By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Stanley Umude is set to pen a two-year contract with FC Barcelona. The deal with the veteran of 49 NBA games was announced by the Catalonia giant on Tuesday.
Per the press release: “FC Barcelona and Stanley Umude, a US player who also holds Nigerian nationality, have reached an agreement that will keep him at the club until 30 June 2028. Fans at the Palau will get to enjoy the 27-year-old, 1.98-metre forward, who can also play at shooting guard and arrives to add versatility on the perimeter.
This will be his first experience in Europe after beginning his professional career with a total of 135 appearances across the G League (86) and the NBA (49). He made his NBA debut with the Detroit Pistons, for whom he played most of his games, before also featuring for the Milwaukee Bucks, where he won the 2024 NBA Cup, and most recently spending a brief spell with the San Antonio Spurs.
De Portland a Barcelona.
Benvingut al Palau, Stanley 👋 pic.twitter.com/MtTmxZ6mnE— Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) July 21, 2026
Born in Portland, Oregon, on 12 April 1999, Umude arrives in Barcelona to bring defensive versatility, with the mobility to switch effectively, intensity in one-on-one situations and the athleticism to run the floor and finish strongly, particularly in transition. He has also steadily improved his three-point shooting and is an effective catch-and-shoot player. In short, he is an all-rounder capable of adapting his role to the team’s needs.
Thanks to his Nigerian passport, Umude qualifies as a Cotonou player and will therefore not occupy one of the ACB’s non-EU roster spots.
Start in NCAA
Umude began at Earl Warren High School in San Antonio before embarking on his college career, first with South Dakota (2017–21) and then Arkansas (2021–22). His standout 2020/21 season with the Coyotes saw him surpass 1,500 career points, earning a place in the university’s history books while also finishing among the NCAA’s top 10 scorers that season.
G-League and NBA debut
Although he went undrafted in 2022, the Detroit Pistons brought him in for the NBA Summer League. While he did not initially make the NBA roster, Umude joined the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, where he averaged 15.4 points, shot 38.5% from three-point range, and added 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.
His performances earned him his NBA debut against the Boston Celtics on 15 February 2023, when he also scored his first NBA points. His reward came the following season when he signed his first standard NBA contract, going on to play 24 games while averaging 5.3 points, shooting 45.3% from three-point range and grabbing 2.1 rebounds per game.
NBA Cup with Milwaukee Bucks
In July 2024 he joined Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks on a two-way contract. Playing for their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, he averaged 18.7 points, shot 43.3% from beyond the arc, and recorded 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 10 games. However, despite making 22 regular-season appearances for the Bucks, the highlight of his spell was being part of the squad that won the 2024 NBA Cup, albeit in a limited role.
Last stop before Barcelona
In his final season before crossing the Atlantic to join Barça, Umude made his biggest impact with the Austin Spurs, where he played an important role across 32 games, averaging 16.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 32.1 minutes per game. He also made two appearances for the San Antonio Spurs before embarking on the next chapter of his career in Barcelona.”
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