After months of speculation that it was merely a formality, Usman Garuba has officially left the Golden State Warriors and the NBA to return home to Spain.
Garuba has signed a three-year contract with Real Madrid, the organization announced on Tuesday. The 22-year-old had previously advanced through Real Madrid’s junior divisions to join their professional program before being selected with the 23rd choice in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets.
Usman Garuba departs the NBA for now having played 105 career games, including six with the Golden State Warriors last season
Reports of Garuba’s return to Real Madrid surfaced in late May, but the 6’8″ big man responded in a now-deleted post on X/Twitter, saying, “My future is not decided yet, so stop circulating bogus stories.” We continue working.”
Garuba represented Spain at the recent Paris Olympics, however he only scored five points in three games in a limited position before his team was eliminated at the end of group stage.
OFFICIAL
— Matteo Andreani (@matty_vanpersie) August 20, 2024
Usman Garuba is coming back to Real Madrid.
3 yrs contract for Spain big man.#basketball #baloncesto #Spain #España #RealMadrid #EuroLeague #Transfers #NBA pic.twitter.com/mGySwV2aos
Garuba leaves the NBA after appearing in 105 games over three years, including only six with Golden State during his one season with the team. He appeared in 75 games with the Rockets in 2022-23, but was moved to and then dismissed by the Oklahoma City Thunder last offseason.
That gave the Warriors the option to sign Garuba to a two-way contract, with him spending the majority of the season in the G League, having only played 18 garbage time minutes with the main team.
Garuba averaged 10.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.6 blocks for Santa Cruz. In his final G League playoff game, the Spaniard recorded a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double, but it wasn’t enough as the Warriors were defeated in the Western Conference semifinals by the Stockton Kings.
Garuba had a career-high 12 points against the Dallas Mavericks in November 2022, and he also had a career-high 14 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings in April of that year.
