This summer, over 70 basketball players from other leagues came to VTB United league clubs. 16 of them played in VTB league before. Time to recall those who missed VTB league and decided to come back.
Coty Clarke, Astana
Previous VTB League clubs: UNICS (2016/17), Avtodor (2017/18)
The American Forward played only one season for teams from Kazan and Saratov where he became a real star. In 2017/18 sason Clarke was in top-3 scorers list (20.4 pts), and was the most efficient player (22.0 EFF pts), got MVP of April, and was the worthy contender on the season’s MVP award. Avtador finished regular season on the fifth place, best result in team’s history. Clarke made a huge impact to help his team to get this achievement. No wonder so brightly playing forward was chosen to participate in All-Star game in Saint-Petersburg. Last season, Coty played in Buducnost in Euroleague and averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 rebounds. Now Clarke comes back to VTB league and will play for Astana under coaching of Emil Rajkovic, the best head coach of the previous season.
Timofey Mozgov, Khimki
Previous VTB League clubs: Khimki (2009/10, 2011)
The first VTB League season was the last before Russian center moved to the NBA. In 2009/10 season Mozgov had 8 appearances for Khimki averaging 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. Two years later, NBA lockout allowed him to come back to Russia and play for Khimki again. By the way, with Mozgov in roster, Moscow region club won all 6 games beating UNICS (76:74) and Zalgiris (83:72).
2019/20 season will be the first non-NBA for Mozgov since December 2011. It’s curious that in his last European game, Timofey was guided by Rimas Kurtinaitis who had already been coaching Khimki.
Janis Strelnieks, CSKA
Previous VTB League clubs: Spartak (2011-2013)
The Latvian sniper came back after 6 years in Ukraine, Germany and Greece. In 2011-2013, he played for Spartak St. Petersburg in VTB League. The first season was not that bright, but in 2012/13 his contribution was more significant–7.2 points, 3.2 assists and 40.8% three-pointers.
Today’s Strelnieks is back to the League with Euroleague experience and CSKA office sees him as one of the key players.
Drew Gordon, Zielona Gora
Previous VTB League clubs: Zenit (2017/18)
Zenit’s Gordon had all eyes on him thanks to his dunks and blocks. However, Drew’s no.1 moment in VTB League was probably winning buzzer against Loko:
The forward became one of Zenit leaders and was chosen to play in All-Star in St. Petersburg. The blue-whites reached Final Four 2018, but Gordon missed it due to injury.
After a year in NBA G-League’s Long Island Nets, Drew is back to VTB League. Gordon signed with Polish Zielona Gora and will do his best to make them a sensation of the new season.
Jeremy Evans, Khimki
Previous VTB League clubs: Khimki (2016)
In the autumn 2016, Evans came to Khimki after 6 years in NBA and G-League. Khimki chose him as a player who could help qualify to Euroleague, and take VTB League title. Moreover, Evans was one of the top contenders at the first dunk contest at the All-Star Game in Sochi.
Unluckily, Evans was injured after 4 games for Khimki. Jeremy came back to the USA, played in the NBA and G-League, and last summer signed with Darussafaka. In 27 Euroleague games, he averaged 9.7 points and 26 minutes.
Mantas Kalnietis, Lokomotiv-Kuban
Previous VTB League clubs: Zalgiris (2009-2012), Lokomotiv-Kuban (2012-2015)
Fans remember guard as one of the Lokomotiv leaders who made VTB League finals and earned Euroleague wild card. It should be mentioned that Kalnietis played in VTB league since its foundation. He had been playing for Zalgiris for 3 years. Although he was averaging his career-high stats as a Lokomotiv-Kuban player: 12.4 pts, 4.5 reb and 42% of 3P FG during 2012/13 season
“Welcome home, Mantas!” – that is how Lokomotiv announced its experienced guard return. How good will be Kalnietis’ second try in Krasnodar?
Tomislav Zubcic, Enisey
Previous VTB League clubs: Lietuvos Rytos (2013), Avtodor (2016), Nizhnyi Novgorod (2016-17)
Firstly the center played for Lietuvos Rytas but wasn’t impressive averaging only 3.9 points per game. After a few years as Avtodor and Nizhnyi Novgorod player Tomislav became much more efficient. 7 foot tall Zubcic was a threat from beyond the arc, his 39% 3P FG in 2016/17 proves that.
No wonder Enisey, that signed new croatian head coach Drazen Anzulovic was interested in Tomislav.
Orlando Johnson, Avtodor
Previous VTB League clubs: UNICS (2016/17)
September, 2016 Johnson signed unprotected conrtact with Milwaukee, but was unloaded from the active roster before the beginnig of the season. Forward moved to Kazan and played 8 games for UNICS. Orlando’s most memorable achievement in UNICS is 34 points in win against PARMA (98:105). He averaged impressive 15.9 points with high field goal percentage.
