Thomas Smallwood leaves The Netherlands for France

Thomas Smallwood (213 cm, C) has left his Dutch team Aris Leeuwarden and signed with Union Tours Metropole Basket that plays in the N1 (3rd tier in France).

The Dutch Basketball League has been suspended since mid-October and is not expected to start again before January or February. Consequently, some players are looking around for other European opportunities, be it temporary or for the rest of the season.

Thomas Smallwood is French (born in Bordeaux) and started his basketball career with Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez. After that, he played college basketball in the US. First with the University of Alabama-Birmingham and in his senior year for the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

After his American intermezzo, he returned to France and played last season for Le Portel. There he averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.8 rpg in the French Pro A.

In his single game in the Dutch Basketball League, Thomas Smallwood scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.