By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Most Valuable Player of the 2024 edition of the Basketball Africa League, BAL, Jo Lual-Acuil is set to bounce back in the Basketball Champions League with Manisa. The Turkish club officially welcomed the 30-year-old center on Sunday.
A member of the senior national team of South Sudan in the African Qualifiers of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the former Baylor standout joined Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem to start his professional career in 2018. With the Israeli outfit, he logged four BCL appearances, before being loaned to Hapoel Galil Elyon for the bottom end of the 2018-19 season.
In 2024, making his way to the fourth installment of the BAL as a leading player for Al-Ahly Ly, Lual-Acuil was named Defensive Player of the Year and placed on the All-BAL First Team, in addition to getting the season MVP nod.
Other former teams stretch from Liaoning Flying Leopards in China’s CBA to start the 2024-25 journey with 11.6 points per contest to the Sandringham Sabres, Melbourne United, Dynamo Lebanon, and Nanjing Monkey Kings.
Elsewhere in the top-tier club continental competition of FIBA Europe, 26-year-old E.J. Anosike moved to Filou Oostende as injury relief with Pierre-Antoine Gillet and Joppe Mennes on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Mike Davis Jr. parted ways with FIT/ONE Wurzburg Baskets after starting across all games of the 2024-25 campaigns of the Champions League and Germany’s easyCredit BBL.
Also, Giorgos Fillios left AEK Betsson to reunite with fellow Greek club Aris Midea.
Photo Credit: FIBA