{{short description|American basketball player}}{{BLP sources|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox basketball player | name = Anthony Paez | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|06|18}} | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York | height = 6 ft 7 in<ref name=picks></ref> }}
'''Anthony Paez''' (born 1984) is an American basketball player, who played professionally in Europe. He played varsity basketball at Lehigh Senior High School in Florida, where he set the school record for most career points and won the Class 4A District 12 championships. He played NCAA basketball at Stephen F. Austin State University. He then signed with Danish club AaB Aalborg for the 2006-7 season, where he led league in scoring, followed by a few years with the Worcester Wolves in the British Basketball League where he became a league star. Paez returned to the Florida where he became a high school basketball coach.
== Early life and education == Paez was born on June 18, 1984,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Player Stats – Anthony Paez |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/23236/anthony-paez |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=ESPN}}</ref> in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Bernardo Paez, had played football at the University of Pittsburgh.<ref name="young-gun">{{cite news |last=Dorsey |first=David |date=Feb 4, 2000 |title=He Heads the Young Guns |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/212561093 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=5C |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The family moved to Lehigh Acres, Florida in 1994.<ref name="young-gun" />
== Varsity basketball == Paez attended Lehigh Senior High School, graduating in 2022.<ref name="honor" /> Paez finished his high school career with a school record 1,708 points and, in his senior year, was named to the Class 4A All State Second Team.<ref name="sparks">{{cite news |last=Dorsey |first=David |date=April 9, 2002 |title=Anthony Paez: Boys Basketball Player of the Year – Senior star sparks Lightning |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/218231328 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=4C |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> He also played in the City of Palms Classic opposite Leon Powe.<ref name="sparks" /> He led the team to wins at the Class 4A District 12 championships, the school's first,<ref name="barron">{{cite news |last=Hardwig |first=Greg |date=Feb 17, 2002 |title=Barron Loses to Lehigh, 66-60 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/804069061 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=The Naples Daily News |pages=2C |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and the Pepsi Big Eight Invitational.<ref name="sparks" />
After high school, Paez attended Central Florida Community College in Ocala where he led the team in points and rebounds in first year.<ref name="titans">{{cite news |last=Dorsey |first=David |date=Feb 14, 2003 |title=Titans Inspiration Talks at Canterbury |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/218130624 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=4C |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> At the end of the first year, he made the decision to stay for a second year to get more playing time rather than to be a second stringer at a bigger school.<ref name="remain">{{cite news |last=Handel |first=Craig |date=May 1, 2003 |title=Lehigh's Paez to Remain at Community College |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/213556398 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=6C |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> At CFCC, he was named a junior college All-American.<ref name="picks">{{cite news |last=Handel |first=Craig |date=April 15, 2004 |title=Ex-Lehigh player Paez picks Stephen F. Austin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/220569657 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=C4 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
Paez obtained an associates degree from CFCC<ref name="honor">{{cite news |last=Culver |first=Dennis |date=Jan 6, 2007 |title=Paez Honored |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/222053284 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=C5 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas where he majored in kinesiology<ref name="tomorrow">{{cite news |last=Handel |first=Craig |date=Mar 7, 2006 |title=Lehigh grad's team down to no-tomorrow scenario |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/221188453 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=C2 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and played college basketball from 2004-2006.<ref name=":0" /> In the 2004–05 season, Paez made appearances in 27 games,<ref name="crop">{{cite news |date=March 19, 2006 |title=The Current Crop – Anthony Paez |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/220967000 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=C14 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> averaging 27 minutes per game, as well as 10.8 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game and a .705 free-throw percentage. In his second season, his stats improved slightly as did his minutes. In 29 appearances, the small forward averaged 11.6 points and 4.7 boards per outing.<ref name="crop" /><ref name=":1" />
== Professional basketball == After graduation, Paez signed a deal with Danish club AaB Aalborg for the 2006-7 season. He led the league with an average of 27.73 points per game,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |date=29 August 2007 |title=Wolves sign American ace |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/articles/2007/08/29/wolves_signing_feature.shtml |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=BBC |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref name="guest">{{cite news |last=Guest |first=Tom |date=Aug 29, 2007 |title=Paez signing lifts Wolves ambitions: Worcester's latest acquisition arrives with impressive pedigree |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1214319886 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=Worcester News |pages=40 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and was named to the Basketliga All-Star Game<ref name="guest" /> and finishing 2nd in the 2007 Slam Dunk competition.
In 2007, he joined the Worcester Wolves in the British Basketball League<ref name=":1" /> where he soon became a league star.
== Coaching == After playing, Paez returned to Florida where he became a high school basketball coach. He was an assistant coach of the East Lee County boys team,<ref name="brief">{{cite news |date=May 29, 2014 |title=In Brief: East Lee Hires Boys Hoop Coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/108928330 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=C2 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> followed by two years as the head coach for the girls team,<ref name="brief" /> followed by two years in the top job for the boys team from 2014 to 2016.<ref name="wait">{{cite news |last=Mull |first=Cory |date=Dec 27, 2016 |title=Worth the Wait |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/256081292 |url-access=subscription |work=News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |pages=C1 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Career history== *2006-07 {{flagicon|Denmark}} AaB Aalborg *2007-2008 {{flagicon|UK}} Worcester Wolves *2008–present {{flagicon|Hungary}} Dombóvár KC *2008–present {{flagicon|UK}} Worcester Wolves *2009-2010 {{flagicon|Austria}} Oberwart Gunners
== References == {{Reflist}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Paez, Anthony}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriate basketball people in Austria Category:American expatriate basketball people in Denmark Category:American expatriate basketball people in Hungary Category:American expatriate basketball people in the United Kingdom Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Brooklyn Category:Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball players Category:Worcester Wolves players Category:Small forwards