Aris adds Dragan Labovic

Aris BSA 2003 continued its midseason shakeup by signing big man Dragan Labovic on Saturday through the summer of 2012, the club announced on its website. Labovic (207, 22) arrives from Serbian side FMP, where he averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds over 17 minutes in 13 Adriatic League games this season. He comes to help a banged up Aris team that has been without several key players recently. Aris also made a pair of backcourt moves last week, releasing Juan Dixon and replacing him with Ivan Paunic. Labovic has extensive Eurocup experience, helping his team reach the 2007 ULEB Cup semifinals and averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds over the past three Eurocup seasons. He spent his entire professional career at FMP spare the 2005-06 season on loan at Borac Cacak. Among his career highlights are winning the Adriatic League once and the Serbian Cup twice in addition to gold medals at the Under-16, U-18 and U-20 European Championships with the Serbian national team. Labovic represented the Serbian senior team at EuroBasket 2007.

"I'm very happy that I will play in this great Greek club," Labovic said when he arrived in Greece. "Aris is a legend in Serbia, too. I will do all I can to help the team and make myself useful. I want to thank the club's administration, as well as coach Katsikaris, for having chosen me and for giving me this great opportunity."

"We were looking for a player who would have different characteristics and style than the ones we already have on our roster," Aris head coach Fotis Katsikaris said. "Labovic can play in both positions 4 or 5, he passes very well, he is equally good in the low-post and as a three-point shooter, but most of all he will be very motivated - just like his compatriot, Ivan Paunic. They are hungry for success. They know well that Aris is a big club and that this is their great opportunity to shine. They will need some time for adaptation, of course, but all Serbs have a special temperament, which gives them the ability to get fast into the mentality of a new team.”