Manchester Giants have completed the signing of Alex Ouandie, a versatile 6’6″ forward who joins from Italian side New Basket Agropoli.

The former Bulgarian youth international has spent the last two seasons playing professionally in Italy, latterly averaging 20 points per game with Agropoli as the most explosive scorer in Serie C, including hitting 44% of his three-point attempts. He had three games over 30 points in the last campaign, and in total has scored 821 points over his two years in Italy.

Ouandie also added seven rebounds and two assists per outing in 2019-20 from the small forward position.

At home in Bulgaria, Ouandie played in the top division as an 18-year-old in 2014-15 for his hometown team, Levski Sofia, making 17 appearances and peaking with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists against then Croatian powerhouse KK Cedevita Zagreb in the Adriatic League. That year he also featured for second-tier side Vidabasket, averaging 21 points, six rebounds and two assists.

Such performances saw him regularly selected for Bulgarian National Teams up to U20s, competing in European Championships and averaging eight points and four rebounds in the 2016 tournament, including a 23 point and 10 rebound double-double against Albania. His next two best performances on the international stage came in the u18 European Championships in 2014, when he had 15 points and seven rebounds against a Scotland side featuring Glasgow Rocks’ Fraser Malcolm, followed by another 15 points against Ireland.

Following that, Ouandie spent two years in the US playing for Cuesta College, where he led the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game and connecting on 44% of his three-point attempts, before returning to Europe to play professionally. In November 2015, he played against a Saddleback College team featuring fellow Giants Lyle Hexom and Breaon Brady, scoring eight points in a game where Hexom’s 22 led all scorers.

“We have had a good contingent of European players here in the past, and heavily scouted the continent to find the right player to take us forward on that front.” said Head Coach Danny Byrne. “Alex was top of our list, and we think he’s ready to step straight into the BBL.

“He is big, quick, and very versatile offensively – another exciting talent who can put points on the board in a hurry. He is a lefty who can score inside and out, giving us another potential forty-percent plus three-point threat.

“At only 23-years-old he already has a vast amount of experience, having played in three countries, at varying levels, and also internationally; mature above his years on the court, and we hope he can build his future with us here in Manchester.”