Samardo Samuels joins Israeli club Hapoel Haifa

Israeli basketball Super League club Hapoel Haifa has signed former NBA player Samardo Samuels, who once played for China’s Jiangsu Dragons, the Israeli club announced on Sunday.

The 32-year-old Jamaican center played college basketball at the University of Louisville, then in 2010 signed a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

His NBA career, which lasted until 2013, included 109 games in Cleveland, averaging 15.8 minutes, 5.9 points, and 3.4 rebounds per game.

He then began his European career, playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, Olimpia Milano, where he won the Italian league title, and Barcelona.

In August 2016, Samuels joined the CBA’s Jiangsu Dragons, where he played 22 games, averaging 20.2 points (including a 55.4 field goal percentage), and 7.5 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game.

In 2017 he returned to Europe, playing for Enel Brindisi, Limoges, Partizan Belgrade, Panionios, and Chorale Roanne.

Samardo’s new club, based in the northern city of Haifa, is currently ranked fifth in the Israeli league, with a record of 13 wins and eight losses.