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Michael Sweetney

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Mike Sweetney
Personal information
Born(1982-10-25)October 25, 1982
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DiedSeptember 17, 2026(2026-09-17) (aged 43)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High schoolOxon Hill (Oxon Hill, Maryland)
CollegeGeorgetown (2000–2003)
NBA draft2003: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Drafted byNew York Knicks
Playing career2003–2017
PositionPower forward
Number50, 60
Coaching career2019–2026
Career history
Playing
2003–2005New York Knicks
2005–2007Chicago Bulls
2009–2010Shaanxi Kylins
2010Erie BayHawks
2010Cangrejeros de Santurce
2010Metros de Santiago
2010–2011Club Biguá
2011Cangrejeros de Santurce
2012Vaqueros de Bayamón
2013Guaiqueríes de Margarita
2013Vaqueros de Bayamón
2014Club Atlético Atenas
2014Brujos de Guayama
2015–2017Urunday Universitario
Coaching
2019–2023Yeshiva University (assistant)
2026Golda Och Academy (NJ)
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA U21 World Championship
Gold medal – first place2001 SaitamaTeam competition

Michael Damien Sweetney (October 25, 1982 – September 17, 2026) was an American professional basketball player who played four seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He later served as an assistant coach of the Yeshiva University men's basketball team and head coach of the girls varsity basketball team at New York's Ramaz School.[1][2]

High school and college careers

[edit]

Sweetney went to Oxon Hill High School, where he was named Washington Post All-Met Basketball Player of the Year in 2000.[3]

He chose to play college basketball at nearby Georgetown University, continuing the program's tradition of highly skilled big men, where he averaged 18.2 points while shooting nearly 55% over his three-year collegiate career. He was especially dominant over his junior year, in which he was named Honorable Mention All-America by AP, as well as being a Naismith College Player of the Year finalist and a candidate for the John R. Wooden Award. That year, Sweetney was the only player in the nation to rank in the top 20 in scoring and rebounding.

Despite playing only three seasons for the Hoyas, as of the 2025-26 season he ranks ninth on Georgetown's career scoring list (1,750), fifth in rebounds (887) and seventh in blocks (180).[4]

Professional career

[edit]

Sweetney was selected by the New York Knicks with the 9th overall pick, in the 2003 NBA draft. After a two-year stint with Knicks, during which he played 119 gamers and averaged 7.0 points per game (ppg) and 4.8 rebound per game (rpg), he was traded to the Chicago Bulls on October 4, 2005, along with Tim Thomas, Jermaine Jackson, and four draft picks for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis and a draft pick.[5]

He played 114 games over two seasons with the Bulls, averaging 6.0 ppg and 4.1 rpg, but battled weight issues, which had followed him his whole career. The Chicago Tribune reported that if Sweetney did not lose a certain amount of weight, his career could be in danger.[6]

Sweetney's final NBA game ever ended up being in Game 2 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 7, 2007. In that game, the Bulls lost 108-87 to the Detroit Pistons while Sweetney recorded two points in three minutes of playing time.[7]

In the summer of 2009 Sweetney played with the Boston Celtics summer league team. He was invited to attend training camp in October 2009 to try out with the Celtics and attempt to resume an NBA career, but was waived on October 22.[8] In early December 2011, Sweetney rejoined the Boston Celtics for training camp,[9] but he was cut on December 22, 2011.

In his post-NBA career, Sweetney spent a decade playing for teams in American minor leagues and abroad, including stints in China, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Sweetney competed for Team City of Gods in The Basketball Tournament. He was a center on the 2015 team who made it to the semifinals, losing to Overseas Elite 84–71. Sweetney later ran Tamir Goodman's basketball camp.[1]

Coaching career

[edit]

In 2019, Sweetney became an assistant coach for the Yeshiva University men's basketball team before departing in 2023[10] and head coach of the girls' varsity basketball team at Ramaz School.[11][12]

In August 2026, Sweetney was hired as the head boys basketball coach at the Golda Och Academy in West Orange, New Jersey.[13]

Death

[edit]

Sweetney died on September 17, 2026, at the age of 43. His death was announced by his widow, India.[14][15]

Career statistics

[edit]
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2003–04 New York 42116.8.522.000.7444.8.5.4.37.0
2004–05 New York 772819.6.531.000.7495.4.6.4.48.4
2005–06 Chicago 664418.5.450—.6525.3.9.3.88.1
2006–07 Chicago 4808.0.433—.5612.5.6.2.23.2
Career 2337315.5.485.000.6894.5.6.3.56.5

Playoffs

[edit]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2004 New York 4014.3.545—.6672.5.0.0.34.0
2006 Chicago 6620.0.412—.7895.51.2.51.07.2
2007 Chicago 103.0.500—.0002.5.0.0.02.0
Career 11616.4.447—.7043.9.6.3.65.5

College

[edit]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2000–01 Georgetown 333324.2.516.000.6197.41.8.8.712.8
2001–02 Georgetown 292830.4.567.000.78810.01.7.91.719.0
2002–03 Georgetown 343432.4.547.000.73810.41.91.53.222.8
Career 969529.0.544.000.7279.21.81.11.918.2

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Kussoy, Howie (December 23, 2019). "Michael Sweetney overcoming darkest Knicks moments at Yeshiva: 'I'm changing lives'". New York Post. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  2. ↑ "The Ramaz School: Faculty & Staff Directory". Ramaz School. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Winter All-Mets". The Washington Post. 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ Meyer, Craig (September 17, 2026). "Mike Sweetney, One of Georgetown Basketball's Greatest Players, Dies at 43". USA Today. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Bulls Re-Sign Curry, Complete Sign-and-Trade with Knicks | Chicago Bulls". NBA.com. October 4, 2005. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  6. ↑ Smith, Sam (December 6, 2006). "Ask Sam Smith". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on February 18, 2007.
  7. ↑ "2007 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2: Bulls vs Pistons, May 7, 2007". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ Celtics Waive Michael Sweetney Archived October 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Washburn, Gary (December 8, 2011). "Celtics invite 4 to training camp". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 26, 2006. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  10. ↑ "2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster". Yeshiva University Athletics.
  11. ↑ Rubinstein, Spencer (September 25, 2019). "Q&A: Getting to Know Coach Mike Sweetney". Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Mr. Michael Sweetney". Ramaz School. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  13. ↑ Potter, PJ (August 18, 2026). "Tiny non-Public School Hires Former NBA Player to Replace N.J. Basketball Legend". NJ.com. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Former NBA player Michael Sweetney passes away at age 43". NBA.com. Associated Press. September 17, 2026. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Georgetown Basketball Great and DMV Native Mike Sweetney Passes Away". The MoCo Show. September 17, 2026. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
[edit]
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