London Lions sign Kevin Ware as recruitment drive continues ahead of first Champions League campaign
The London Lions have continued to strengthen their roster for a maiden Champions League campaign with the addition of Kevin Ware.
The versatile American guard, 27, heads to the UK after professional spells in Finland, Czech Republic, Greece and Canada.
New York-born Ware attended high school in Rockdale County, Georgia, where he was an All-State prospect, and initially played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals.
In March 2013, Ware caught the attention of the basketball and indeed wider world after sustaining a devastating freak injury while playing for Louisville in their Elite Eight victory over Duke at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
While leaping out to contest a three-point shot in the first half, he landed horribly and suffered a gruesome compound fracture to his right tibia, later undergoing a two-hour operation.
The injury created international headlines, made Ware one of the most-searched athletes in the world that year and led to doubts over whether he would ever play competitive basketball again, though he thankfully recovered and later transferred to Georgia State, where he was part of the Panthers team that famously upset third-ranked Baylor in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Ware began his professional career in Finland with Kauhajoki Karhu in 2017 and later represented Czech side BC Brno and Faros Larissas of Greece before heading to Canada last year to play for the London Lightning.
Earlier this year, he returned to Finland with Korihait.
“I am very excited about having the opportunity to play here in England," Ware told the Lions' official website. "And even more excited to be playing in the biggest city.
"The London Lions are a great club that is doing great things not just for basketball in the UK, but through communities across Greater London.
"I must say I am very excited and cannot wait to do my part in helping this organisation become greater and achieve greater heights."
Ware joins a Lions team that will enter the Fiba Champions League for the very first time this year, with Lithuanian side Neptunas Klaipeda awaiting in the first qualifying round next month.
The winner of that tie will then face either Balkan Botevgrad of Bulgaria or Belarus' Tsmoki-Minsk.
Vince Macaulay's side also technically remain the reigning British Basketball League (BBL) champions, with the 2019/20 season prematurely halted by coronavirus and no title awarded.
The Lions have already moved this summer to sign former NBA guard DeAndre Liggins, while two-time BBL MVP Justin Robinson also signed a new contract with the club.
Joe Ikhinmwin, Andre Lockhart, Kervin Bristol, Jules Dang-Akodo and Ed Lucas are all returning, while the Lions have also signed Kingsley Okoroh, Dirk Williams and former junior player Chris Tawiah.