Nizhny Novgorod is boosting their backcourt with the addition of point guard Jake Odum. The Russian team, which competes in the regional VTB United League, welcomed Odum on Twitter earlier this morning:
Odum started the season in Turkey's top division with Banvit, where he averaged 13.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in the Turkish Basketball Superleague and the Basketball Champions League. The Indiana State product joins a Novgorod team in need of help, as they are off to a 1-3 start in the VTB United League, though they are 4-1 in their FIBA Europe Cup group. This will be the fourth different country that Odum has played in throughout his career.
Rookie forward T.J. Cline is already headed to the second country of his career. Cline signed with Hapoel Holon in Israel's Winner League after starting the season in Turkey with Galatasaray. Cline played in five games total for Galatasaray, including four in the Eurocup, where he averaged 3.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in limited playing time.
Cline is a recent graduate of the University of Richmond, where he averaged 18.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Spiders his senior year and was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year. He signed with Turkish power Galatasaray in June. Cline is also known for being the son of Hall of Fame basketball player Nancy Lieberman.
After a week off, we're back with Baller of the Week - in a new country! BOTW takes us to the Netherlands, where Carrington Love stuffed the stat sheet in his team's 83-81 victory over Den Bosch, hitting six of ten from three-point range.
Love is the leading scorer and passer in the Dutch Basketball League at 20.0 points and 7.3 assists per game, leading Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden to a 6-0 start to the season and first place in the DBL. After spending his rookie season in Germany, the Wisconsin-Green Bay product may have found his place in Holland.
The Leuven Bears have announced the signing of a new American, Arizona Reid. The team announced the news via Twitter:
Reid arrives in Belgium after spending last season in France with Le Portel, averaging 6.3 points per game in only six appearances. He last played in Belgium during the 2014-2015 season for VOO Wolves Verviers-Pepinster.
Yesilgiresun could certainly use his scoring and rebounding, having finished twelfth and eleventh the last two seasons, respectively, and starting off this season with a 2-3 record.
Taylor has yet to play this season but suited up for Hapoel Holon in Israel during the 2016-2017 season. The Wisconsin product averaged 10.2 points and 4.1 assists in 25 games for Holon, coming off the bench in the majority of his appearances. Galatasaray has had a so-so start to the season, going 2-2 so far in the Turkish Basketball Superleague and an unfortunate 0-4 start in group play in the Eurocup.
We're staying in the Balkans for our Baller of the Week! BOTW takes us to Macedonia, where Thad McFadden put up HUGE numbers in the Macedonian First League. Unfortunately his team couldn't pull out the win (Feni won 109-103), but McFadden's 40 points nearly tripled his season average of 15.8 points per game. Karpos Sokoli competes in the FIBA Europe Cup in addition to the Macedonian First League (also known as Prva Liga), so those around Europe may have the chance to see this playmaker - and Baller of the Week! - in action.
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