Former Wolverine Austin Davis signs deal with Polish pro team

James Hawkins
The Detroit News

Former Michigan big man Austin Davis’ playing days aren’t over yet.

The next stop of Davis’ basketball career will take him overseas to Europe, where he will play professionally with Klub Koszykówki Wloclawek in the Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK; Polish Basketball League).

Austin Davis averaged a career-high 5.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game as a fifth-year senior last season.

According to a release by the team, Davis signed a one-year contract that includes a tryout clause until the end of August.

“After talks with (Davis), I know that he is determined to play at a high level,” Wloclawek coach Przemyslaw Frasunkiewicz said in a statement. “Due to the fact that he has never played professionally or in Europe before, we signed a contract with the clause. We will give him time to show his skills and make sure that he can be an important player for the team.”

Wloclawek competes in the highest tier of professional basketball in Poland and finished 13th in the 16-team PLK last season with a 10-20 record. The club — which is based in Wloclawek, Poland — has won three PLK championships, most recently in 2018 and 2019.

Davis, 23, joins Wloclawek following a five-year career at Michigan. After struggling to crack the rotation under former coach John Beilein, the 6-foot-10 center from Onsted turned into a reliable reserve for coach Juwan Howard, averaging 5.1 points (69.9% shooting) and 2.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes over the past two seasons.

Davis passed on the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was assisting Michigan strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson on campus while exploring his pro options.

“I’m truly honored to have this opportunity to begin my professional career with such a prestigious club and to play in the PLK,” Davis said in a statement. “This will be a tremendous learning opportunity. I am ready to get to work with this team.”

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @jamesbhawkins