The missing piece: Maurice Ndour signed with Hapoel!

 

 Hapoel "Bank Yahav" Jerusalem is happy to announce the signing of the experienced combo-big Maurice Ndour (31, 2.06).  The forward/center is the last signing for hapoel this summer and joins a deep, quality and intriguing roster that includes Speedy Smith, Khadeen Carrington, Levi Randolph, Zach Hankins, Brynton Lemar, Or Cornelius, Yovel Zoosman, Oz Blayzer, Chris Johnson, Noam Dovrat and Gabi Chachashvilli

 

Maurice said after the signing: "I'm excited about the opportunity to represent this amazing club. I can't wait to meet the coaches, the staff and of course my new teammates. I'm already looking forward to playing in front of all the fans and hearing their craziness. Yalla Hapoel!"

 

 Coach Aleksandar Dzikic also commented on the signing and said: "Our rosteris closed after a long selection process. Maurice is an experienced and versatile player and we believe that he will be a good match for us on and off the field."

 

The sporting director, Yonatan Alon, said: "Maurice is exactly what we were looking for to complete the squad. A combo big that can both complement our existing forward line at position 4 and hold position 5. He will contribute to us on both sides of the field thanks to his size and versatility. Maurice is coming committed and hungry and right to contribute to us from his rich experience at the highest levels in Europe."

 

Ndour, born in Senegal and raised in Japan as a teenager, is a versatile, athletic combo-big with a rich past and proven abilities on both sides of the field in the best leagues on the continent.  After finishing his collegiate career at Ohio University, he began his European journey with Real Madrid in 2015.  As a rookie, he rarely got opportunities, but was part of the team that won the double in Spain. The potential did not go unnoticed by the New York Knicks, who signed Andor the following season.  The Bigman made 32 appearances in the best league in the world and in the second half of that season he recorded 14.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and almost a block and a half per game in the Knicks development team in the G League.

 

In 2017 Ndour returned to Europe and recorded two excellent years in the Kazan uniform, with 10.4 points, almost 5 rebounds, a steal and a block per game.  In his second season Ndour won the title of the defensive player of the VTB league.  The excellent ability brought him back to the Euroleague, this time to Valencia, and in 15 minutes on average he scored 6.2 points along with 2.3 rebounds.

 

 In the following two years Ndour played in Britas Vilnius (with a short break in China) and in the second season he collaborated with a player named Speedy Smith.  In February 2022, he moved to Galatasaray, where he recorded 13.4 points along with 5.7 rebounds.  Last season Ndour decided to make a closure when he moved to play in the country where he developed as a basketball player, Japan. Now it comes to Hapoel.