Basketball ambition: To be successful in my club career, reach the highest levels of professional basketball and to consolidate my place in the Hungarian senior national squad.
Professional ambition: To play for leading European clubs and to make it into the WNBA.
Private ambition: After completing my university degree in Economics, I also want to study Law. When my basketball career is over, my brother and I will go into business together.
Favourite place in Hungary: Sopron
Favourite place elsewhere: Monaco
Favourite food/dish: Grilled chicken and cheese dumpling
Favourite actor/actress: Anthony Hopkins/Renee Zellweger
Favourite film: Shakespeare In Love
Favourite music: Rap, hip hop, R&B
Favourite singers: R. Kelly, J-Lo
Most exciting basketball memory: One point win and my scoring the last second winning basket over Lithuania in European Young Women's Championship semi final round match, which qualified us for the 2002 finals
Most interesting basketball memory: Winning the Ronchetti Cup final with GySEV-Ringa Sopron
Funniest basketball memory: One of my passes accidentally whacking the referee in the head, who got a bit woozy from it. I'm not sure he thought it funny!
Most interesting coach: László Rátgéber, coach of the Hungarian senior national team
Best coach: Phil Jackson
Best player (Hungarian): Judit Balogh (GySEV-Ringa Sopron)
Best player (elsewhere): Cathy Melain (France)
FIRST . . .
. . . job: Up till now only basketball and university studies
. . . car: My current one, a white Suzuki Swift
. . . pet: Oscar the dog
. . . shirt number (mez szam): 15 - the number I still wear in the national team
. . . idol: Michael Jordan
. . . official basketball match: My Hungarian Professional First Division debut at the age of 13 with Soproni Postas against DKSK
. . . basketball memory: Playing the game for the first time at the age of nine
. . . decision: Making the decision to move from my home town at age 13, to play basketball in Sopron
. . . date: When I was ten years old, with a school friend
. . . love: At 15
. . . success: Finishing third in the Hungarian Championship for 10-year-olds, when I was picked in the tournament All Star team
. . . coach: Ferenc Kovács in my hometown of Szombathely
CLUB CAREER
2007/08 Lulea, Sweden
2006/07Chemnitz ChemCats, Germany (Bundesliga 1)
2005/06 MTSV Schwabing, Germany (Bundesliga 1)
2004/05 Zala Volan (Hungarian First Division)
2003/04 - Rist Wedel, Germany (Bundesliga 1)
2002/03 - KSC Szekszard (Hungarian First Division)
2001/02 - Szolnoki MAV-Coop (Hungarian First Division)
1997/2001 - GySEV-Ringa Sopron (Hungarian First Division)
1995/97 - Soproni Postas (Hungarian First Division)
1991/95 - Szombathely (Junior Division)
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS
2003 - Universiade, Korea
2002 - European Young Women's Championship, finals in Croatia, captain
2001 - EURO 2003(European Senior Championship)qualifying round
2001 - European Young Women's Championship, semi-final round, 1st place, captain
2000 - European Youth Championship (born 1982 or later), semi final round -
All Star Five
2000 - European Junior Championships (born 1980 or later), finals, 7th place
1997-2000 -
Hungarian National Junior team, captain
1996 - European Cadet Championships 8th place
1994-1996 -
Hungarian National Cadet team
GOVERNMENT DECORATIONS
1999 - Decorated with "Outstanding Sports Star, Outstanding Student" Medal of the Republic of Hungary
1997 - Decorated with "Outstanding Sports Star, Outstanding Student" Medal of the Republic of Hungary
1996 - Decorated with "Outstanding Sports Star, Outstanding Student" Medal of the Republic of Hungary
CLUB HONOURS
2006 - German National Cup semi-finals
2005 - Hungarian League playoffs
2005 - FIBA Eurocup
2002 - Hungarian League playoffs
2001 - Hungarian Championship silver medallist
2001 - Hungarian Cup silver medallist
2001 - Hungarian Youth Cup silver medallist
2001 - Hungarian Division 1B winner (played both Premier League Division 1A and also Div 1B for Sopron)
2000 - Euroleague quarter finalist
2000 - Hungarian Championship silver medallist
1999 - Euroleague quarter finalist
1999 - Hungarian Cup silver medallist
1999 - Hungarian Championship winner
1998 - Ronchetti Cup winner
1998 - Hungarian Championship silver medallist
1998 - Hungarian Cup silver medallist
PERSONAL DETAILS
University of Western Hungary - Bachelor of Economics
Languages - Hungarian, German and English
Status - Married
More personal information at the end of the statistics section below.
Eszter, Hungary's best young player of the past decade, returned to basketvall outside her homeland this season and has been a smash hit in the highly competitive German Bundesliga. Last season she played for Hungarian League club Zala Volan, assuming a starring role in domestic eand FIBA Europe Cup action. International Representation - Selected in Hungarian Senior National Squad, November 2001. Hungary (Senior - 1, Junior - 32, Youth - 20, Cadet - 35). Current national junior team captain. Member of Hungary's squad for the 2003 Universiade in Korea. Eszter is planning to reach the top echelons of her profession over the next few seasons. Her list of honours in domestic and international competition is quite amazing for one so young. Only 24 years old, Eszter is a young woman of maturity way beyond her actual age and is one of the most promising talents in Europe, determined to succeed at the highest levels of the professional game. She is looking to take the another step up the ladder in Western Europe, having already succeeded in the tough environment of the Hungarian and German Leagues. Eszter is looking for a start in 2006-2007 with an ambitious, well coached club where she will have the opportunity to assume considerable responsibility and a leadership role.
Eszter's main strength, in addition to her basketball skills, is her professionalism, discipline and ability to settle easily and seamlessly into a new environment.
2004-2005 HUNGARIAN PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE - Zala Volan ZTE
2002-2003 HUNGARIAN PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE - Atomeromu KSC Szekszard
TOTALS
GP ST PT MIN 2PT/M 2PT/A 2PT% 2PT/M 2PT/A 2PT% 3PT/M 3PT/A 3P%
ENJOY A GLIMPSE OF OUR BRILLIANT HUNGARIAN IN ACTION: Creator of scoring opportunities for her team mates, or a deadly effective scorer herself, ESZTER CSONTOS (blue uniform #9) is the complete package.
