HERNE, Germany (AP) - It must be the bratwurst that keeps bringing the children of retired Utah Jazz great John Stockton to Germany. The basketball, too.
Laura Stockton is the fourth child of the NBA legend to sign a professional contract to play in Germany. Her older siblings Michael, David and Lindsay have all played in the basketball Bundesliga.
“This has given me the opportunity to visit Germany many times and learn about and get comfortable with the lifestyle there, which is very different from America,” Stockton said in a statement sent by her new club, Herner TC, to The Associated Press on Monday.
Herner TC, which competes in Germany’s top league, signed Stockton for the 2020-21 season.
The 5-foot-8 guard played four seasons for Gonzaga and amassed 459 career assists before she tore an ACL during the West Coast Conference tournament in March 2019. She’s been rehabbing her left knee since then.
“I am delighted to have Laura on our team,” Herner TC coach Marek Piotrowski said in the team’s statement, echoing Friday’s announcement of the signing. “During her time at Gonzaga, she proved that she can lead a team at a higher level.”
Piotrowski also cited his “good experiences with players from Gonzaga” at Herner TC, including Sonja Greinacher and Haiden Palmer.
Michael Stockton has played for two German teams, most recently Göttingen. The 31-year-old point guard now plays in France. David Stockton had one season in Germany and currently plays in the G League for the South Bay Lakers. Lindsay Stockton played for Weiterstadt in 2016.
Laura Stockton, who has two younger brothers, said her family’s competitive spirit “has translated to the basketball court and made me the player I am today.”
Germany was an easy choice, she added.
“I’m looking forward to be able to see more of the country and eating more of the delicious German food.”
Herner TC, located near Dortmund, was 13-8 in March when the league was cancelled because of the coronavirus.
John Stockton played 19 seasons for the Jazz and holds the NBA record for assists (15,806). A point guard, Stockton played on the US Olympic “Dream Team” in 1992 and is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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