Foreign player Stokes, staying home Professional basketball team Sono's worries deepen
Foreign player Stokes, staying home Professional basketball team Sono's worries deepen
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The worries of Goyang Sono, a professional basketball team preparing for the new season, have deepened as foreign player Janelle Stokes, who had high expectations as a former member of the National Basketball Association (NBA), did not join on time.
Janelle Stokes was nowhere to be found on the Sono team that left for Taipei, Taiwan, their training camp, via Gimpo International Airport on the 11th. The only foreign player accompanying them was Alan Williams.
Stokes, who had promised to enter the country and leave for Taipei together by that day, did not keep his promise.
It has been reported that the player's side is of the opinion that more time is needed before joining the team.
However, the club cannot help but feel frustrated as the date of joining has been postponed several times and he has not shown up even on the day that was finally agreed upon.
Stokes, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, is a big man with a height of 201 cm and a weight of 115 kg.
He was selected 35th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft and played in 28 games for the Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, and Denver Nuggets.
From 2017 to 2020, he played in the Chinese Professional Basketball League, but left the court for a while to pursue the film business.
It has been reported that the reason for the postponement of joining is that he needed time to sort out his personal business.
With starting forward Allen Williams suffering from a knee injury, Sono expected that Stokes, who has NBA experience and is good at handling the ball, would ease his burden
However, with Sono's joining the team itself becoming uncertain, he is now in a position where he has to reconsider whether or not he will join the team for the 2024-2025 season.
Stokes reportedly said he would join the team straight away at the training camp.
However, the club is seriously considering whether it is right to include Stokes, who has broken his promises several times, in its plans for the new season.
However, with the KBL Cup, a preliminary match for the 2024-2025 season, approaching in less than a month, it is not an easy task to find new foreign players with skills.
Sono plans to increase its organizational skills through practice matches against Taiwanese professional teams such as Taoyuan Leopards and Fubon Braves during the ten-day training period until the 20th.
For now, Sono has decided to stick to his set schedule regardless of Stocks joining.
After arriving at their accommodations in Taipei, the players 카지노 immediately started weight training and checked their physical condition.
Both coach Kim Seung-gi and the players have given favorable reviews to Williams, who joined early and got used to the domestic players, unlike Stokes.
Williams, a 203cm tall center who appeared in 67 games for the NBA's Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets, was recognized by the coaching staff for his character as well as his skills.
A Sono official said, "He is a player who steps up first even in practice games and tries to liven up the team atmosphere. He follows instructions well and it seems he is trying hard to adapt to the new team."