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Who says you can’t go home again?
Winnipeg’s Emmanuel Akot is returning to the city after he signed with his hometown Winnipeg Sea Bears on Tuesday.
After 10 years of playing on the road, Akot will join the Sea Bears once his season is complete in the Netherlands.
After being a five-star recruit out of high school, the six-foot-eight-inch forward played five seasons of NCAA division one basketball with three different schools, including Arizona, Boise State and Western Kentucky, but he was passed over in last year’s NBA Draft.
“I’m excited to be back in Winnipeg and can’t wait to get started with the Sea Bears,” said Akot in a media release. “Growing up in this city, I’ve been fortunate to have received nothing but love and support from the community. To be able to compete for the city that has given me so much is an incredible honour. We’ve got a passionate fan base, and we’re committed to giving them a team they can be proud of.”
Akot has averaged over seven points and three rebounds per game with Heroes Den Bosch of the BNXT League in Europe.
“We are extremely excited to add another top talent from Winnipeg,” said Sea Bears general manager and head coach Mike Taylor. “Emmanuel gives us outstanding versatility and another quality Canadian player for our rotation. In these early stages of his professional career, we are excited to see Emmanuel grow and develop his game as a Sea Bear.”
The 25-year-old Akot who attended Kildonan East Collegiate becomes the sixth Manitoban on this year’s Sea Bears roster.
With a 1-1 record the Sea Bears return to the court on Saturday at the Canada Life Centre against the Ottawa BlackJacks.
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