Pops Mensah-Bonsu Signs with Besiktas
Great Britain star forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu has signed with Besiktas, and is hoping to play some of his best basketball with the Turkish side.
Talking to Hoopsfix about the move, he said:
“(I’m) Glad to be back working again, look forward to getting back on the court and playing some of my best basketball. I made this decision based on the fact that I want to go into next summer’s Olympics with the utmost confidence and a good season of basketball under my belt.”
Mensah-Bonsu, who also revealed he was considering Milan and Siena in Italy, most recently played in the French Pro A league with Asvel, and has spent the last 6 months rehabbing from a shoulder dislocation that occurred in the first round of the playoffs. He averaged 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in 14 games with Asvel, before having to miss GB’s summer Eurobasket campaign in Lithuania.
Besiktas currently have the best record in the Turkish Basketball League at 7-1 but suffered a big blow recently as NBA players Deron Williams and Semih Erden returned to the US after the lockout ended.
The 6’8″ athletic big man also had a brief stint with New Orleans Hornets last season. Pops will join fellow Brit Matthew Bryan-Amaning in Turkey, who is playing for Hacettepe.
Hoopsfix wants to wish Pops all the best for the coming season!
Image:Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images
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