Former first-round pick Patrick Baldwin Jr. has signed with Serbian club Crvena Zvezda, adding another NBA alumnus to a roster that already features Jonathan Motley and Jared Butler. Baldwin, taken 28th overall in the 2022 draft, spent last season with three NBA organizations, opening with the Clippers, appearing in one game for the Sixers, and finishing on a two-way contract with the Kings.
The 6’9” forward logged most of his minutes in the G League, where he averaged 21.3 points and 7.6 rebounds while converting 33.3% of his 5.3 three-point attempts per game. Crvena Zvezda finished 10th in EuroLeague play last season and was eliminated in the play-in round by Barcelona.
Johnson Heads Back to Japan
Stanley Johnson, the No. 8 pick in the 2015 draft, has joined the Gunma Crane Thunders of Japan’s B.League. Johnson played for Nagasaki Velca last year, posting 22.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while helping the club secure the league’s best record and, ultimately, the championship.
Okobo Signs Multi-Year Deal in Dubai
French point guard Elie Okobo has agreed to a multi-year contract with Dubai Basketball. Chosen 31st overall by Phoenix in 2018, Okobo is coming off a season in which he earned both regular-season MVP and Finals MVP honors in France with AS Monaco. He joins a Dubai squad already featuring Dwayne Bacon, Davis Bertans, Justin Anderson, Dzanan Musa, Mfiondu Kabengele, McKinley Wright IV, and Jaron Blossomgame.
Wembanyama Returns to National Team Duties
Victor Wembanyama has resumed training in France following a trip to the NBA Finals and is expected to rejoin the country’s World Cup qualifying roster. The 7’4” center will line up alongside Okobo and others when France opens qualification play against Slovenia on August 27.
Source: Hoops Rumors
