Rondae Hollis-Jefferson signs with Turkish team, could still return to NBA this season

The Shimmy is heading overseas.

Former Arizona Wildcats standout Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has signed with Turkish club Besiktas Icrypex, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, putting at least a temporary pause on his NBA career.

Hollis-Jefferson, 26, appeared in 11 games with the Portland Trail Blazers late in the 2020-21 season, his sixth in the league. He spent his first four seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, who picked him 23^rd overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, before playing the 2019-20 campaign with the Toronto Raptors.

All told, the 6-foot-6, 217-pound Hollis-Jefferson has appeared in 305 NBA games with 154 starts, averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for his career. His best year was with Brooklyn in 2017-18 when he averaged 13.9 points and 6.8 rebounds while starting 59 games.

Besiktas, based on Instanbul, plays in Turkey’s Basketball Super League. Last season it finished fifth in the 16-team BSL during the regular season, reaching the playoff semifinals before falling to eventual champion Andalou Efes.

The 2021-22 BSL league began this past weekend, with Besiktas losing 86-77 to Bahcesehir Koleji.

Per Givony, Hollis-Jefferson’s contract does include an out clause that would allow him to return to the NBA.