Former Boston Celtics rookie Ben Bentil signs for Bilbao
Ghanaian basketball star Ben Bentil has agreed to a contract with Bilbao Basket of the Spanish Liga ACB, according to El Correo.
The former 51st overall NBA draft pick by the Boston Celtics in 2016 will continue his professional career overseas in the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system.
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He will turn out at the 10,014 capacity Bilbao Arena located in the city of Bilbao, Spain.
The 23-year-old spent the beginning of the current season in France with Chalons-Reims, scoring 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 25 minutes per game.
Bentil made history on March 2, 2017 when he became the first player born in the country to play in the NBA on his debut with the Dallas Mavericks.
As part of efforts to groom the next generation of Ghanaian basketball players, he also held separate basketball clinics at the Takoradi Technical University and the University of Ghana basketball courts.
The clinic, an initiative of Ben Bentil Skills Camp, an NGO, brought together players aged 14 to 21 years and taught them the latest skill and techniques of basketball.
Background
Bentil (6-9, 235) was drafted by Boston in the second round (51st overall pick) of the 2016 NBA Draft. He signed with the Celtics on July 27, 2016, but was later waived by the club on October 21 after appearing in three preseason games with the team.
On October 31, Bentil was acquired by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League. After appearing in just one D-League game for the Mad Ants, he left the team in mid-November to play in China for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. On Jan. 16, Bentil returned to the Mad Ants after appearing in 11 games for Xinjiang.
In 13 D-League games (three starts) for the Mad Ants this season, Bentil averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 24.1 minutes per game.
A native of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, Bentil played two seasons at Providence from 2014-16. As a sophomore in 2015-16, he led the Big East in scoring (21.1 ppg), field goals made (246) and free throws made (194) en route to earning First Team All-Big East and Big East Most Improved Player honors. Bentil declared for the NBA Draft following his sophomore season.
