American forward Julian Wright has officially joined the Taichung Wagor Suns, a team in Taiwan’s professional basketball league T1 LEAGUE, according to the club Tuesday, the team’s third international import with NBA experience.
The 203-centimeter Wright, who played for the New Orleans Hornets and Toronto Raptors from 2007 to 2011, became the third player on the Suns roster who has played in the NBA after Alonzo Gee and Donte Greene, the club said in a statement.
Of the four seasons Wright played in the NBA, he was one of the starting five in 40 games, the Suns said.
The 34-year-old Wright is in good physical condition and eager to show his ability on the hardwood, the Suns said.
Wright is known in Taiwan as he played in the professional basketball league P.LEAGUE+’s inaugural 2020-2021 season for the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers and was then signed by the team as a player development coach in late February.
A contract dispute between Wright and the Lioneers during the offseason when he was back in the United States saw both sides release posts on social media last month before going quiet about the matter.
However, Wright is said to be happy to return Taiwan, according to the Suns.
“I want to prove to the Taiwanese fans that I can still play,” Wrights said in the Suns statement.
Suns General Manager Wang Wei-chieh (???) said Wright has already finished quarantine and is practicing with the team.
“His condition was so good that it didn’t seem like he was affected by quarantine. The coaching staff and players were quite amazed,” Wang said.
At the moment, the Suns have four international imports and an Asian import on their roster.
Gee played shooting guard and small forward in the NBA between 2009-2016, while Greene played small forward and power forward in the NBA between 2008-2012.
Also on the Suns roster is professional Palestinian basketball player Sani Sakakini, who has played on the Palestine national basketball team since 2006, while the Suns’ Asian import is Filipino-Australian guard Jordan Heading, who debuted for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in June.
The Suns are currently placed fifth in the six-team T1 LEAGUE standings after two defeats.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel