Silverbacks forward Ishmail Wainright has been signed by NBA side Phoenix Suns on a two-way contract, its official.
Wainright returns to the Suns after a brief stint with the Portland Trail Blazers, who waived him in January. The forward previously departed the Suns on October 19, 2023.
After being claimed off waivers by the Portland Trail Blazers on October 21, 2023, Wainright made his debut with the team on November 14 during the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament, facing the Utah Jazz in a loss.
During his time with the Trail Blazers, Wainright appeared in seven games, averaging 2.9 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest.
Now in his third NBA season, Wainright brings experience and versatility to the Suns’ lineup. His previous tenure with the team from 2021 to 2023 saw him play a career-high 60 games and achieve personal bests of 4.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 15.3 minutes per game.
Wainright was unable to participate in the recent Afrobasket Qualifiers, where the Silverbacks claimed a victory against Nigeria but faced defeats against Libya and Cape Verde.
