Devontae Cacok joins CSKA

Cacok moves to Moscow from the G-League club Motor City Cruise, where he averaged of 19.9 points (58.5% field goals, 66.7% free throws), 9.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 31.2 minutes in 14 games. The power forward is able to play center in the "small" version of the lineup.

The Chicago native spent his childhood in Riverdale, Georgia, where he initially played more of American football. He switched to basketball after a wrist injury in the eighth grade, and by the time he graduated from school he was already a prominent and promising player. In his sophomore year at NC-Wilmington, he set a record by finishing the season with 80% field goal percentage, the best in NCAA. He was second in the league in double-doubles in his third year, and first in his senior year.

Devontae went undrafted in 2019, but his first year in professional basketball was a memorable one. In December, he signed a two-way contract with the Lakers, but spent most of the season with the Northern Arizona Suns G-League team. He was named to the All-G-League First Team and to the All-Rookie Team. In the August “bubble”, he played his first game in the NBA, the Lakers won the Finals, and Cacok received the championship ring.

The Lakers kept the player for the next season, and a year later he played for San Antonio. In total, Devontae played 36 NBA games (1 as a starter) with averages of 2.5 points (62% field goals), 2.2 rebounds, 0.4 steals in 6.3 minutes.

At the start of this season, he signed a contract with Portland, but the club ultimately did not give the player a chance, and Cacok ended up in Motor City.

The American will arrive in Moscow in mid-February, during the VTB League All-Star break. His contract will come into effect after the tests at the GMS Clinic.

Emil Rajkovic, CSKA head coach:

We finally decided to use the chance to fill the spot of the foreign player that we were keeping for such a long time. The most important part of season is coming so we need to think forward about possible absences in the more intense schedule and to strengthen the rotation in the frontline that was weakened after Antonov’s injury. We know what Devontae can bring to our team in means of his basketball skills, we hope that he will adjust quickly to our system, accept our club’s culture and becomes an integral piece of the team.

Devontae Cacok, CSKA forward:

I am excited to join CSKA and plan on coming in and continue to help the club on winning games every night. I have always pride myself on playing hard and playing the right way and I’m happy to be able to bring that to Moscow and CSKA.