Former Gonzaga star Kyle Wiltjer signs with Italian club Reyer Venice

Wiltjer heads back to Europe after spending last season playing professionally in China

Coming off one of his best seasons as a pro in China, Kyle Wiltjer will continue his international playing career after agreeing to a deal with Reyer Venice of the BKT EuroCup on Thursday.

The former Gonzaga men's basketball standout set career bests in rebounds and assists during the 2022-23 season with the Zhenjiang Lions, as he averaged 16.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Wiltjer shot 46.7% from the field and set a personal benchmark at the free-throw line, shooting 86.9%. 

After one season in China, Wiltjer is set to make his return to Europe where he won the Basketball Champions League with Lenovo Tenerife in 2021-22. He also played for Olympiacos (2017-18) and Unicaja (2018-19) before a standout season with Turk Telecom Ankara in 2020-21, where he averaged a career-high 18.7 points and shot 50.1% from the floor.

• TRACKING FORMER ZAGS IN THE PROS

In between stints in Europe, Wiltjer, along with former Bulldogs Andrew Nembhard and Kevin Pangos, represented Canada in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Wiltjer led the team in scoring at 16.4 points per game, though the Canadians went 2-3 and finished 21st out of the 30-team field.

Wiltjer won't be the first former Bulldog to suit up for the Italian club, as Austin Daye won the competition's MVP honors while he led Reyer Venice to its first Italian Cup in club history in 2020. Daye spent eight seasons with the team before suiting up for Pesaro in the LBA in 2022-23. Melvin Ejim, the older brother of current Gonzaga women's basketball standout Yvonne Ejim, played two seasons with Reyer Venice from 2015-17.

Reyer Venice enters its fifth straight season in the EuroCup when the 2023-24 season tips off on Oct. 11.