By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Confirming reports about the future of Walter Tavares, Real Madrid re-upped the Cape Verdean center until the end of the 2028-29 season.
Tavares, 32, signed a five-year contract extension, the team announced on Friday.
The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague all-time leader in blocks tallied 9.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 0.7 steals over 34 appearances in the 2023-24 installment of Europe’s premier club continental competition. Reaching the championship game of the 2024 Final Four in Berlin, he fell shy of becoming a three-time champion. Wrapping up the campaign, his seventh based in the capital of Spain, Tavares won his fourth Liga Endesa title. More domestic success stretches to two Copa del Rey and six Supercopa Endesa championships.
Following up on recent announcements regarding contract extensions for head coach Chus Mateo and Croatian forward Mario Hezonja, Los Blancos re-signed the rim protector. Also, Dominican guard Andres Feliz officially joined the storied club. Facundo Campazzo, Guerschon Yabusele, and Gabriel Deck are among more players under contract. Later moves will complete the 2024-25 roster.
Before switching to Madrid in 2017, Tavares logged 13 games played in the NBA, spread between the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Launching his professional career from the youth academy of Gran Canaria, he played for the senior team of the Canary Islands outfit from 2019 to 2015.
At the international level, the major highlight was produced by representing Cape Verde in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He averaged 9.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per contest last summer.