The saga is over. Shabazz Napier has signed with his former team, Milano, after terminating his contract with Crvena Zvezda.
The American point guard was seen at the Belgrade airport last night, heading to the city in the Lombardy region. Ioannis Sfairopoulos, the coach of Crvena Zvezda, confirmed that the former NBA player would sign with Ettore Messina’s team, but conflicting information came from the opposite camp.
Messina, during last night’s press conference after the victory against Asvel, denied the claims of the Greek coach. However, Napier has indeed signed the deal, and he is once again a member of Milano.
Recall that there were some sparks between Shabazz Napier and Ettore Messina. The successful coach once stated that the American exchanged messages with former teammates, and the former NBA player accused him of lying.
It seems they have found common ground, and Napier has utilized the only available option in his clause, which is to return to Milano. Last year, he led them to the Italian championship title, averaging 15 points, 3.9 assists, and a PIR of 16.4 in the EuroLeague. In Crvena Zvezda, he did not perform well, although he was supposed to be a crucial addition to the team. He will be able to wear the Milano jersey only after December 30th in the EuroLeague when he will be officially registered, and he can make his debut in Serie A this weekend against Cremona.