Ostend strengthens itself with Belgian Lion Vrenz Bleijenbergh

The small forward (2m08) played four games this summer with Phoenix Suns in the NBA Summer League. He was stuck at an average of less than six minutes per game (0.8 pts, 1.3 rebounds, 0.3 assists) and was unable to secure a contract.

Bleijenbergh therefore returns to Belgium, where he defended the colors of the Antwerp Giants for 14 years (from the youth categories). In the 2020-21 season, he was voted Rising Star in the Belgian Championship.

In 2021 Bleijenbergh registered for the NBA draft, the annual event in which NBA teams can recruit young talents. However, he was not chosen. Last season Bleijenbergh first played for Betis Sevilla in Spain and then in the G-League, the waiting room of the NBA, at Windy City Bulls (Chicago Bulls satellite club).

With the national team, led by Dario Gjergja (also his coach at Ostend), Bleijenbergh will play two World Cup qualifiers at the end of this summer, against Great Britain on August 25 in the Mons.arena and on August 28 in Greece. The Belgian Lions then take part in Eurobasket. Belgium is placed in group A with Spain, Montenegro, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria.

The group matches will take place in Tbilissi, Georgia. Gjergja’s team opens its European Championship against Georgia on September 1.