Partizan sign an ex-NBA shooter the day before the Belgrade derby

By the Data Desk · Published 22 OCT 06:45

First reported by BasketNews · 21 OCT 17:04

Four days after Minnesota waived him, Antonio Reeves has a new club, and his first game could be the Belgrade derby. Partizan announced on Wednesday that the 25-year-old guard, who made 39.5% of his threes in 44 games for New Orleans, has signed, one day before they host Crvena Zvezda at the Belgrade Arena.

• NBA record: 44 games for the Pelicans in 2024-25, 6.9 points in 15.0 minutes, 39.5% from three on 2.9 attempts; then 10 games for Charlotte on a two-way deal (Basketball Reference).
• Partizan are 3-3 and 12th after six EuroLeague rounds, with three straight defeats; Zvezda are 4-2 and fifth, with four straight wins (EuroLeague).
• The derby is tonight, Thursday 22 October, at 18:45 UTC (20:45 in Belgrade). Whether Reeves is registered in time has not been announced.

The club's own announcement, quoted by Eurohoops, reads: "The new basketball player of Partizan Mozzart Bet is Antonio Reeves!" It says he was born on 20 November 2000 and arrives from the Iowa Wolves, Minnesota's G League team. Contract terms were not disclosed. This is his first job in Europe.

His route here was quick. Orlando drafted him 47th in 2024 and traded him to New Orleans on draft night. New Orleans waived him in the summer of 2025, and he spent last season on a two-way contract with Charlotte, playing 10 NBA games and winning the G League title with the Greensboro Swarm, according to Hoops Rumors. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Minnesota at the end of September and was waived on 17 October (BasketNews).

Partizan needed something. They opened 3-0 with 92, 86 and 92 points, then lost 86-76 at Real Madrid, 72-55 at home to Panathinaikos and 74-65 at Fenerbahçe: from 90.0 points a game to 65.3 (EuroLeague box scores). Jekiri, their second most productive player, is out for at least two weeks with a strain, the club said on 18 October.

Zvezda, meanwhile, have scored at least 77 in all six of their EuroLeague games and won the last four, against Efes, Dubai, ASVEL and Paris. What happens next: tip-off at 18:45 UTC, round 7, Partizan at home. Their next two EuroLeague games are away, at ASVEL on 28 October and Zalgiris on 30 October.