Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut (Pepsi LBL) signed 29-year old American (has also Dominican passport) point guard Edgar Sosa (190-80kg-88, college: Louisville). He played recently at JuveCaserta in Italian Serie A, but left the team earlier this month. In 22 games he had very impressive stats: 19.3ppg, 2.8rpg, 5.9apg and 1.2spg this season. The last season Sosa played at Hapoel Jerusalem (Winner League) in Israel where in four games he recorded 5.8ppg and 1.5apg. He also played earlier that season for Petrochimi (Superleague) in Iran. In 28 games he averaged remarkable 16.8ppg, 1.7rpg, 3.4apg and 1.3spg. Sosa also spent pre-season at the Hawks in NBA earlier that year. The list of the past achievements is quite long as among others he was voted Asia-Basket.com All-Iranian Superleague Guard of the Year in 2016. Sosa played at the WABA Club Championships last year. He is quite experienced player. Sosa has played in seven different countries on four different continents (Europe, Asia, Latin America and of course North America). He has played previously professionally also in Dominican Rep., Germany (ratiopharm Ulm), Puerto Rico (Cangrejeros), Spain (Blancos de Rueda), Dominican Republic (Leones de Santo Domingo and Reales de La Vega) and NBA (Atlanta Hawks). Sosa attended University of Louisville until 2010 and it is his seventh season as a professional player. He could be described:
A very promising combo guard, with an immense upside. Has yet the court vision and the passing skills of a proven PG, scores a lot of points and can defend well. After the Centrobasket for Juniors 2005, he has been invited at the Dominican NT Senior camp.
ELIE CHAMOUN Beirut Club (LBL) agreed terms with 23-year old international shooting guard Elie Chamoun (193-94) from He has played for the last two seasons at Homenetmen. In 39 LBL games he had 6.5ppg, 2.2rpg and 1.4apg last season. Chamoun helped them to win the league title. He has been also a member of Lebanese international program for some years. Chamoun played for Lebanese senior team this year and previously for U18 National Team between 2011 and 2012. He played at the Arab Club... [read more]
ELIE CHAMOUN
Beirut Club (LBL) agreed terms with 23-year old international shooting guard Elie Chamoun (193-94) from He has played for the last two seasons at Homenetmen. In 39 LBL games he had 6.5ppg, 2.2rpg and 1.4apg last season. Chamoun helped them to win the league title. He has been also a member of Lebanese international program for some years. Chamoun played for Lebanese senior team this year and previously for U18 National Team between 2011 and 2012. He played at the Arab Club Championships Winner last year. Chamoun has played previously for three other teams: Champville, Byblos and Amchit.
Beirut Club (LBL) tabbed 28-year old point guard Ralph Akl (178-90) from He has played for the last four years at played at Moutahed. In 29 LBL games he averaged 4.1ppg, 1.1rpg and 1.6apg last season [read more]
RALPH AKL
Beirut Club (LBL) tabbed 28-year old point guard Ralph Akl (178-90) from He has played for the last four years at played at Moutahed. In 29 LBL games he averaged 4.1ppg, 1.1rpg and 1.6apg last season. Among other achievements Akl's team made it to the League Semifinals in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He received also Asia-Basket.com Lebanese League All-Newcomers Team award back in 2009. Akl was a member of Lebanese U18 National Team in 2008. He has played previously for three other teams: Sagesse, Homenetmen and Tebnine.
Eurobasket.com had a chance to talk to Nikola Kuga (200-F/G-86). Nikola has over fifteen years of playing experience in more than 20 different countries at 5 different continents . Nikola is the first European player who played ASEAN basketball league, first European who played Colombian league, first European who played at 5 different continents. Colombia, Vietnam, Australia, Moroco, Maldives, Dubai, Indonesia, Germany, Estonia, Denamark, Iceland, Sweeden are just some of many countries... [read more]
Eurobasket.com had a chance to talk to Nikola Kuga (200-F/G-86). Nikola has over fifteen years of playing experience in more than 20 different countries at 5 different continents . Nikola is the first European player who played ASEAN basketball league, first European who played Colombian league, first European who played at 5 different continents. Colombia, Vietnam, Australia, Moroco, Maldives, Dubai, Indonesia, Germany, Estonia, Denamark, Iceland, Sweeden are just some of many countries where Nikola played.
