Maccabi signs forward Rodney White

Maccabi Tel Aviv strengthened its front-court with the signing of Rodney White.

The 28-year-old American (2.06 meters), who has signed a two-year contract, was selected No. 9 in the 2001 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons.

"I'm happy and proud to be back on basketball's big stage," White said. "I'm hungry for success and I can't wait to show the Maccabi supporters what I know."

White, who was named national freshman of the year by ESPN after averaging 18.7 points and 6.5 rebounds at University of North Carolina at Charlotte in his one season of collegiate basketball, would eventually play 218 games in the NBA over four seasons with Detroit, Denver and Golden state, scoring 7.7 points a game.

In the 2005/06 season White starred at Basquet Manresa (20.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg) in Spain and in the following season played a couple of months at Lagun Aro Bilbao before leaving for Italian side Scavolini Pesaro (17.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg).

White, who is known as a very physical and offensive minded player, played for China's Zhejiang Guangsha last season (30.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg) and helped Arecibo Captains to the Costa-Rican championship this summer.

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