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Former Ohio State Center Kosta Koufos Added To Carmen’s Crew Roster

Ohio State has effectively swapped one former center for another.

Andrew Lind

After losing Kaleb Wesson to the NBA Summer League on Thursday, Carmen’s Crew added former Buckeyes center Kosta Koufos to its roster for this summer’s rendition of The Basketball Tournament.

A former five-star prospect from Canton GlenOak, Koufos played just one season at Ohio State from 2007-08. He averaged 14.4 points and 6.7 rebounds to earn Big Ten All-Freshman honors while leading the Buckeyes to the National Invitation Tournament title.

Koufos was selected by the Utah Jazz with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and spent two seasons with the franchise before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He’s also played for the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, averaging 5.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in 686 career games in the NBA.

The 7-foot and 245-pound Koufos signed a two-year, $6 million deal with CKSA Moscow of the VTB United League and the Euroleague which made him the highest-paid American in Europe, He averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 27 games overseas before the two sides parted ways during the pandemic.

Koufos most recently played in Greece for Olympiacos, with whom he averaged 4.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in eight games.

Koufos now joins a Carmen’s Crew roster that includes fellow Ohio State alumni William Buford (2008-12), Aaron Craft (2010-14), Jon Diebler (2007-11), David Lighty (2006-11), Evan Ravenel (2011-13), Shannon Scott (2011-15), Lenzelle Smith Jr. (2010-14) and Keyshawn Woods (2018-19), as well as coaches Jared Sullinger (2010-12) and Dallas Lauderdale (2007-11).

Top-seeded Carmen’s Crew will open The Basketball Tournament with the Columbus Regional at the Covelli Center against Mid-American Unity on July 23. The winner will advance to take on the either No. 8 seed Men of Mackey or No. 9 seed Ballinteers in the second round on July 25.

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Andrew Lind
ANDREW LIND

Andrew Lind is an Ohio State beat writer and photographer at BuckeyesNow, founder of The Ohio State Uniform Database and the NCAA and NFL writer at SportsLogos.net.

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