Longtime NBA guard Shabazz Napier has signed a one-year contract with BC Zenit Saint Petersburg, the Russian basketball club tweets.
Napier, who turned 30 this month, did not play in the NBA this season. He saw action in a combined 56 games with the Timberwolves and Wizards in 2019-20. He averaged 10.3 PPG and 4.7 APG in 24.0 MPG in those contests, which included 32 starts. He also appeared in 56 games with the Nets the previous season, averaging 9.4 PPG and 2.6 APG in 17.6 MPG.
He’s also had stints with the Heat, Magic and Trail Blazers. Overall, Napier has averaged 7.1 PPG and 2.5 APG in 345 NBA games.
In a EuroHoops.net post, coach Xavi Pascual called Napier and “excellent acquisition.”
“Shabazz Napier is an excellent acquisition for our club, and I am very glad that he chose Zenit to make his first basketball step in Europe,” Pascual said. “Shabazz is the kind of player who leads the team in offense and is very good at making important decisions. With his experience, he is a player who leads a team to create and make important decisions. He is very good at developing a quick offense, has great ball handling and is very versatile.“
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