Now Johnson joins Avtodor and as an UNICS player will play under Evgenyi Pashutin’s coaching.
Alex Renfroe, Zenit
Previous VTB League clubs: VEF (2009/10), Enisey (2013/14)
Alex spent both of his VTB league seasons on a high level. As a VEF player he was averaging 14.8 points, as a Enisey player – 13.6 points and 6.6 assists. It was Krasnodar where he set up his career highs in points (31 against Kalev) and assists (13 against Spartak).
After a year in Enisey Alex was “promoted” to German Alba of Euroleague. Later he played in Spain, Turkey and Serbia. Renfroe came to Zenit as one of the best point guards of Eurocup
Vladimir Veremeenko, Tsmoki-Minsk
Previous VTB League clubs: UNICS (2009-2014), Nizhnyi Novgorod (2017/18)
Consistency is the main advantage of Vladimir. During all 6 seasons in VTB league he never had been averaging more than 10 points per game and less than 7.5. For his teams he was useful on both sides of the court, doing all the “dirty job”.
Veremeenko repeatedly told that he wouldn’t join Tsmoki but signed with this team a weel ago. He confessed that he decided to become a Tsmoki player mostly because new team’s head coach Rostislav Vergun, who he had been playing with in junior national teams, had been asking him.
Valeryi Likhodei, UNICS
Previous VTB League clubs: Spartak (2011/12), Lokomotiv-Kuban (2012-2014), UNICS (2014-2016), Khimki (2016/17)
Likhodei is one of the most experienced players on this list. Throughout his long career veteran played for 4 VTB league clubs and participated in 135 games overall. He was averaging his best stats in 2011/12 season as a Spartak player: 7.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 42% 3P FG.
After 2 years in Lithuania, Italy and Poland Valeryi comes back to UNICS. He have never been playing under Dimitrios Priftis coaching but probably will do his best to help his “current-ex” team to reach the highest-expected results in VTB league and Eurocup both.
Dairis Bertans, Khimki
Previous VTB League clubs: VEF (2010-2013)
Back in 2010 young and ambitious guard became a VEF player, where he started progressing rapedely “under the wing” of Rimas Kurtinaitis. Bertans spent 3 seasons in Riga averaging 10.2 points. Surprisingly Dairis had only 25% beyond the arc.
Now Bertans comes back comes back in VTB League with experience of 6 years playing in Euroleague, Eurocup and even NBA. Latvian significantly improved his threepointer – in last season for Milan he had 49% 3P FG. It is interesting that in VTB league he will be playing with Rimas Kurtinaitis again.
Sten Sokk, Kalev
Previous VTB League clubs: Kalev (2015-2018)
Sten Sokk, who multiple times was recognized as the best young Estonian player in 2000s, joined the most awarded team of his country only in 2015 when he was 26. He was a bench point guard for 3 years ,originally under Alar Varrak coaching, and then under Donaldas Kajjris. Averaging 5,9 pts and 3,5 reb for 20 minutes on the court.
In summer, 2018 he decided to move to Greece and signed with Iraklis, but now came back to the capital of Estonia and to the VTB League.
Aigars Skele, Kalev
Previous VTB League clubs: VEF (2014/15)
Armand Skele’s younger brother tried to become a starting player in VEF during the 2014-2015 season but it was too stiff to handle: Aigars played only 4 games in VTB League, and didn’t score a single point. In summer guard left Riga, and last season moved to France, where he found steady game time in Antibes.
During this off-season Skele junior received an offer from Kalev, and returned to the VTB League.
Ludvig Hakanson, Zielona Gora
Previous VTB Laegaue clubs: VEF (2015/16)
Ambitious guard started his career in his motherland, in Sweden, and then got Barcelona interested in him and even spent few games in Euroleague. During the 2015/2016 season he was leased to VEF, where participated in 14 games in VTB League, averaging 10,1 points and 5,4 rebounds. One of his best games against Astana Hakanson had 14 rebounds, and in match against Nymburk he scored 19 points.
After a year loan, swede returned to Spain. Last 2 seasons he spent in Estudiantes.
Aliaksandr Pustahvar, Tsmoki-Minsk
Previous VTB League clubs: Nizhnyi Novgorod (2011/12), Tsmoki-Minsk (2012/13)
Belorussian forward can already be called veteran: he started his career in 2001, and Nizhny Novgorod has become his 8th club. It was Nizhny Novgorod where Pustahvar spent his first season in VTB League, averaging 3 points in 10 minutes. Summer, 2012 Aliaksandr joined Tsmoki-Minsk, where he got more minutes on the court and improved his statistics.
Last 3 seasons Aliaksandr Pustahvar spent in Magyar Championship, and now returned to Belorussian capital
