Niyah Becker, pictured here when she played college basketball for Utah, has signed her first professional contract with a team from Slovenia.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\u201dI really wanted to talk to the coach and a couple players that (had) been on the team previously,\u201d Becker said, adding that it\u2019s often hard to know what to expect from a club knowing only word-of-mouth. \u201cI felt really reassured \u2026 I feel like talking to the coach and getting his take on how he likes to play basketball and run a team, and the past players\u2019 perspective, their reassurance, (it told me) that it was a really great place, a good competition, good city, and that the people are good people \u2026 (It made) me confident that going to this \u2014 it was the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Becker has been playing for Canadian age-group national teams since she was 16, and recently played with the under-23 team at the Global Jam international tournament in Toronto (after being the last player cut from the full national team). She has made her mark as a wing player, and will continue in that role at her new club, where she\u2019ll be switching between 3 and 4, offensive positions that will make her a central point-scoring asset.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is a versatile player who can play in different positions,\u201d stated Damir Grgi\u0107, coach of \u017dKK Cinkarna Celje, in a recent press release. \u201cShe has been a part of the Canadian national team since she was a child, which in itself speaks of her qualities and potential.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the future, Becker aims to solidify her professional career in Europe, while also continuing to represent Canada at international tournaments such as the Summer Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
\u201dI would love to just keep working my way up,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m overseas and getting better and going as far as I can, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Becker is spending the summer at home in Winnipeg, give or take some time on well-deserved vacation, before she moves onward to Europe for the season, which runs from September to May.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a really great thing,\u201d Becker explained. \u201cYou know, those people you can meet or those places that you can go, or those (achievements) you can have. Let\u2019s take a jump in and get it.\u201d<\/p>
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