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French Big Man Vincent Poirier Excited To Join Boston Celtics -- The NBA's 'Mythical Franchise'

BOSTON (CBS) -- French big man Vincent Poirier is officially leaving the EuroLeague and joining the Celtics. Poirier and his former team, Baskonia, announced they're parting ways on Monday, and Poirier shared with the world that he's signing with the "mythical franchise" known as the Boston Celtics.

Poirier didn't start playing basketball until he was 17, and has played the last six seasons playing professionally overseas. He most recently played with Kirolbet Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2018-19 where he averaged 10.5 points (61.6% FG), 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.0 blocked shots in 73 games (59 starts) across the Euroleague and Spanish ACB. He ranked third on his Baskonia team in scoring, while also leading the team in rebounding.

Of those 73 games, 34 came in Euroleague competition, where Poirier ranked first across the league in both rebounding (8.3) and offensive rebounds (3.4). He was the only Euroleague player to average at least 10 points (11.9 ppg) and eight rebounds last season, earning All-EuroLeague Second Team honors.

The Celtics officially announced their signing of Poirier on Monday afternoon. He had shared his excitement about joining the Celtics on Instagram early in the day.

"Today, I realized my dream by joining the #NBA and the mythical franchise of the Boston Celtics, I have a great thought for my family, my friends and relatives, but especially for my father who I know, looks at me from above," Poirier wrote. "I am really looking forward to starting my NBA history."

The Celtics are very much a real NBA franchise, and Poirier has a real chance to help them in his first NBA season. The 25-year-old has some NBA Summer League experience under his belt, playing for the Orlando Magic summer team in 2016 and Brooklyn Nets summer squad in 2017. He is known for providing some solid rim protection and is an active pick-and-roll player, so he should fit in well to Brad Stevens' system in Boston.

Poirier joins Enes Kanter, Robert Williams III and Daniel Theis (and potentially, Tacko Fall) in the Boston front court, which is looking to fill the voids left by the departures of Al Horford and Aron Baynes this offseason.

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