Jessica Gaspar

Jessica Gaspar (born December 7, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. After graduating from University of North Carolina in 1999, she went overseas and achieved success playing professional basketball in Iceland.

Jessica Gaspar
Jessica Gaspar playing for KFÍ.
Personal information
Born (1976-12-07) December 7, 1976
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Listed weight143 lb (65 kg)
Career information
High schoolDartmouth (Dartmouth, Massachusetts)
CollegeNorth Carolina (1995–1999)
Playing career1999–2002
PositionPoint guard
Career history
2000–2001KFÍ
2001–2002Grindavík
Career highlights and awards

College career

Gaspar played with the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1995–1999, winning the ACC twice and advancing to the NCAA tournament three times (1997–1999). During the second round of the 1997 NCAA tournament, as the Tar Heels where eliminating Michigan State, Gaspar tore her ACL in her left knee while driving to the basket.[1]

Iceland

Gaspar joined KFÍ in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna for the 2000–01 season.[2] She broke the Úrvalsdeild single game assist record on November 24, 2000, when she had 17 assists against Grindavík[3] and led the team to a 10-6 record, good for third place,[4] and first ever playoff appearance. Despite averaging 19.5 points and 13.5 rebounds, KFÍ got swept by Keflavík in the semi-finals. Gaspar led the league in scoring (24.1 ppg), assists (5.3 apg) and steals (5.1 spg)[5] while coming second in rebounds (10,0). For her efforts she was voted the Foreign player of the year.[6][7]

Gaspar joined UMFG for the 2001–02 season[8][9] and won the Icelandic Cup with them after defeating Keflavík in the finals, 82-58.[10] After averaging 21.5 points in the first 11 league games,[11] she sustained a partial tear in the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in January, the same ACL she had surgically repaired at the end of her sophomore season at UNC in 1997, and missed the rest of the season.[12][13] Despite the injury, she led the league in rebounds (13.7), set a league record for steals per game (7.2)[14] and was once again voted the Foreign player of the year.[7]

Awards and achievements

Pro career

References
  1. "si.com". CNN. 11 January 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  2. "Spennandi" (in Icelandic). 30 October 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  3. "Þrír sigrar á 20 tímum". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 November 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  4. "1. deild kvenna". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  5. "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  6. "Kristín og Ólafur leikmenn ársins". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 21 April 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  7. "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  8. "Gaspar í Grindavík". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 24 July 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  9. "Frábær leikur Jessicu". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 November 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  10. "Leikur". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  11. "Tölfræði". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  12. Gaspar farin frá Grindavík
  13. A legend comes home
  14. "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
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