The Guelph Nighthawks have signed former NBA first round draft pick and Toronto Raptor Lucas Nogueira.
Also known as Bebê, Nogueira, is a 7’0” centre from Sao Goncalo, Brazil and will join the Nighthawks as an International Designated Player.
Nogueira was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 16th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Lucas was subsequently traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2014, where he spent the next four years of his professional career. Nogueira played a total of 141 regular season NBA games, including 10 starts with the Raptors.
In 2018-19 Nogueira returned to Spain’s ACB, where he played prior to being selected in the NBA Draft, playing with Urbas Fuenlabrada for 17 games, including four in the Basketball Champions League Europe. Bebê returned to his native Brazil in 2020, playing for Cearense of the Novo Basquete Brasil, but ultimately left the game three months later due to lingering injuries that had impacted his career.
In 2021 Lucas announced his return to professional basketball, signing with Brazilian club Sao Paulo FC where he helped the club claim the FIBA Basketball Champions America title.
Nogueira returns to Canada for the first time since 2018, and his first action in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
Nighthawks head coach and General Manager Charles Kissi said “we’re excited to have Lucas join our squad. I think he will bring professional and personal experiences. It’s a great opportunity for him to be a veteran leader. He’s at a very thoughtful place in his life and I think that will mesh well with our group.”
Nogueira will join the club this week in the lead up to the teams next game in Hamilton against the Honey Badgers on Thursday.
The Nighthawks have two more home games remaining in their 2022 CEBL regular season schedule: July 13th against Montreal and July 27th against Saskatchewan.
They currently sit tied for fourth place in the 10-team league with a 6-5 record.
On Saturday they fell 101-95 to the Edmonton Stingers at the Sleeman Centre, as 21 turnovers and nine missed foul shots proved to be their undoing.
AJ Lawson led the way for Guelph with 34 points and eight rebounds. Cat Barber added 18.
