Justin Tillman will play in France for the first time in his pro basketball career after signing with Nanterre 92 for the upcoming season. Tillman joins Nanterre after spending last season in Greece, where he averaged 14.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for AEK Athens across all competitions. In addition to his time in the NBA G League, the former VCU Ram has also played abroad in Italy, Turkey, Israel, and China.
He will be joining a Nanterre team that will look to make the next step toward a French League championship after going 20-14 last season and advancing to the quarterfinals of the LNB Élite playoffs, and joins fellow Americans Frank Jackson and Desi Rodriguez on this year's squad.
A new year brings new signings, with several players making moves as we reach the second half of many seasons around the world. One significant signing this week is of Ricky Ledo, who signed with AEK Athens in Greece for the remainder of the 2023-2024 season. Ledo arrives in Greece having played in three countries during the 2022-2023 season, most recently with Anhui Wenyi in China.
The 31-year-old small forward will play in Greece for the first time in his 11-year career, having spent a significant amount of his career in Turkey and China. He joins an AEK Athens team that is currently in the thick of play not only in the Greek Basket League (sporting a 6-6 record) but in the Basketball Champions League as well. Athens currently sit in first place in their group with a 5-1 record, and have advanced to the knockout stage of the BCL. Ledo will join fellow Americans Langston Hall, Brandon Knight, Jordan McRae and Chasson Randle and Justin Tillman on the squad.
Our featured unsigned player this month is Andrew Nusbaum, who graduated from Grand View University (Iowa) in 2023 and is looking to further his basketball career. He's a 6'1" point guard/shooting guard from Overland Park, Kansas, who averaged 8.9 points per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 38 percent from three-point range, and 86 percent from the free throw line. A coach's son, he is a high-IQ player who is a versatile scorer, passer and defender who is looking for the next opportunity to grow his game. You can contact Andrew via email at [email protected].
Veteran point guard Brandon Brown will play in Spain for the first time in his career after signing with CD Zunder Palencia. Brown played in Israel last season, averaging 8.5 points and 2.5 assists per game for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Winner League. This will be the eleventh country that Brown has played in since his career began in 2012.
He joins a Palencia squad that will play in Liga Endesa, Spains' top division, for the very first time after being promoted last season. In addition to Brown, Palenca have also added American Tanner Leissner to the squad. The Liga Endesa season begins play on September 23.
Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany strengthened their roster with the addition of 6'7" forward Savion Flagg. He joins the team after playing in Greece last season with Lavrio BC. He also played in the NBA Summer League this past season, lacing up for the Phoenix Suns for three games. With Lavrio, Flagg averaged 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for Lavrio, and was named to the Eurobasket.com Greek A1 All-Bosmans Team at seasons' end.
He joins a Telekom Baskets Bonn side that is hoping to take home the Basketball Bundesliga title after advancing to the BBL finals last season, losing to Ratiopharm Ulm in four games. They will also need additional depth, as they'll also be competing in the Basketball Champions League. Flag joins fellow Americans Glynn Watson and Brian Fobbs on the team.
Jamuni McNeace will play in Greece next season after signing wit PAOK Thessaloniki BC in the Greek A1 Basket League. The center out of the University of Oklahoma joins the team after spending last season in Turkey, where he averaged 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for Yalovaspor in the Turkish Basketball League (TBL).
He will provide a significant post presence for a PAOK BC team that went 13-9 last season, advancing to the semifinals of the Greek Basket League playoffs. In addition to their domestic schedule, PAOK will also compete in the Basketball Champions League for the 2023-2024 season. McNeace will join fellow American Skyler Flatten on this year's squad.
Nate Mason will play in France for the first time in his professional career after signing with Le Mans Sarthe Basket ahead of the 2023-2024 season. The 6'2" guard out of Minnesota is entering his fifth season of pro hoops, having played the past two seasons with the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association. He's also spent the past two summers (2022, 2023) in Puerto Rico playing for Atleticos de San German.
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