By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Kyle Alexander has signed a one-year contract to join Valencia, the team announced Friday.
Alexander, 25, is coming off a couple of solid campaigns Urbas Fuenlabrada. Extending his run in Spain’s Liga Endesa, he will display his talents in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague as well.
Per the press release: “Valencia Basket has reached an agreement to incorporate Canadian center Kyle Alexander (2.08, North York, 10/21/96, 25 years old) to its men’s first team for the next season. The player comes from Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, where he has played the last two seasons. This year he has averaged 9.8 points and 5 rebounds for 12.1 efficiency credits in Liga Endesa, adding 1.5 blocks per game, a figure that has helped him to be the second-best player in the competition in this facet.
Long college career
Alexander began his career at the University of Tennesee-Knoxville, where he played 4 years with the Tennesee Volunteers. In this team he went from less to more, finishing his last year with an average of 7.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. That last season, the Tennesee Volunteers were among the top 16 college teams in the country in the NCAA tournament.
Career in the United States
After not being drafted in 2019, the Miami Heat gave him the opportunity to participate in the Summer League, where he averaged 4.8 points, 6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
After this performance, Miami decided to offer him a contract in their G-League team, where he had numbers of 10.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. In addition, he was also able to debut in the NBA, where he participated in two games.
This year he repeated experience in the Las Vegas Summer League with the Portland Trail Blazers, where Xavi Albert, coach of Valencia Basket LEB Plata last season, also participated, winning the final title. Kyle participated in 4 games averaging 7.5 points, 5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 16.4 minutes on average, highlighting also his two-point shooting percentage (76.5%).
Spain as his first European experience
Liga Endesa is his first experience in Europe. In December 2020 he signed a contract with Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, where he has competed for the past two seasons. His averages have been 9.8 points, 5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game playing an average of 21 minutes.
A great defender under the hoops
Alexander has established himself as one of the best blockers in the Endesa League during the past two seasons, being among the top five in this aspect in both years in Fuenlabrada. Since the 2015-2016 season, the Canadian has been averaging more than one block per game. He is also prodigious when it comes to smashing the rim, being the fourth player with the most dunks last season.”
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL