Erazem Lorbek is a Slovenian professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.
Education
Lorbek was brought up by the youth program of KK Union Olimpija, the top basketball club in his hometown and in the Slovenian league, and he attended Michigan State University in the United States., where he played for Tom Izzo and the Spartans. However, he chose to return to Europe after a year at Michigan State, signing a deal with Fortitudo Bologna of the Italian league, where he played from 2003 to 2006 (the team was known as Skipper Bologna in the 2003–2004 season and Climamio Bologna from 2004–2006).
Career
He is a 6 ft 10 3⁄4 in (210 m) power forward, who can also play the center position in some situations if needed. In the 2002-2003 season as a freshman, he averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Lorbek began the 2006-2007 season on loan from the Spanish league club Unicaja Málaga to the Italian league club Benetton Treviso.
However, in February 2007, the deal was voided by the Italian Basketball Federation due to unspecified violations of federation regulations.
Lorbek then signed with Lottomatica Roma of the Italian league, where he became one of the best power forwards of the Euroleague. He joined the Russian club CSKA Moscow in 2008, with whom he reached the Euroleague 2008-2009 season final in his first season, and he was voted to the All-Euroleague Second Team.
On August 18, 2009, he was transferred to the Spanish league club Football Club Barcelona for an undisclosed fee. He signed a three-year contract, with the possibility to leave and join the after his second year.
In August 2014, he parted ways with Barcelona.
Lorbek was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 Draft by the Indiana Pacers. But the Pacers did not sign him and Lorbek continued to play in Europe. During the 2011 Draft, the Pacers traded the rights to Lorbek to the San Antonio Spurs, as part of their trade for George Hill.