Kieron Achara Signs in Bulgaria with Lukoil Akademik

By Sam Neter on September 18, 2013

Great Britain forward Kieron Achara has signed with defending Bulgarian champions Lukoil Akademik for the 2013-14 season.

THe 6’10” big man played for both the Glasgow Rocks and Kavala in Greece last season.

“I signed with Lukoil because they are established winners with ambition,” said Achara when talking to Hoopsfix on Wednesday morning. “They also compete in Eurocup which is appealing. I’m really looking forward to competing for championships.”

“I’ve been to Bulgaria before; I found the people very friendly and they love their basketball.”

Achara, who averaged 10.6 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist per game during GB’s Eurobasket campaign this summer, was also considering offers from his old club, Manresa, in Spain, as well as Bonn in Germany, Galil Gilboa in Israel and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

The Scot’s best game in Eurobasket was in GB’s opening upset over Israel where he had a 18 point, 13 rebound double double, and despite not advancing out of the first round, he said it was a learning experience that will help him this coming season.

“I would say that the GB campaign as a whole was a positive one because we developed into a team so quickly,” he continued. “Though, as a competitor you always want to win. The thing I will take into this season (from Eurobasket) is fighting through adversity and being more confident with more of a starting role.”

The 30 year old stretch forward, spent last season split between Glasgow Rocks (17ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.7apg and 1.0bpg) and Kavala in the Greek A1 league. In 21 games for Kavala, split between Greece’s domestic league and the Balkan League, he averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Lukoil akademik are the defending NBL champions, going 24-3 last season.

Hoopsfix wants to wish Kieron all the best for the coming season!

Image Credit: Abdul Kassim Photography

Do you like our work?

We have a tiny favour to ask. In 2018 we set out to make Hoopsfix sustainable by building our relationship directly with our readers. Up until now, Hoopsfix has been creating editorials, videos and podcasts to provide sorely missing coverage of the British game and its distinct culture and community.

We have funded Hoopsfix with our freelance work creating basketball media, but sadly that means not only does it fall behind our client’s priorities, but some of those clients are the same organisations we need to report objectively on putting us in a conflicted position.

We want to devote more time to our mission of helping British basketball reach its potential, and produce even more content for the basketball community by making Hoopsfix a sustainable 100% independent business funded directly by our readers through Patreon.

If everyone who enjoys our content chose to support us, our future would be much more secure. For as little as $3 per month, you can support Hoopsfix – and it only takes a minute.

We are tremendously honoured and humbled to have a community of people who value what we do, and we look forward to being at the forefront of the British game as it continues to evolve.

Support Hoopsfix