Clouded Leopards sign Nigerian striker Gaby

Clouded Leopards sign Nigerian striker Gaby. (Provided by Clouded Leopard)

[Reporter Lu Yangxuan/Report from Taipei] TPBL Taoyuan Taipei Beer Yongfeng Cloud Leopards announced today the signing of Nigerian striker Humphery Gabriel. The lineup of four foreign players for the new season has officially been completed.

Gabby, who is 195 centimeters tall, has rich qualifications. When he came to Taiwan to study at the Universal University of Science and Technology, he was known for his comprehensive skills and defensive energy. He once led the team to create the UBA semi-finals record for the first time in team history. He participated in the SBL draft in 2022 and was selected in the first round. Joining Taiwan Beer with the third overall pick, he averaged 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.4 steals in his rookie season, winning the "Rookie of the Year" and "Steal of the Year" titles, and then moved to P. LEAGUE+Tainan Taipei Falcons, with their excellent defensive sense and mobility, were selected as the league's "Defensive First Team of the Year" for the 2024-25 season.

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General Manager Yan Xingshu said: "Gaby has always maintained a good cooperative relationship with the Taiwan Beer system and has a strong sense of identification with the team. He became a Taiwanese son-in-law last year and has shown a strong desire to naturalize. We will train him as a native. This is the core reason for choosing Gaby to become the fourth foreign player. We hope that one day he can successfully naturalize to play for the national team and land in Taiwan."

Yan Xingshu is optimistic about Gaby's development potential because of his excellent physical fitness, perimeter and cutting abilities. He hopes to play smarter in the future, hone his experience in higher-level professional competitions, and grow into a more versatile player. He said: "Gabby is very eager to play for Taiwan Basketball and Clouded Leopards. He is already ready to become a part of Taiwan Basketball. His excellent Chinese skills are the best proof of this determination."

Gabby has been joining the team for some time. He not only trained with the team and participated in pre-season practice matches, but also went to Kumamoto, Japan for an exchange match. After putting on the Clouded Leopards jersey, he said excitedly: "Everyone on the team has a good personality and makes himself very comfortable. As a member of the Taiwan Beer system, I have been paying close attention to this team and maintain a good relationship with the players and coaches. I am very happy to join the Taoyuan Taiyuan Yongfeng Clouded Leopards family."