By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Completing the search for a new player, SIG Strasbourg announced the addition of Rodions Kurucs.
Kurucs, 24, inked a contract for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, the team announced Monday.
The Alsace club recently parted ways with Stan Okoye and lost red-hot Matt Mitchell to the injury list for the next three months. Experienced center Ike Udanoh is sidelined as well.
The newcomer started his 2022-23 campaign at Real Betis in Spain’s Liga Endesa. After averaging 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per contest over 11 ACB appearances, he moved to the Basketball Champions League and France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A. Returning from the NBA to Europe, he played for Partizan NIS in 2021-22. His NBA experience stretched to 139 games played between the Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, and Milwaukee Bucks.
At the international level, he represented Latvia in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers playing under Luca Banchi. Therefore, he reunited with the Italian tactician at Strasbourg.
“I am very happy Rodions joined our team,” said Banchi, himself appointed as head coach just over one month ago, “We hope his arrival will have a positive impact. He is a young promising player. I would like to thank the club for doing everything possible to find a quick solution.”
With one game in hand, Strasbourg clinched the top seed in Group A of the BCL Regular Season, thus a direct ticket to the Round of 16. The team will be part of Group I with action set to start in late January. The break at the continental level will turn focus on the domestic league and effort to improve the current 5-8 record.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL