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Oklahoma Signs Russian Center Kirill Yelantoncev as Lokomotiv-Kuban Presses Contract Dispute

Lokomotiv-Kuban contests the move as a breach of a contract through 2029, pursuing the case with basketball authorities.

Overview

  • The University of Oklahoma announced the 23-year-old center’s addition on Dec. 29 and said he could play against Mississippi Valley State.
  • Head coach Porter Moser said Yelantoncev will add depth at the five position and that the staff is speeding his adaptation to the system.
  • Lokomotiv-Kuban says Yelantoncev left in November without permission despite a contract reported to run until 2029.
  • The club told TASS that no compensation has been paid and that neither Oklahoma nor the NCAA engaged with it before the signing, calling the move a contract violation.
  • Lokomotiv-Kuban says its claim is registered with Russia’s National Center for Sports Arbitration, with complaints filed to the RFB, FIBA and the NCAA; Oklahoma’s move follows NCAA clearance granted to the player in early October.