Nikola, it looks as a very rare and interesting story, especially for basketball players, tell us a little bit how everything started ? Its always the same question from where to start ?? Well, lets first introduce myself. My name is Nikola Kuga. I am 31 years old (young ) . I can say I am extremely grateful for how my life has been so far. Parents and my brother who loved me, health and basic needs for human being has always been there. So what I needed more ? Well I wanted to do something what I really love and I was fortunate enough to do so. Basketball!! My very first love and love which will exsist forever. What I wanted more? Since, I was 14, 15 I was dreaming about traveling the world . So, somehow it all click together and trought the basketball I was able to live my second dream and traveling the world. Latter on, as I was growing and learning more and more about the life in general, I started to understand its not only just about basketball and traveling. I understood that, I got big chance to live and spend part of my life in different countries . So I use this advantage and priviledge more and more to learn about new cultures, about people, their countries and their history. Being part of it and learning how to accept everyone, but at the end of the day stay who I am !
Nikola can you go back and tell us about your carrer and countries where you played? I played in Serbia for couple of the clubs including 3 years in one of the best youth teams in Europe - FMP Belgrade ( Red Star ) . Maybe someone will tell that you have a lucky star above you, but its just a product of very hard and bloody work driven by the desire that were charted in early childhood. I see myself as a bee in that time. I use to stay after every practice and make 500 shoots.Collect all cool moves, shots and other things what I will need to bring with me as a weapon for international basketball battles. With 19 years of age, I decided to start something new in my life, to go out of my country and strat internationall career. I was feeling ready, but whitout any sense what to expect . I am glad I took this decision. I was always very curious and thankfully it almost always won over my nervous and scared side and led me out in the big world an onwards in life. I am quite sure in one thing, in order to achive anything in life you have to go out of your comfort zone . I played shortly in Ciprus and Macedonia then I moved to Moroco. I could call it as a really first international experience. Playing as an import with 19 years of age, out of the Europe, in completly different situation. Different culture, different life style, different basketball ... I could say this experience helps me a lot and I learned what word responsibility means . After then Slovenia, Iceland. After the cold Scandinavian country, Iceland, I got oportiunity to play basketball in one of the greatest world tourist destinations, Maldives . Do you think I was thinking twice ? I did not doubt for 1 single second, I immediately accepted. It was wonderfull experience. It was unforgetable mix of basketball, fabulous beaches and amazing fresh coconut juices. In such an environment, when local people do everything to make you fell comfortable, simply you just give the best out of yourself to pay favour back. Wonderful experience. Next station after that was Colombia, South America. I become first European player who played Colombian league and it become already my 4th continent where I was playing. Basketball wise it was a crazy time: four games per week, 24 games in less than 2 months, and play offs. It was a really solid league, with some ex NBA-players. I can describe it in a few words: games, practice, travel, sleep... Of course I had some days, we also visited Caribeean islands. Amazing adventure . When I came back home, after the season ended, I said to myself: „ You will take at least 4-5 weeks off now' . It was the mix of the sweat and pleasure (because you play with realy best players of that large continent). Not that long after that, maybe 5-6 days later, I got oportunity to play tournament in Dubai. Next day I was in the plane . After Dubai I went to Vietnam for a short tournament. Again, from one culture, to another. From mosque to the budist temple. From Middle East to the South East. Constantly, you must adapt yourself to the new people, to the new terittory. Payless experience for my caracter. Following year I went again to Maldives for the same tournament I have played 2 years earlier. After then I had to seat and ask myself what is the next . I restarted my mind and I created my new goals in order to know what path I want to follow . I think those days was more then important for me. I was analizing some of my mistakes and trying to use all of my previous experiance in the best possible way. One of my dreams and goals was to play Asean basketball league, visit this region and learn about culture, lifestyle etc., and of course, Australia definitely was one of my bigest goals to play there . So stations in beetwen where Denmark, Germany, Estonia and Sweeden. Really great guys met overthere