Veteran forward James Ennis has signed a contract to play in Russia with BC Samara, the team announced in a press release (hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando).
The 32-year-old most recently played in Israel with Hapoel Haifa, as our JD Shaw reported back in March. Ennis averaged 14.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .402/.383/.804 shooting in nine games with Haifa, per RealGM.
Ennis has played parts of eight seasons in the NBA, including a trio of 10-day deals with three different teams (the Nets, Clippers and Nuggets) last season for a total of seven games. In 2020/21, Ennis played 41 games (37 starts, 24.0 MPG) for Orlando, averaging 8.4 PPG and 4.0 RPG on .473/.433/.805 shooting.
In total, he has appeared in 395 NBA games (140 starts, 20.3 MPG) with averages of 6.7 PPG and 3.3 RPG on .457/.360/.797 shooting for Miami, Memphis, New Orleans, Detroit, Houston and Philadelphia, as well as the aforementioned teams.
How did he not get signed last season is my question?
Him and Tyler Johnson were the two last year that I just did not understand, Maybe Glenn Robinson, Jabari Parker, and Kanter as other guys who should have been on a roster too close the year. Even though Parker and Kanter were on the rosters at one point.
He was signed, actually, by three teams, it’s in the article as well. He had a 10-day contract with BKN, PHI and LAC during the Covid days early in the season.
Tyler Johnson also had 10-day contracts last year, with PHi and SAS
You’d think w the Griner situation that American athletes would stay clear
As long as he’s not dealing drugs, he should be fine.
That was a very dumb decision as he will not be allowed to participate in European completions in the future such Eurocup and Euroleague. I think that teams like Baskonia, Zalgiris and Valencia could use a veteran PG like him.
Dennis Rodman is going to Russia to meet Putin
What for? They both too old to party.
Gotta respect someone who will go anywhere to play basketball and make a living! Opportunities are everywhere around the world!
poor judgement
Hope he remembers to leave his vape carts at home.
How could anyone put their morals aside and play for a country that kills women and children. After the sham they did to the WNBA player you would think he stay clear of them.
I’ll admit that it’s an odd choice to sign with a Russian team with the current situation. Without getting to political though if you based your decision on where to play on the fact that the country that kills women and children you honestly wouldn’t have to many countries to choose from.
When it comes to money many people do not care about morals or the right thing to do. I had a Tabaco company offer me some nice pay to work for them. I turned it down because knowing a product that kills their customers slowly was not what I wanted on my conscience. it must have been the only offer he received because why would you want to go there?
Tabasco flavored cigarettes’? Now they have gone too far !
Sounds like you’re talking about the “500,000 dead Iraqi children were worth it” U.S. of A.
Hope he doesn’t vape residue with him when he flys over there lol
He was supposed to sign with the Lakers last year.