By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
Galatasaray keeps on bringing in new pieces to try to make a statement in next year’s Turkish Basketball Super League and especially Basketball Champions League. After Jonah Radebaugh, Ismet Akpinar, Bugrahan Tuncer, Samet Geyik, Miralem Halilovic, and Akwasi Yeboah, the red-and-yellow side welcomes Corey Walden, who won’t be coached by Pablo Laso in Bayern Munich.
Starting only four games out of 29, the 30-year-old American guard averaged 8.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in his second Bavarian season under coach Andrea Trinchieri. In his first EuroLeague season with Bayern Munich, he had 9.8 points per game with 42.5% from three.
Before moving to Germany, the EKU Colonels’ product played in the 2015-16 G-League with the Maine Red Claws, making the overseas jump to Filou Oostende the following year. He then wore the jerseys of Hapoel Holon, Partizan Belgrade, and Crvena Zvezda.
Galatasaray Nef güçlenmeye devam ediyor! 💪
🦁Ailemize hoş geldin… 💛❤️ pic.twitter.com/wFRnb4c3i6
— Galatasaray Basketbol (@GSBasketbol) July 10, 2023
Elvar Fridriksson moves to PAOK, Tofas adds Omar Prewitt
Elsewhere, the 28-year-old Icelandic playmaker stays in the BCL but by changing jersey. After arriving at the European Round of 16 and at the LKL Finals with Rytas Vilnius, Elvar Fridriksson officially joins PAOK to potentially replace Jaylen Hands, who already moved to Peristeri.
In the 2022-23 Basketball Champions League campaign, the point guard averaged 11.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game alongside Marcus Foster. In the best-of-three Play-Ins series against his newest team PAOK, he contributed to Rytas Vilnius’ 2-1 win. Before joining the Lithuanian team in 2022, Elvar Fridriksson played also with Royal Antwerp in Belgium and for a small amount of time in Italy with Derthona Basket. The black-and-white Greek team also announced the addition of Skyler Flatten, who had 12.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game with Bakken Bears last season.
In the Basketball Champions League, we will also see next season the 28-year-old small forward Omar Prewitt, who joins Tofas Bursa. The former CEZ Nymburk and Brose Bamberg American player is coming off a solid season in Turkey with Aliağa Petkimspor, averaging 15.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
✍️ 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝟯! Birleşik Amerikalı forvet 𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘁 ile anlaşma sağladık. 𝗔𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 hoş geldin! @OBoom_4 💙💚 #WelcometoFamily #WeStayTOGETHER #BirlikteZaferlere
🔗 https://t.co/ksbY6ntHlA pic.twitter.com/34f7xykixE
— TOFAŞ Spor Kulübü (@TofasSporKulubu) July 10, 2023
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League