Rivers Hoopers sign Putney ahead NPBL this weekend

Rivers Hoopers sign Putney ahead NPBL this weekend

Rivers Hoopers have signed forward Raphiael Putney ahead of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) which tips off this weekend in Port Harcourt.Putney returns to the six-time Nigerian champions, having previously anchored the franchise during the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2025 season.The 6-foot-10 versatile forward brings NBA G-League All-Star pedigree, elite rim protection and perimeter shooting to the KingsMen.  A UMass product, Putney has played professionally across Europe, Africa and Latin America with stops at Élan Chalon in France, Maccabi Haifa in Israel, Petro de Luanda in Angola, and Cape Town Tigers in South Africa.He made headlines in October 2025 by scoring 55 points for Tanzanian side Dar City in a 102–50 Road to BAL Group D win over Djabal Basket Club of Comoros. That performance made him the first player in Road to BAL history to break the 50-point mark in a single game.He will get his first taste of the NPBL when he suits up for the KingsMen during the postseason.Putney's signing completes a high-profile roster reconstruction for the Port Harcourt-based side—who also added rebound leader Peter Olisemeka, Tunisian guard Omar Abada and Greek-Nigerian big man Nikolaos Okekuoyen—as they prepare to host the eight-team, round-robin Playoffs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 6 in Port Harcourt.