By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Shortly after being waived by the Portland Trail Blazers, 21-year-old French guard/forward Rayan Rupert has secured a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.
With the deal announced on Sunday, he joined the team coached by Finland’s Tuomas Iisalo.
Per the press release: “The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team signed Rayan Rupert (RYE-ahn roo-PARE) to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Rupert (6-8, 205) appeared in 48 games for the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this season and averaged 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes. Selected by Portland with the 43rd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, he has played 139 games (12 starts) over three seasons with the Trail Blazers and has averaged 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes. The 21-year-old native of Strasbourg, France, also has appeared in 35 NBA G League games (all starts) with the Rip City Remix and has averaged 15.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 32.7 minutes. He averaged 12.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.2 minutes in a three-game stint with the Remix this season.
Prior to his NBA career, Rupert played the 2022-23 season for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia and helped guide the Breakers to the NBL Finals.”
In addition to Rupert, fellow Frenchman Killian Hayes is set to join the Sacramento Kings on a 10-day contract, as reported by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Back in 2020, he was selected with the seventh overall draft pick by the Detroit Pistons and went on to play in 216 NBA games. This season with the Cleveland Charge in the G League, he averaged 23.1 points per contest.