Serge Ibaka is joining the wave of NBA veterans who are taking their talents to Europe. Ibaka, who spent 15 seasons in the NBA, has agreed to a deal with EuroLeague side Bayern Munchen.
Ibaka inked a one-year deal with Bayern for the 2023-24 season. The financial details of the agreement remain under wraps.
Ibaka will try to help Bayern side regain its dominance in the domestic league and end the four-season title drought. The team will also look to improve in the EuroLeague, where they finished 15th in an 18-team competition.
“For me, it’s a privilege to be able to join this historic, world-renowned sports club so that FC Bayern’s basketball team can also reach the top in Europe,” Ibaka told Bayern’s official website. “I had a long NBA career, but I am approaching this new chapter with a lot of enthusiasm – I still have a lot of fire in me, and I love the game. The fact that Pablo Laso is the coach was also a deciding factor for me. For me, he is one of the best coaches in the world.”
Serge Ibaka was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Ibaka made his NBA debut during the 2009-10 NBA season and went on to spend more than six years in Oklahoma City. During that time, he received three NBA All-Defensive First Team nods while leading the league in blocks twice.
Ibaka later played with the Orlando Magic, the Toronto Raptors, the LA Clippers, and the Milwaukee Bucs. He was part of the Raptors’ team that won the NBA title in 2019.
