By ,
Published December 11, 2016
Gustavo Ayón, the Mexican basketball star and top player in Spain's professional league, has reportedly told Spanish media that he will be joining the NBA's New Orleans Hornets.
Hornets spokesman Harold Kaufman says a press conference is scheduled on Friday to announce the addition of a new player, but he could not name the player, per team policy, because a contract has not been signed.
However, people familiar with the deal say the 6-foot-10 Ayón, who can play power forward or center, has agreed to play for the Hornets and will be leaving his Spanish team, Fuenlabrada, as ESPN Deportes has reported.
The 26-year-old averaged 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 33 games last season for Fuenlabrada.
Ayón spent three years playing in college for the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla in Mexico, before joining San Jose State University. He never played for the school, but instead went on to play professionally in Mexico for Halcones UV Xalapa.
After three seasons in Mexico, Ayón moved to Spain before the announcement that he would move to the New Orleans, who bought out his contract for $1.5 million. The length of Ayón's contract will be of three years, the last year being a team option, according to ESPN Deportes.
Ayon has also been a member of the Mexico national basketball team since 2007, where he played center at the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 and the 2008 Centrobasket.
Based on reporting by the Associated Press.
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