Victor Bychkov, BC Khimki General Manager:

— Our club has signed an agreement with a French national team player Mickael Gelabale. We hope in the near future a basketball player to join our team. It is known that Gelabale didn't play a game due to injury after European Championship, so we should speak about him as a BC Khimki player only after passing him a medical examination. At the end of the week Gelebale arrives in Khimki, and we hope that all the formalities will be settled by Saturday.

We've said a lot that our club selection is not completed. At the moment BC Khimki looks smart, but there is a problem — the depth of the "bench". After parting with Mozgov by Daye we began to look for a center. Also we think about how to strengthen the whole roster. In professional sport, no one is safe from injury or loss of form.

Gelebale is a serious basketball player, with leadership qualities, capable of playing well as in defense as in offense. Moreover, he has extensive experience of playing for the French national team, in NBA, Real Madrid and strongest French clubs. We look forward to seeing Mickael in Khimki.

Rimas Kurtinaitis, BC Khimki head coach:

— The season is long, and there are a lot of matches ahead. Now everything is fine, but when there is too much work, there is a risk of injury. Now we have 10 players in our roster, and young Pushkov and Dudu. But if we want to fight for highest awards we need to strengthen the roster.

After leaving Langford the position of a small forward remained to be open. We didn't rush to "close" it as carefully searched for suitable candidates. Gelebale is suitable for us perfectly. The only problem we may face is that he had long been without match practice due to injury. Therefore, the contract will enter into force only after results of medical examination.

We sign a contract right now, because of the holidays we will have a short break — enough time for a newman to adjust to new conditions, take a form, fit into the team. I hope that by mid-January he will be completely ready.


Mickael Gelabale (France)

Born: May 22, 1983 in Pointe-Noire, Guadeloupe
Height: 201 cm
Weight: 98 kg
Position: small forward

Pro career: 2001–present

Teams played:
2001-2004 — Cholet Basket (France),
2004-2006 — Real Madrid (Spain),
2006-2008 — Seattle SuperSonics (NBA, USA),
2009 — Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League, NBA, USA),
2009-2010 — Cholet Basket (France),
2010-2011 — ASVEL (France),
2011-2012 — Spirou Basket (Belgium) (his contract was later indefinitely suspended because of an injury).
Since December 2011 – BC Khimki

Achievements:
Selected by Seattle supersonics in the second round (# 48 overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft;
Champion of France — 2010;
France championship regular season winner — 2010;
Champion of Spain — 2005;
Spanish Cup runner-up — 2005;
French championship semifinalist — 2002, 2011-2012;
Euroleague quarterfinalist — 2006.

Since 2005 — player of France national team:
EuroBasket-2005 bronze medalist (held in Serbia and Montenegro),
World championship-2006 participant (held in Japan),
World championship-2010 participant (held in Turkey),
EuroBasket-2011 silver medalist (held in Lithuania): played 9 games, 7.3 ppg, 1.8 rebounds per game, 1.0 assists per game, ranks #1 in 3 Pts Field Goal Percentage (63.6%)