Hapoel Jerusalem announced the signing of forward/center Justin Smith (25, 2.01) for the upcoming two years. Justin joins Austin Wiley in the frontcourt and will bolster the Reds presence in the paint.

Smith completed 3 years at Indiana University before concluding a successful senior season at Arkansas, averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. He then spent two years in the NBA G League with the development teams of Toronto and Philadelphia. Hapoel Holon was his first stop in Europe and had impressive performances that earned him a spot on the Israel League’s Second Team All-Stars with 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and an efficiency rating of 18.3.

“The games against Jerusalem were always intense,” Smith said after signing. “I am very happy that from now on, the Red fans will be on my side. I am very excited about the upcoming season and look forward to collaborating with an excellent group of players who were very challenging to play against. We will have an excellent team and I hope to bring what everyone has already seen from me – and much more. Yalla Hapoel!”

Head Coach Yonatan Alon added, “What Justin showed last season was just a small taste of what he is capable of. He will add a dimension of athleticism and explosiveness that we were looking for in the frontcourt alongside game intelligence and significant upside for the coming years, and I am confident he will integrate well with the roster we are building.”