Valencia promote U20 European champion Millan Jimenez to the first team / News - Basketnews.com

Millan Jimenez was promoted to Valencia's senior team, following his excellent performances in Spain's third division and in the recent FIBA Under-20 European Championship.

Credit: FIBA Media Credit FIBA Media

Forward Millan Jimenez has become a player in Valencia Basket's first team for all intents and purposes.

The 19-year-old from La Rioja, who arrived at the club in 2018, played a total of 31 games with the first team last season and this summer he was one of the important players with Spain, in their gold medal run at the FIBA Under-20 European championship.

Last year, Jimenez alternated his presence with the professional squad with Valencia's development team, with whom he reached the final of the playoff for promotion to the LEB Oro (Spain's second division) with 19.1 points on 37.5% three-point shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 steals and a PIR of 21.1.

Millan Jiménez arrived at Valencia Basket in the summer of 2018 from ABQ Calahorra and in his first season, despite being a freshman, he was an important part of the team that qualified for the finals of the Adidas Next Generation Tournament that was played in Vitoria (after winning the preliminary played in Valencia) and which finished in fourth position in the Spanish Championship.

In the 2019-20 season, he made his debut with the taronja first team, in a EuroLeague match on the AX Armani Olimpia Milan on December 19, 2019. During the 2020-21 season, Millan Jimenez became a regular in the first team, combining with an excellent season in the 4th division in which he finished as the best scorer of all the groups in this competition (20.7 points on average) and was essential for Valencia B to achieve promotion to the LEB Plata.

Last season, Jimenez registered a new personal record with 10 points and 5 steals in Valencia's victory over Andorra, in addition to playing 12 EuroCup games.

With the Spanish national team, he won the U20M European Championship that was held in Montenegro and in which Spain beat Lithuania in the final to win gold. His numbers in the tournament were 10 points and 2.4 rebounds for a PIR of 11.

Current roster:

Valencia Basket

Position Player Status PG Chris Jones(story) Signed until 2023 PG Sam Van Rossom(story) Signed until 2023 PG Martin Hermansson(story) Signed until 2024 PG Nenad Dimitrijevic Signed until 2025 SG Klemen Prepelic(story) Signed until 2023 SG Jonah Radebaugh(story) Signed until 2024 SG Josep Puerto Signed until 2025 SF Victor Claver Signed until 2024 SF Xabi Lopez-Arostegui Signed until 2025 SF Millan Jimenez (story) Long-term SF/PF Jaime Pradilla Signed until 2024 PF James Webb III(story) Signed until 2024 PF/C Jasiel Rivero Signed until 2023 C Bojan Dubljevic Signed until 2023+1 C Kyle Alexander(story) Signed until 2023 Coach Alex Mumbru(story) Expired contract Mike Tobey (will not return), Louis Labeyrie (will not return), Olivier Hanlan (will not return) Rumored to leave Interested Jared Harper

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