Richard Melzer is an American professional basketball player who has played in the Australian National Basketball League, the German Bundesliga, National Basketball Association D.-League, Continental Basketball Association, as well as stints in France and Israel.
Education
He was named All-WIAC his last three seasons and was named league Most Valuable Player his final two years and finished his career as the school"s second all-time leading scorer with 2, 363 points, the third all-time leading rebounder with 821 boards, and the all-time leading shot-blocker with 186 rejections.
Career
He primarily plays power forward. He earned First Team All-America honours from the NABC his junior and senior seasons. Melzer has spent time trying out with the National Basketball Association"s Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic in the last two years.
He also earned a spot on the San Antonio Spurs but was not named to the teams final roster.
He led the Sioux Falls Skyforce to the Continental Basketball Association Championship in 2005. Melzer spent the 2005-2006 season with the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL, earning NBL Player of the Week in Week 20.
On July 14, 2006, Melzler signed a two-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs. He appeared in four preseason games, averaging 2.8 points in 7.8 minutes.
He was released by the Spurs on October 20, 2006.
Melzer signed a month contract with ASVEL Villeurbanne of France, before moving to play in Hapoel Gilboa/Afula of Israel in January, 2007. Melzer is a 1999 graduate of River Falls High School in Wisconsin. Grinnell is playing for Carleton College in Minnesota since the Fall of 2008.
Melzer also played for Artland Dragons in the German Bundesliga.
In July, 2009, it was announced that Melzer would return to Australia, to play for the Cairns Taipans. Prior to the 2010-2011 season Melzer returned to Israel, and signed with Hapoel Holon, which is coached by Dani Franco (who coach him when he played for Hapoel Gilboa/Afula).
In June 2011, he signed contract with the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in the German Bundesliga. Rich is now coaching youth basketball, as well as making guest appearances on local sports television and radio shows.