Local Hoops: Maccabi Tel Aviv signs it first new player.
By ALLON SINAIMaccabi Tel Aviv 311(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Just four days after claiming its 49th Israeli championship, Maccabi Tel Aviv signed its first new player for the 2011/12 campaign on Monday, adding center Shawn James to its roster.With Maccabi to play in the Adriatic League next season – adding 26 games to its schedule – the yellow-and-blue is eager to bolster its roster, and it wasted no time in bringing in one of the best players in the BSL in recent seasons.The 27-year-old James has played for Bnei Hasharon over the past three seasons after not being selected in the 2008 NBA draft, and has led the Israeli league in blocks in each of his seasons in the BSL, while also leading it in rebounds in 2010/11.“I’m very happy that Shawn is joining us. He fits our concept and thinking,” Maccabi coach David Blatt said of the center, who averaged 13.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks last season. “He has an extraordinary character and very impressive qualities as a player. He will help strengthen us in the aspects we struggled with this season – rebounding and blocking. We had a strong front court before we signed James and now it will be even stronger.”
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