Sixers draft pick Jonah Bolden is officially headed back overseas.
Bolden, the 36th overall selection in last month's draft, signed a three-year contract to play in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv, the team announced. The deal does contain opt-out clauses for the NBA.
"Jonah is a very talented young player with great potential, an athletic forward who knows how to shoot the ball and a great guy who likes to work hard," Maccabi Tel Aviv head coach Neven Spahija said. "We believe he will develop into a great player."
Bolden had hoped to join the Sixers for next season after spending summer league with the squad. The 6-10,227-pound forward averaged 8.7 points on 36.8 percent shooting from the field and 31.4 percent from three-point range between the Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues. He also put up 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in 23.4 minutes a game.
Bolden entered the draft after putting up 12.1 points and (59.7 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range), 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals a game for KK FMP Beograd of Serbia last season. Those numbers earned him the Adriatic League's Top Prospect award, previously won by Dario Saric and and Nikola Jokic.
Bolden won't be the only player on Maccabi Tel Aviv's roster with Sixers/Philly ties. Former 2013 Sixers second-round pick Pierre Jackson and Bryn Mawr, Pa. native Jake Cohen are both members of the team.
