1. Early Life and Background
Jiří Welsch was born on January 27, 1980, in Pardubice, which was then part of Czechoslovakia. He started his professional basketball career as a teenager with BK JIP Pardubice in the Czech Republic League. He subsequently moved to CSA Sparta Prague for the 1998-99 season, continuing his development in the Czech Republic League. Welsch stands at 80 in (202 cm) and weighs 209 lb (95 kg), enabling him to play both point guard and shooting guard positions effectively.
2. Professional Career
Jiří Welsch's professional career spans over two decades, covering various leagues in Europe and the prestigious National Basketball Association in the United States.
2.1. Early European League Career
Welsch began his professional journey with BK JIP Pardubice in the Czech Republic League, where he played until 1998. He then joined CSA Sparta Prague for the 1998-99 season. From 2000 to 2002, he played for Union Olimpija Ljubljana in the Slovenian League. His performance during the 2001-02 season was particularly strong, earning him the title of Most Valuable Player for the Slovenian League.
2.2. NBA Career
In 2002, Jiří Welsch was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft. Immediately after the draft, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for future first-round and first- or second-round draft picks. He spent one season with the Warriors, playing in 37 games during the 2002-03 NBA season and averaging 1.6 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
On August 18, 2003, Welsch was part of a major trade that sent him, along with Antawn Jamison, Chris Mills, and Danny Fortson, from the Warriors to the Dallas Mavericks. In return, the Warriors received Evan Eschmeyer, Nick Van Exel, Avery Johnson, Popeye Jones, and Antoine Rigaudeau. However, Welsch never played a game for the Mavericks. On October 20, 2003, he was traded again, this time to the Boston Celtics, alongside Mills and Raef LaFrentz, plus a lottery-protected 2004 NBA draft pick. The Mavericks acquired Antoine Walker and Tony Delk in that deal.
Welsch had his most prominent NBA period with the Celtics. In the 2003-04 NBA season, he started 68 of 81 games, averaging 9.2 points per game. Over his two seasons with the Celtics (2003-04 and 2004-05), he played in 136 games, starting 100 of them, and averaged 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
His tenure with the Celtics concluded on February 24, 2005, when he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a future 2007 first-round draft pick. He played 16 games for the Cavaliers. His final NBA trade occurred on June 28, 2005, moving from the Cavaliers to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a 2006 second-round draft pick. Welsch played 58 games for the Bucks during the 2005-06 NBA season. His last NBA game was on May 3, 2006, in Game 5 of the 2006 Eastern Conference First Round against the Detroit Pistons. The Bucks lost that game 93-122, and the series 4-1, with Welsch contributing 2 points, 1 assist, and 1 rebound.
2.3. Return to Europe
In August 2006, after his NBA career, Welsch returned to Europe, signing with the Spanish ACB league club Unicaja Málaga, where he played until 2010. He then moved to Estudiantes Madrid, playing for them during the 2010-11 season. In July 2011, he signed a contract with Spirou Basket of Belgium, playing there until 2012. He then made a significant return to the Czech Republic in 2012, signing with ČEZ Nymburk, where he continued to play. Later in his career, in 2017, he joined BK Pardubice, the same club where he began his professional journey as a teenager.
3. National Team Career
Jiří Welsch has been a consistent member of the senior Czech Republic national basketball team since 1999. He proudly represented his country in multiple EuroBasket tournaments, showcasing his skills on the international stage. His appearances include the 1999 EuroBasket, 2007 EuroBasket, 2013 EuroBasket, 2015 EuroBasket, and 2017 EuroBasket.
4. Major Achievements and Awards
Throughout his professional career, Jiří Welsch earned notable recognition, most notably being named the Most Valuable Player of the Slovenian League following the 2001-02 season, a testament to his strong performance before entering the NBA.
5. Statistics
Welsch's career statistics provide an overview of his performance during his time in the National Basketball Association.
| 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 |
5.1. NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-03 | Golden State | 37 | 0 | 6.3 | .253 | .250 | .759 | .8 | .7 | .2 | .1 | 1.6 |
| 2003-04 | Boston | 81 | 68 | 26.9 | .428 | .381 | .743 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 1.2 | .1 | 9.2 |
| 2004-05 | 55 | 32 | 20.5 | .428 | .323 | .773 | 2.5 | 1.5 | .7 | .1 | 7.5 | |
| 2004-05 | Cleveland | 16 | 0 | 12.0 | .235 | .182 | .714 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .3 | .0 | 2.9 |
| 2005-06 | Milwaukee | 58 | 2 | 14.9 | .387 | .286 | .747 | 1.9 | 1.1 | .6 | .0 | 4.3 |
| Career | 247 | 102 | 18.6 | .403 | .343 | .752 | 2.4 | 1.5 | .8 | .1 | 6.1 | |
5.2. NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | Boston | 4 | 4 | 26.0 | .478 | .250 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 2.3 | .5 | .0 | 8.0 |
| 2005-06 | Milwaukee | 4 | 0 | 3.8 | .500 | .000 | .750 | .8 | .5 | .3 | .0 | 1.8 |
| Career | 8 | 4 | 14.9 | .481 | .250 | .923 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .4 | .0 | 4.9 | |