The soon-to-be EuroLeague rookie left his mark in his and his country’s Olympic debut
Maccabi’s Wenyen Gabriel impressed with South Sudan
Article
2 Mins read
The basketball tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games is a chance for many Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans to get a read on new players they may not be familiar with. South Sudan big man Wenyen Gabriel, who Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv signed last month to step into the shoes of star center Josh Nebo, is one such player. And Gabriel showed he is ready for the spotlight in Sunday’s first game, helping his country defeat Puerto Rico 90-79.
Gabriel displayed his versatility as someone who can handle the ball and make crisp passes as well as crash the boards and block shots. Even though he fouled out in the game’s final minute, with the game all but wrapped up, Gabriel was the game’s top rebounder with 9 boards. He was also the only player with multiple blocked shots. Gabriel also scored 6 points, dished 2 assists and collected 1 steal, though he also committed a game-high 6 turnovers, which left his PIR at 9.
The stat the showed Gabriel’s impact the most was +/-; his 12 in 21 minutes played led South Sudan and the only other players with at least 10 played several minutes more than Gabriel.
It won’t get easier for South Sudan as a date with Team USA awaits on Wednesday, but Gabriel already showed EuroLeague fans that he is able to produce on one of the grandest stages in the world of sports.