Another Arizona Wildcat has signed to play basketball professionally overseas.
Guard JaLea Bennett inked a one-season contract to play for the GISA SV Halles Lions outside of Berlin.
Bennett is the fourth player from Adia Barnesβ Wildcats to turn pro in the past year. The 6-footer follows LaBrittney Jones, Dejza James and Malena Washington.
βIβm extremely happy for JaLea,β said Barnes, the UAβs coach and a onetime overseas player herself. βI think she has a chance to be a really good professional player. I donβt know too many people in the game who are more athletic that she is. Every year she continues to improve. For JaLea as she becomes a pro, it becomes a job, and she will immediately work on her game even more.
βOverseas, all you do is focus on basketball. Once you become a pro itβs your livelihood; itβs what you do for a living, and as you mature you just focus on basketball, you work harder. I am excited to see what the future holds for her career.β
Bennett finished her UA career as honorable mention All-Pac-12. She ranks 10th all-time in blocks (50) and games played (119). She averaged 13.9 points per game as a senior last season, up from 5.7 the previous year. She grabbed 122 rebounds over last seasonβs 70.
Bennett spent the last few months working with Barnes and UA assistant coach Salvo Coppa to prepare for a new style of play.
Bennett said she worked βmainly on footwork.β
βTheir footwork is different and also working on different moves that are effective,β she said.
Bennett reached out to former Wildcat Alli Gloyd, who played overseas in Australia, Germany and Luxembourg. Gloyd advised Bennett not to negotiate directly with the coach, and urged her to ask for money and transportation once she arrives in Germany.
Mostly, Gloyd told Bennett to enjoy her time in a new country.
Bennett selected her German team in part because of the new coach JosΓ© Araujo, who was with Portuguese club Coimbra last season.
βI had a really good conversation with him,β she said. βItβs my first year and he said he is happy to help me get used to things. We talked about what positions Iβm comfortable playing and what he expects from me. So I am really looking forward to getting there.β
Bennett said sheβs always wanted to go to Germany. Sheβs never been out of the United States before.
Bennett is due to report Aug. 5. This weekend, Bennett will be the guest of honor at a party thrown in her hometown of Grand Prairie, Texas.
βIβm am very excited,β she said. βNot really nervous, but very excited.β