and catch some very good and quality games. On 2014 I become first European player to play Asean Basetball league. It was like my dreams come true . From basketball point of view, I will never feel that energy from the crowd like there. They breath the basketball. They celebrate every single succesfull shot. It gives you a wings and new motivation to give more than 100% of yourself in the game. From touristic point, the next situation explain a lot of things. In just less then 24 hours, in the morning I was in Thailand, where we were finished the game, then all afternoon spent in Singapore and, finally late evening was reserved for beautiful Jakarta, Indonesia. I was so happy because we had great game in Thailand and had a lot of time off in Singapore to enjoy afternoon. 2015 was like a gift for me. I achived one of my dreams and goals. I become one of very few basketball players to play at 5 different continents . Australia...1 word. Amazing !! I enjoyed every single minute in this beatifull country . Now I can say I have many close friends over there and some of the most remarkable moments in my life. Certainly, for that country we can say DIFFERENT CONTINENT-DIFFERENT CULTURE. They live theirs dreams. For sure, they love sport very much. But, there sport is just another part of a puzzle. In Melbourne, I was sorry because the day did not last for 48, then „just' 24 hours (so you can imagine how beautifull this country is ). Six months of beautifull Australia was in my book. After Australia I played in Lebanon. When you say that, probably a lot of people will say if there is a basketball court. But, they are absolutely wrong. Just to mention, there is at least 20 players with Euroleague/ Nba experience .Not so much time for fun, only focus for the WIN! I really enjoyed playing basketball in this country tnks to the great coaches and teammates I ha.
There must be many anegdotes and funny stories on the way, can you tell us some ? Well, for sure there was many, some of them I can speak about, some of them better not (lol) . In general I like to talk about them rather then write them, as your expresion once you speak maybe can show how did you feel in those certain moments. But lets remember some of them. One of my friends in Maldives was pilot of seeplane. I remeber I asked him 5 timrd to take me for trip to see Maldives from the sky. At the end he say , ok tomorow . At 5 am we were ready for the flight ! There were tourists on the board and he drop them to the different resorts and on the way back we were only 4 . Him , another pilot and me and my friend . From the take off to the landing he made this flight for me at the same time the most remarkable and the most scary. From bambing take off , going from 2000 feet straight down very quick, till very interesting landing it was incredible . I think he wanted to make sure that, I will never ask him again .
Some of taxi drivers in Vietnam were very funny. They don't speak English. They drive you around the city for 40 minutes, before they drive you to your address. All you can do is wait and hope that you will end up at the right street or at least at right district ( by the way everything looks very similar ). Now it's really funy, but there it wasn't . Well, people in Asia like spicy food . I do not like spicy food. And its always the same story. My conversation starts with , „do not put anything spicy' . Answer is always ok , ok. The next thing is when I start eating, first thing I fell is spicy food. So now I like spicy food.
Some remarkable moments you will never forget ? In basketball I cannot give you some of remarkable moments as every moment and every country is special story, and thats is my life, basketball ! Out of the basketball I am sure I will never forget my 1st „meeting' with kangaroo in nature in Australia, scuba diving and see plane advanture in Maldives and 3 months of life in Colombia.
Ok Nikola, what is next ? Well, I am only 31, ok 32nd is just around the corner but I fell like I am 25 . Thankfully I havent been suffering any major injury during all my career, so I hope I will have chance to pay off and give back to the basketball what basketball gave to me at least for 4-5 more years. Of course, I am not living in dreams and I know there will be end of this jorney, but I could see it from the window as a new begining. I am thinking about next steps and I am sure about one thing, I want to stay in sport because sport and basketball is my life . Coaching is one of the options, but beside that I would love to help young players , especially in the part of understanding that basketball is not only ball and court , but its an oportiunity to learn about life, about people, about different cultures, understanding and accepting differences, but stay who you are. Its a long, long proccess, but every day is new oportiunity . Thats how I could see myself in the future.
Thank you very much for oportiunity to share my basketball and life experience with Eurobasket.com . It was my pleasure . Whish to everyone all the best !
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