Arizona basketball: Kyle Fogg to sign with Guangzhou Long-Lions for $2 million per year, per report

It’s been a good year for Kyle Fogg.

After winning the EuroCup with Unicaja Malaga in April, the former Arizona Wildcat has signed a deal with the Guangzhou Long-Lions in China worth $2 million per year through 2019, reported David Pick on Thursday.

Every player dreams of playing in the NBA and for good reason, but we have to realize that basketball does exist beyond our borders and it pays pretty well.

Fogg, who wasn’t showcased in ESPN highlights while on the AAU circuit growing up and came to Arizona with no fanfare, has managed to have a successful pro career — even if it hasn’t included a stint in the NBA.

When Fogg committed to the University of Arizona as a late signee in 2008, he became one the final recruits to commit to Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson.

He was not a highly-ranked prospect by any measure, but he soon made a name for himself in Tucson and around the Pac-12 even though he had to endure the most tumultuous span in recent Arizona basketball history, playing for four coaches in four years.

During that span, Fogg went from an unknown to a defensive menace and a team leader who was named in 2012 to the league’s All-Defense and All-Conference team.

In his senior season, Fogg averaged nearly 14 points per game while shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc. He was also asked by Sean Miller to defend the opposing team’s best player game in and game out. He took this in stride and never looked back.

After graduating from Arizona and a brief stint in the NBA D-League, Fogg slingshotted himself across the pond to play in Europe.

There, he found considerable success.

With consistent scoring averages in the double figures and winning the EuroCup, the 6-foot-3 guard did everything he needed to in Europe.

Now, he’s taking his talents east. The far east to be exact.

欢迎来到中国!

You can follow Alec on Twitter: @UofAlec