Tornike Shengelia signs for Voirtus Bologna. The Georgian player was one of the first to leave CSKA Moscow after the outbreak of the conflict with Ukraine and the war situation after Vladimir Putin’s decision to militarily invade the neighboring country. Along with him, more players from the Moscow team left, but his closeness to Spanish basketball and his possible arrival at Baskonia, the club where he was from 2014 to 2020 (he previously played for Valencia Basket) and their residences both in Vitoria and in the Valencian Communitycaused many spotlights to be on him.
Tornike Shengelia is set to join Virtus Bologna, per sources.
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) March 7, 2022
Finally, the power forward does not return to a Baskonia adrift, despite his recent victory against Real Madrid. The Georgian has chosen Virtus Bologna just as the Eurocup transfer market was closing, so you will be able to play the second largest continental competition after the Euroleague and maintain your sports activity until the summer. Shengelia has signed until the end of the season, so his future will be decided at the end of it. Virtus is in full conflict with Olimpia Milano in the Italian League, in a second position (16-3 record) that allows them to be very close to their great rivals (17-2). Their performance in the Eurocup is being more irregular: 7-6 and in fifth place in Group B in a competition in which they continue to be, despite everything, the top favourites. Even more after their reinforcements in the market, Shengelia in the lead.
The 30-year-old power forward has barely spent two years at CSKA Moscow, one of the candidates to win the Euroleague at the beginning of the 2021-22 basketball season, that has ended temporarily for them after the war. After six years at Baskonia, Shengelia averaged 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a PIR of 14 in the top continental competition with the Russians. The arrival of the Georgian at Bologna once again elevates Virtus, who have had many injuries up to now (Mannion, Teodosic, Udoh…), within bets from which he has never come out. Partizan and Valencia are also on the list of favoritesbut no team has a squad like the one Sergio Scariolo manages.
Future in the Barça?
According to Jordi Robirosa on TV3, Shengelia signs only until the end of the course with Virtus because he has a pre-agreement with Barcelona. Something strange, since he shares a position with Nikola Mirotic, team leader and a starter who gives very few minutes to his substitutes (The participation of Rolands Smits is quite scarce and the contract ends in June). Pierre Oriola, another of the interior players of the Blaugrana club, of which he is captain, ends his contract in 2024, while Dante Exum could return to the NBA in June and Nigel Hayes-Davies has not had the expected performance. The situation would leave minutes and moments for Shengelia, but also many substitute games, something strange for a man of his category. Of course, June is free and there he will decide his future. We will see.
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