Brindisi, talent discoverer Leo De Rycke is the new ds.
Brindisi, Leo De Rycke is the new sports director
Happy Casa Brindisi in a statement announced that it has entrusted the role of sports director to Leo De Rycke, a former player and sports director of Antwerp, Bamberg and Chalon, born in Belgium on March 13, 1965.
“An expert connoisseur of European basketball in all managerial and scouting aspects with more than a hundred official games in the international arena, De Rycke was one of the main architects of the Giants Antwerp’s golden years, forging a solid reputation based on expertise, professionalism and recruiting.”
“In his nine years (2010-19) in Antwerp, the team won the Super Cup in 2017, the Belgian Cup in the 2018/19 season, four cup finals and nine consecutive playoff appearances. Consecration came in the European arena, winning a historic third place in the 2019 FIBA Basketball Champions League competition behind Virtus Bologna (champion) and Tenerife, getting the better of Brose Bamberg in the final for the bronze medal.”
“The same German team of Bamberg decided in the following summer to hire him in the position of sports director for recruiting and development of the roster and coaching staff, having supervisor duties of the different sections of the club between professionals and youth.”
“After his experience in Germany, in April 2021 he decided to accept the proposal of the French club Élan Chalon, as head of the entire sports area, a position he managed until the summer of 2022 concluded in the quarterfinal playoffs for promotion to the French first division.”
“Under his direction, he recruited and raised young athletes who became professionals at high levels: Maxime De Zeeuw, Belgian national team also seen in Brindisi in 2021/22, Ismael Bako (now at Virtus Bologna), rookies such as Salah Mejri (Real Madrid and Dallas Mavericks), Corey Walden (acquired from the Boston Celtics before the start of the season), Jae’S’ean Tate (Houston Rockets) and top players in the various European leagues on all Michael Roll (Maccabi, Milan), Kevin Punter (Milan, Partizan), Tyler Kalinoski (Brescia, Malaga), Christian Sengfelder (Eurobasket 2022 with Germany) and others.”
