By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After four years as a key member of Anadolu Efes, James Anderson was released and became a free agent, the team announced Friday.
The lengthy run included the back-to-back Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championships in 2021 and 2022. In 2019 and 2021, he was crowned champion in Turkey’s BSL. Both EuroLeague and BSL abandoning the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic may have shortened the list of titles over the four years.
Anderson, 33, joined the team based in Istanbul in 2018. Coming in with the experience of three EuroLeague seasons between Zalgiris, Darussafaka, and Khimki Moscow Region, he since upped his total of games played to 223, including 134 with Efes.
His career additionally includes 257 appearances in the NBA between the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Sacramento Kings. The Oklahoma State product was selected with the 20th overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft by the Spurs.
More than a decade later and deep into a solid run overseas, he was limited to 28 appearances through the 2021-22 season, he averaged 3.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks per EuroLeague game. At the domestic level, he had 8.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per BSL contest.
The team guided by Ergin Ataman has been extremely busy early in the offseason following the second EuroLeague championship in a row. Besides officially adding Will Clyburn, four players have inked a contract extension, Shane Larkin, Bryant Dunston, Bugrahan Tuncer, and Erten Gazi.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net