Though he has not appeared in an NBA game since 2022, forward Malik Fitts will continue his playing career next season. The 27-year-old has officially joined SIG Strasbourg of the LNB Élite.
🚨 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓🚨
🔒La SIG Strasbourg clôt son recrutement avec la signature de l’ailier polyvalent Malik Fitts (27 ans – 2m04).
Welcome @MalikFitts 😃
📰 Communiqué : https://t.co/9u10BAGagI pic.twitter.com/Ie6yfB5Ene
— SIG Strasbourg (@sigstrasbourg) July 31, 2024
Most recently, Fitts played for the Cleveland Charge of the G League. With the team, he appeared in 25 games and started nine of them. In those games, Fitts averaged 8.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
Fitts was most notably a member of the Boston Celtics in 2022. Though having a very limited role, Fitts made an appearance in Boston’s Game 3 victory against the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Furthermore, the California native became a fan favorite in Boston due to his fun antics and courtside celebrations.
The Celtics traded Fitts in a package deal to the Indiana Pacers for guard Malcolm Brogdon. However, the Pacers waived Fitts before he ever suited up for the team.
Fitts also played for the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz in his NBA career. In total, Fitts played in 18 games from 2021 to 2022, averaging 1.3 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.
Former Boston Celtics Fan Favorite Joins European Team
Other Notable NBA Players to Play for SIG Strasbourg
Fitts’ addition is just one of many notable ones SIG Strasbourg has made. In addition to Fitts, SIG Strasbourg has also previously rostered NBA players like Alexis Ajinca and former NBA champion Rodrigue Beaubois. Furthermore, 2017 lottery pick Frank Ntilikina began his playing career with the team. As it currently stands, Fitts is the only former NBA player on the roster.
The Last Word on Malik Fitts
Though Fitts was a fun player to watch in the NBA, it is fair to assume his time in the league is over for the foreseeable future. On the court, he is a very athletic forward with a solid jumpshot. Additionally, he is an exciting finisher at the basket and is a high-energy player. However, he has a lot of weaknesses that shadowed his strengths. Ultimately, his game never fully worked out at the NBA level, making him expendable to multiple teams around the league. Additionally, with him also playing just average in the G League last season, a move overseas is likely in his best interest. With SIG Strasbourg, he joins a team that finished 15-19 last season, their worst record since the 2019-20 season.
Prochainement au Rhenus 👀🍿
🎬 Voici 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒌 𝑭𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒔 en action !#gosig @MalikFitts @LNBofficiel pic.twitter.com/BXdOzF5xuK
— SIG Strasbourg (@sigstrasbourg) July 31, 2024
A return to the NBA, while unlikley for the time being, is not entirely out of the picture for Fitts. We have seen many former NBA players fizzle out of the league, dominate overseas, and make their way back before their career was all said and done. Hopefully for Fitts, this new stint will open up more opportunities for him to continue to showcase his talents and further develop his game.
