Kenneth Lofton Jr. signed with Hapoel Jerusalem until the end of the season
Another interesting signing for Sasa Obradovic's team, which added the 23-year-old forward, who has a resume of two years and 49 appearances in the NBA. After signing, he said: "From the first moment, I was impressed by the club's high ambitions."
A new foreign player for Hapoel Jerusalem: The Reds from the capital announced the signing of American forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. (23, 1.98 m) for the upcoming season. This is a player with experience in the NBA, the G-League, and the Chinese league. Lofton Jr.'s salary will be 1.3 million euros per season.
He began his NBA career in Memphis and later played for Philadelphia and Utah. Over two seasons in the best league in the world, he recorded 49 appearances, with his career-best game coming in April 2023, when he scored 42 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in his first start for Memphis against Oklahoma. At the same time, he established himself as one of the most prominent players in the G-League. In his very first season (2022/23), he won the Rookie of the Year award while playing for the Memphis Hustle, and in his two seasons in the league, he was selected twice to the All-G-League team. In 51 games, he averaged impressive stats of 23.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
In October 2024, he moved to China and signed with the Shanghai Sharks, where he played for the last two seasons and became one of the biggest stars of the Chinese league. In his first season, he led the team and won the league MVP award thanks to excellent averages of 24.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. Last season, he won the championship with the team. Lofton Jr. was also one of the biggest stars of the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup, leading Team USA to a gold medal. His performance in the final against France was one of the most memorable of the tournament.
After signing, Lofton Jr. said:
"I am happy to join Hapoel Jerusalem and start my journey in European basketball. From the first moment, I was impressed by the club's high ambitions, and I want to thank coach Sasa Obradovic and the management for the trust they placed in me. I am already looking forward to arriving in Jerusalem, meeting the fans, getting to know my new teammates, and fighting in every game for the club."
The team's coach, Sasa Obradovic, said:
"Kenneth is a player with a rare combination of strength, talent, and the ability to influence the game. He will bring us a significant presence in the paint, control of the rebounds, and diverse offensive skills. He has proven himself at the stops he has made throughout his career, and we are confident that he will add significant quality to us on both sides of the court. We are happy that he is joining Hapoel."
