Derthona chooses the talent of Okeke: Leonardo will be part of the first team roster
The Best Under 21 of the 2021/22 Old Wild West A2 Series will wear the Bertram Derthona jersey next season: Leonardo Arinze Okeke will be part of the Lions' roster.
After completing his youth career and making his first-team debut with College Borgomanero, a team with which he won the regional Under-18 Eccellenza title and Serie C Gold in 2020/21, and playing in Serie B with Mamy Oleggio, Okeke signed a five-year contract with Bertram Derthona last summer.
In 2021/22, he played on loan for Novipiù JB Monferrato, contributing to the team's reaching the Coppa Italia Final Eight and the playoffs. Leonardo averaged 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds, earning him the Serie A2 Best Under-21 Player award.
In June, he participated in pre-NBA Draft workouts wearing an Atlanta Hawks jersey and made his senior national team debut in a friendly match against Slovenia in Trieste, scoring 7 points. He's currently playing at the Globl Jam in Toronto with the U23 national team coached by Marco Ramondino, whom he'll later rejoin at Bertram Derthona for the next chapter of his career.
Giacomo Carrera , Bertram Derthona's Club Manager, said : "After a very positive year in Serie A2, Leonardo is ready to join the roster of a Serie A team where he will continue to work on his development and showcase his potential. The shared goal is for him to grow so he can carve out a role for himself on the team. He will need to work hard to grow both on and off the pitch to be ready for the coach's demands and earn valuable playing time."
