Nate Sestina Explained

Nate Sestina
Position:Power forward / center
League:Liga ACB
EuroCup
Team:Valencia Basket
Birth Date:12 May 1997
Birth Place:St. Marys, Pennsylvania
Nationality:American
Height Ft:6
Height In:9
Weight Lb:234
High School:Cameron County
(Emporium, Pennsylvania)
College:
Draft Year:2020
Career Start:2021
Years1:2021
Team1:Long Island Nets
Years2:2021
Team2:Hapoel Holon
Years3:2021–2022
Team3:Merkezefendi
Years4:2022–2023
Team4:Türk Telekom
Years5:2023–2024
Team5:Fenerbahçe Beko
Years6:2024–present
Team6:Valencia
Highlights:

Nathan Michael Sestina (born May 12, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Valencia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroCup. He played college basketball for Bucknell and Kentucky.

Early life and high school career

Sestina was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania and grew up in Emporium, Pennsylvania. As a senior at Cameron County High School, Sestina averaged 22.6 points and 14 rebounds per game and was named the North Tier Conference Player of the Year. He finished high school with 1,703 points and 955 rebounds, a school record.[1] Sestina committed to play college basketball at Bucknell over offers from 11 other schools.[2] He became the first Division I basketball player from PIAA District 9 since 1990 and the first Division I athlete of any kind from Cameron County since the 1970s.[3]

College career

Sestina suffered a season-ending shoulder injury four games into his freshman year and used a medical redshirt.[4] He averaged 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game over 31 games as a reserve player during his sophomore year. As a junior, Sestina averaged 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds and 14.9 minutes played per game.[5] He became a starter going into his senior year and enjoyed a breakout season, averaging 15.8 points (6th in the Patriot League) and 8.5 rebounds per game (2nd in conference) and was named to the second team All-Patriot League.[6] [7] Following the end of the season, Sestina entered the transfer portal for his final season of eligibility as a graduate transfer. He was ranked the third-best player in the transfer portal by ESPN.[8] Sestina committed to transfer to the University of Kentucky.[9]

In his first game with the Wildcats, Sestina scored seven points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds in a 69–62 win over top-ranked Michigan State and hit a key three-point shot in the second half.[10] He broke his left wrist six games into the season against Lamar, causing him to miss four weeks and three games.[11] Sestina was averaging 7.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 27.8 minutes of play at the time of the injury.[12] Sestina returned in a game against Utah on December 18 and was scoreless. In the next game versus Ohio State, Sestina scored a season-high 17 points in a 71–65 Kentucky loss.[13] He scored his 1,000th career point during a 13-point game against LSU on February 18, 2020.[14] Sestina averaged 5.8 and 3.8 rebounds per game in 28 games and was named to the Southeastern Conference Community Service Team.[15] [16]

Professional career

On July 30, 2020, Sestina signed his first professional contract with Kyiv-Basket of the Ukrainian SuperLeague.[17] On October 13, he signed with Nizhny Novgorod of the VTB United League.[18] However, with the season being cancelled, Sestina was released on November 3, before playing an official game for the team.[19]

After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Sestina signed an Exhibit 10 contract for with the Brooklyn Nets on December 1, 2020.[20] [21] He was waived by the Nets on December 11.[22] He was added to the roster of the Nets' NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

On March 15, 2021, he signed with Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League.[23]

On July 8, 2021, he signed with Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[24]

On June 22, 2022, Sestina signed with Türk Telekom of the Turkish BSL.[25] On June 21, 2023, he mutually parted ways with the club.

On July 14, 2023, Sestina signed a two-year (1+1) deal with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe.[26]

On June 18, 2024, he signed with Valencia of the Spanish Liga ACB.[27]

Career statistics

EuroLeague

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24| style="text-align:left;"| Fenerbahçe| 35 || 4 || 11.5 || .465 || .385 || .588 || 1.5 || .4 || .3 || .2 || 3.6 || 2.9|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career| 35 || 4 || 11.5 || .465 || .385 || .588 || 1.5 || .4 || .3 || .2 || 3.6 || 2.9

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"|2015–16| style="text-align:left;"|Bucknell| 4 || 0 || 8.0 || .545 || .667 || 1.000 || 1.3 || .8 || .5 || .0 || 3.8|-| style="text-align:left;"|2016–17| style="text-align:left;"|Bucknell| 31 || 1 || 12.0 || .508 || .292 || .696 || 3.7 || .4 || .2 || .5 || 4.8|-| style="text-align:left;"|2017–18| style="text-align:left;"|Bucknell| 34 || 0 || 14.9 || .560 || .341 || .744 || 3.9 || .9 || .3 || .6 || 6.5|-| style="text-align:left;"|2018–19| style="text-align:left;"|Bucknell| 31 || 31 || 27.8 || .536 || .380 || .808 || 8.5 || 1.2 || .4 || 1.1 || 15.8|-| style="text-align:left;"|2019–20| style="text-align:left;"|Kentucky| 28 || 7 || 19.8 || .463 || .407 || .750 || 3.8 || .8 || .4 || .6 || 5.8|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career| 128 || 39 || 18.2 || .525 || .374 || .773 || 4.9 || .8 || .3 || .7 || 8.1

Personal life

Sestina's father, Donald is a former teacher, basketball coach and athletic director for Cameron County High School and his mother, Rachelle, is also a teacher and swam collegiately at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.[1] [28] He has four siblings and his two older brothers, Andrew and Jason, both served in the U.S. Marine Corps.[29]

