia's gold medal at the FIBA Africa Championship 2011 qualification cycle and participation at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He logged seasons with statistical production in rebounding and blocks against competitors from EuroLeague and NBA rosters, and he remains one of the most decorated Tunisian basketball players in terms of club trophies and international caps.

Category:Tunisian basketball players Category:1986 births Category:Living people