Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano announces that it has reached an agreement until the end of the season with Shabazz Napier, 1.83 point guard, born July 14, 1991, in Roxbury, Massachusetts, from the Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico of the G-League.
“Approaching the decisive part of the season, we felt we should focus on a player who is highly motivated and has the right characteristics to help us in a role in which especially because of the many physical problems we have had difficulties.” says general manager Christos Stavropoulos. “I am excited about the opportunity to play for this club, to be coached by a great coaching staff and alongside other excellent players. My goal is to play well in front of the Olimpia fans and use the opportunity to celebrate as many victories as possible with them.”, says Shabazz Napier.
CAREER.
Shabazz Napier, of Puerto Rican descent on his mother’s side, grew up in Boston. He attended Charlestown High School and the last two years of high school at Lawrence Academy in Groton, which in 2010 won the New England title after finishing the season undefeated, 29-0. Napier earned the competition’s MVP award.
In 2010 he decided to go to the University of Connecticut where in his first year he scored 7.8 points per contest, was included in the Big East’s first rookie quintet, and helped win the conference title and NCAA title. In his second year, he averaged 13.8 points with 5.8 assists. In his third year with the Huskies, he scored 17.6 points per contest with 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals. In his fourth year, he won the AAC’s Player of the Year award, the “Bob Cousy” trophy given to the best point guard in college basketball, and led Connecticut to its second NCAA title, this time as MVP of the Final Four. By year’s end, he had 18.0 points per contest, 4.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds.
In 2014, Miami selected him in the first round of the NBA draft with the number 24 pick. After one year with the Heat, he played one season in Orlando, two in Portland, one in Brooklyn, and another in Minnesota and Washington. In 2021 he signed for Zenit St. Petersburg, but an injury prevented him from playing in the EuroLeague. In all, in the NBA he played 345 games with 56 quintet appearances, 2,433 points and 856 assists in his career. In 2019/20 he scored 10.3 points per contest with 4.7 assists.
Source: Olimpia Milano press office
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