By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
From a solid debut campaign in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague to a multiyear contract with Anadolu Efes shapes the 2023-24 heading for Darius Thompson.
Thompson, 28, penned a three-year contract to officially become a new player of the Istanbul outfit, the team announced Friday. Eurohoops previously reported the deal on a 2+1 contract.
Completing the exit from eToro Baskonia, the contract buyout payment was delivered to the Vitoria-Gasteiz outfit, as noted in a corresponding press release to confirm his departure. Penning a two-year contract landed him at Cazoo Baskonia last August.
Leading EuroLeague in assists and ranking second in steals, the makes of a huge signing for Efes. Moving on from the successful stint of Ergin Ataman, the Turkish club hired Erdem Can as the new head coach. Other summer signings, Tyrique Jones, Dogus Ozdemiroglu, Derek Willis, and Erkan Yilmaz were combined with contract extensions stretching from Elijah Bryant to Rodrigue Beaubois and Ertan Gazi to smooth the roster rebuild.
Thompson went for 12.6 points, 6.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per contest over 34 appearances in the 2022-23 edition of EuroLeague. However, his side ending up with an 18-16 record was one game away from the top eight in the hunt for a Playoffs spot.
At the domestic level, Thompson tallied 10.2 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game over 34 appearances. Despite ranking second in the Liga Endesa Regular Season, Baskonia was eliminated by seventh-seeded Joventut Badalona in the Quarterfinals of the Playoffs.