Jón Arnór Stefánsson, a member of the Icelandic men’s team in basketball, signed a two-year contract with Spanish premiere league team Granada on Monday. Stefánsson was a key player in the Icelandic championship team KR last season.
A basketball game in Iceland in 2007. The photo is not related to the story. By Geir Ólafsson.
“I will begin practicing in Spain [today],” Stefánsson told Morgunbladid. “I am very satisfied with the contract. The Spanish league is the strongest in Europe. I have to prove my worth there so this is a huge challenge.”
After the season ended in Iceland last spring, Stefánsson went to Italy and ended the season there with Lottomatica Roma. Stefánsson has played in Spain before, with Valencia from fall 2006 to February 2007. He has also played in the US, Germany and Russia.
Stefánsson became European champion with the Russian team as the first Icelandic basketball player to earn that title. His first game with Granada will be played in Bilbao, the Basque Country’s largest city, on October 11.
The Icelandic national team finished their participation in the B league of the European Championship with a 76-65 loss against Austria on August 29, placing fourth in their qualifying group, ruv.is reports.
