By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
FC Barcelona formally released 20-year-old James Nnaji from his contract.
Both the promising center and the Catalonia giant were intending to opt out of a contract, initially lasting until the end of the 2026-27 season. His departure was officially confirmed on Friday.
Already in the process of leaving Barca, Nnaji recently played five games in the NBA 2K26 Summer League with the New York Knicks, averaging 3.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.2 assists, and 0.2 blocks per contest. Before heading to Las Vegas and confirming intentions to pursue NBA options, he split the 2024-25 campaign on loan assignments with Bàsquet Girona and Yukatel Merkezefendi.
The Nigerian big initially joined Barcelona in 2020, starting at the junior level at 16. His debut with the senior team followed in late 2021. Overall, he logged 130 appearances, including 51 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 73 in Spain’s Liga Endesa.
In 2023, shortly following contributing to Barca winning its latest ACB championship, he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 31st overall pick. His NBA rights were immediately traded to the Charlotte Hornets and were moved to the Knicks early in the 2024-25 season.
As for Barcelona, Myles Cale, Will Clyburn, Juani Marcos, and Tornike Shengelia have been already added to the roster for the team coached by Joan Penarroya during the offseason. Dario Brizuela, Willy Hernangomez, Nicolas Laprovittola, Juan Nunez, Joel Parra, Kevin Punter, Tomas Satoransky, and Jan Vesely are also under contract for the 2025-26 season.