Sestina is engaged to former Kentucky volleyball player and current Kentucky assistant volleyball coach Madison Lilley.[30]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tipton . Jerry . September 26, 2019 . Nate Sestina playing for UK basketball creates euphoria in Emporium . December 6, 2019 . Kentucky.com.
  2. Web site: Close . Andy . September 1, 2014 . Cameron County's Nate Sestina Bucknell bound . December 6, 2019 . Bradford Era.
  3. Web site: Nate Sestina, Kentucky's newest big man, is the proudest export of a forgotten Pennsylvania hamlet. Kyle. Tucker. The Athletic. April 25, 2019. December 6, 2019.
  4. Web site: Cameron's Sestina back in action at Bucknell. Olean Times Herald. December 24, 2016. December 5, 2019.
  5. Web site: Hines . Travis . April 14, 2019 . Bucknell's Nate Sestina becomes Kentucky's latest grad-transfer addition . December 5, 2019 . Yahoo Sports.
  6. Web site: Fisher . Chris . September 24, 2019 . Look: Nate Sestina undergoes remarkable physical transformation . December 5, 2019 . 247Sports.com.
  7. Web site: Boone . Kyle . April 4, 2019 . Kentucky lands graduate transfer Nate Sestina from Bucknell, who averaged double-digits in scoring last season . December 5, 2019 . CBSSports.com.
  8. Web site: Fisher . Chris . April 16, 2019 . Kentucky commit Nate Sestina ranked among ESPN's top transfers . December 6, 2019 . 247Sports.com.
  9. Geary . Molly . April 4, 2019 . Kentucky Restocks for 2019–20 by Landing Grad Transfer Nate Sestina . December 6, 2019 . SI.com.
  10. Web site: DeCourcy . Mike . November 6, 2019 . Kentucky vs. Michigan State takeaways: Wildcats' additions start strong at 2019 Champions Classic . December 6, 2019 . SportingNews.com.
  11. Web site: Bird . Darrell . December 21, 2019 . Nate Sestina talks wrist injury, role on UK team . December 22, 2019 . 247Sports.com.
  12. Web site: Hale . Jon . November 27, 2019 . Kentucky basketball's Nate Sestina to miss extended time with broken wrist . December 6, 2019 . USA Today.
  13. News: Tipton . Jerry . December 21, 2019 . Sestina shines for Kentucky, but it's not enough against Ohio State . December 22, 2019 . Lexington Herald-Leader.
  14. Web site: Tipton . Jerry . March 2, 2020 . Senior Night sendoff won't be Sestina's first. His last one 'really threw me off.' . March 23, 2020 . Lexington Herald-Leader.
  15. Web site: Fisher . Chris . March 16, 2020 . Nate Sestina wants to return next season, Calipari says . March 23, 2020 . 247Sports.com.
  16. Web site: Fisher . Chris . March 5, 2020 . Nate Sestina named to SEC Community Service Team . March 23, 2020 . 247Sports.com.
  17. Web site: Lupo . Nicola . July 30, 2020 . Nate Sestina signing with Kyiv-Basket . July 30, 2020 . Sportando.
  18. Web site: Carchia . Emiliano . October 13, 2020 . Nate Sestina inks with Nizhny Novgorod . October 13, 2020 . Sportando.
  19. Web site: Maggi . Alessandro . November 3, 2020 . Nate Sestina leaves Nizhny Novgorod . November 3, 2020 . Sportando.
  20. Web site: Sapp . Demetris . December 1, 2020 . Brooklyn Nets Announce Training Camp Roster . December 2, 2020 . NBA.com.
  21. Web site: Fisher . Chris . November 19, 2020 . Report: Nets sign Nate Sestina . December 2, 2020 . 247sports.com.
  22. Web site: Sapp . Demetris . December 11, 2020 . Brooklyn Nets Waive Bowden and Sestina . December 11, 2020 . NBA.com.
  23. Web site: Maggi . Alessandro . March 15, 2021 . Hapoel Holon announces Nathan Sestina . March 15, 2021 . Sportando . en.
  24. Web site: Yukatel Merkezefendi'ye Amerikalı uzun. July 8, 2021. Basketfaul. tr. July 8, 2021.
  25. Web site: Nate Sestina Telekom'da. June 22, 2022. basketfaul. tr. June 22, 2022.
  26. Web site: Maggi . Alessandro . July 14, 2023 . Fenerbahce announces a 1+1 deal with Nate Sestina . June 18, 2024 . Sportando . en.
  27. Web site: Maggi . Alessandro . June 18, 2024 . Nate Sestina signs a two-year deal with Valencia Basket . June 18, 2024 . Sportando . en.
  28. Web site: Tucker . Kyle . October 16, 2019 . The Sestina family trekked to Lexington for Kentucky's annual tipoff event, and boy, was it worth it . December 6, 2019 . The Athletic.
  29. Web site: Ritzman . Kurt . March 18, 2018 . Men's College Basketball: Game plan, haircut site top to-do list for junior . December 6, 2019 . The Daily Item.
  30. Web site: Madison Lilley - Assistant Coach . Kentucky Wildcats . 12 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230812235458/https://ukathletics.com/sports/wvball/roster/coach/madison-lilley-2 . 12 August 2023.