MIAMI (United States) - Puerto Rican star Renaldo Balkman will play in the 2021 edition of the Basketball Champions League Americas after signing a deal with Nicaraguan squad Real Estelí Baloncesto.

The 36-year-old forward joins El Tren del Norte after a stint with Capitanes de Arecibo in Puerto Rico.

The New York-born Balkman played six years in the NBA after being drafted 20th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft out of South Carolina. Balkman played 221 games with the NY Knicks and Denver Nuggets.

He's also played in the Philippines, Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

At the international level, Balkman won gold twice with the PR National Team at Centrobasket (2010 and 2016) and at the Pan American Games (2011).

Balkman joins guard JC Fuller and veteran forward Delroy James as the latest additions to a Real Estelí team that will compete in Group A of BCLA with Caballos de Coclé (Panama) and Titanes de Barranquilla (Colombia).

FIBA