Málaga – Unicaja Málaga has officially announced the incorporation of Dominican shooting guard Chris Duarte, a key reinforcement coming from Puerto Rican basketball and with NBA experience, to strengthen its squad for the upcoming season in the ACB League and the Basketball Champions League.
Duarte, born in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and 28 years old, has signed a two-season contract with an option for a third. This signing represents a strategic move for the Andalusian team, following the recent departures of important players such as Tyson Carter and Kameron Taylor.
The player, with a height of 1.96 meters, was selected in the number 13 position of the NBA draft in 2021 by the Indiana Pacers. During his time in the American league, he also played with the Sacramento Kings and the Chicago Bulls, accumulating four seasons in which he averaged 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
After his time in the NBA, Duarte played in Puerto Rico with the Vaqueros de Bayamón, where he demonstrated outstanding performance, averaging 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists, which earned him a place in the ideal quintet of the tournament.
The arrival of Duarte is a significant boost to Unicaja’s outside game, which trusts in his offensive talent, athletic ability, and international experience to compete at the highest level both in Spain and in Europe. Furthermore, being “cotonú”, he will not occupy a non-EU player spot.
The Malaga club has expressed its satisfaction at finalizing this signing, while the player was enthusiastic about the opportunity to join the project, promising to give his best to fight for titles and win the affection of the fans.
