Tsmoki-Minsk strengthened its roster with the addition of Maalik Wayns, a 28-year-old point guard who has played abroad since 2015 after starting his career in the United States. Wayns joins the team after splitting the 2018-2019 season between Italy and France, starting with De'Longhi Treviso in Italy's Serie A2 and before moving to Levallois Metropolitans in France's LNB Pro A. Overall, the former Villanova star averaged 9.7 points and 3.1 assists per game, though his minutes and points per game averages dipped after moving to France.
Tsmoki-Minsk will certainly need Wayns to produce immediately as they look to rebound from a disastrous season in the VTB United League, where they finished in last place with a 4-22 record. International hoops veteran Jamar Abrams should also provide a boost for the Belurusian team.
Stacy Davis is the newest player for BC Nokia in Finland after signing with the team August 26. He joins the squad after splitting time last year between Mexico and Slovakia, starting the season with Soles de Mexicali before finishing the year with BC Prievidza. In his third year of pro hoops, the Pepperdine product averaged 15.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the season, including a 16.6 points per game clip while playing in Slovakia.
Davis will join a Nokia team that slipped into the Korisliiga playoffs last season despite finishing six games under .500 with a 17-23 record - though they did get swept in the first round of the playoffs. Nokia has seen varying levels of success since being promoted to Finland's top division in 2015, with their best finish coming in 2018 when they made the league semifinals.
After playing last season in Greece, William Buford has signed in Italy for the upcoming season after inking with Virtus Roma in Lega Basket Serie A. Though Buford has played in many places during his eight years as a pro, this will be his first time playing in Italy.
Michael "Juice" Thompson is staying in France after signing with BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque ahead of the 2019-2020 season. He spent the 2018-2019 season playing for Le Mans Sarthe Basket.
For the first time in his career, Jeff Roberson will be a baller abroad. Roberson signed a contract Aug. 21 with Trefl Sopot in Poland, linking up with the team ahead of his second season of professional basketball. The Vanderbilt product spent his rookie season playing for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League, where he averaged 4.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while playing 20.7 minutes per for for the team. He joins a Trefl Sopot team that narrowly escaped relegation from the Polish first division last season after finishing in second-to-last place with a 7-23 record.
Though there was some early success for Sopot when they joined the league in 2009, the past few years have been consistent finishes in the bottom half of the division, and with this year's influx of Americans (including Carlos Medlock and Cameron Ayers), the team is hoping it can turn things around.
Boulazac Basket Dordogne has announced its signing of veteran shooting guard Kyle Gibson, per Sportando and several outlets. Gibson joins the team from Turkey, where he spent the 2018-2019 season suiting up for Besiktas in the Turkish Basketball Super League. The Louisiana Tech product averaged 10.6 points per game across all competitions last season, including 12.1 points per game BSL league play as his team not only advanced to the quarterfinals of the BSL playoffs, but also to the round of 16 in the Basketball Champions League.
A vet of the international basketball scene, Gibson has played for a different team every season he's been abroad after starting his career in the U.S. with the Canton Charge (NBA G League), including a prior year in France during the 2016-2017 season. Boulazac will look to improve in their third year in France's top division after finishing in tenth place in the LNB Pro A last season.
Former NBA player Orlando Johnson is headed to Russia after signing with Avtodor Saratov in the VTB United League. A veteran of more than 100 NBA games, Johnson has bounced between the United States and playing abroad his entire career. Most recently, the 30-year-old swingman played in Bosnia and Tawain during the 2018-2019 season, starting the year with Igokea of the Adriatic League before playing in the Super Basketball League in Taiwan in 2019. A second-round NBA draft pick in 2012, Johnson has played for four NBA teams and two NBA G League teams in his career, most recently with the Austin Spurs in 2017. He joins an Avtodor team that is looking to rebound after a disappointing 2018-2019 season in which they finished with a 9-17 record and missed the league playoffs. Johnson is the fourth American to sign ahead of this season, joining other notable American veterans Isaiah Hicks, Tobin Carberry and Markel Starks.
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