ImageHapoel Jerusalem continues to build their squad for 2009/10 season and last night they signed Power Forward Kevin Pinkney (26, 208cm) who played for Cantu last season (14.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 71% from 2FG) and Small Forward Dijon Thompson (26, 201cm) who was crowned as the best defensive player of the season in Ukraine. Both players signed for two seasons.


Pinkney graduated from Nevada-Reno in 2005 (12.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg in his final season). After not being not selected in the NBA draft he moved to Europe and played in the French club of Clermont (6.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg in 18 minutes per game).

In 2006/07 he played in Bakersfield Jam from the NBDL where his good numbers (18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.0 apg caught the eye of Boston Celtics who added him to their roster for 6 games (5.3 ppg, and 15 pts on his debut). In 2007/08 he joined Biela from the Italian League (12.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 65% from 2FG).

Thompson graduated from UCLA in 2005. In his last season he led the team to the NCAA tournament after two years of absence. He was selected in 2005 Draft by the Knikcs in the #54 spot and was traded to Phoenix where he played 10 games (2.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg). He also spent few parts of the season in Albuquerque Thunderbirds where he averaged 20.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. The next season he was still in Albuquerque and while he also played for Atlanta Hwaks for 10 days.

In 2007/08 he played in Alba Berlin (11.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 37% from 3FG in the German League) and in 2008/09 he won the Ukranian Chompionship and Cup with Azovmash Mariupol scoring 14.1 ppg and adding 6.5 rpg, 2.3 apg and 41% from the the 3-pts arc. He was selected to the All-league starting five and was awarded as the best defensive players of the season.