May 6, 2024
The Montreal Alliance have signed Jahenns Manigat and Chris Smith
The Montreal Alliance are taking another step closer to their season opening roster with the signings of Jahenns Manigat and Chris Smith.
Both players come with a wealth of experience under their belts. Manigat, a Montreal native, played for the Vancouver Bandits last season while Smith was signed by the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, and spent the last two seasons in the NBA-G league.
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“We are excited to add Smith to our roster for the upcoming season”, said Joel Anthony, General Manager of the Alliance. “His impressive background and experience at the highest levels of basketball speak volumes about his talent and potential. We believe he will make an immediate impact and will flourish in our organization”.
Despite his performances during his senior season at UCLA, Smith suffered a season-ending injury after only eight games, leading him to not being selected in the 2021 NBA Draft. Smith was added to the Detroit Pistons’ 2021 NBA Summer League roster before signing a two-way contract with the NBA organization.
Smith played the 2021-22 NBA G League season with the Piston’s Motor City Cruise affiliate, averaging 8.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 22.5 minutes per game. The American player played the following two seasons in the NBA G League with the Salt Lake City Stars (2022-23), the Grand Rapids Gold (2023-24) and the Iowa Wolves (2023-24).
“Manigat will bring a veteran presence and extensive experience in the league, which will undoubtedly strengthen our team both on and off the court,” said Alliance General Manager Joel Anthony. “His leadership and knowledge of the game will be invaluable assets as we continue to develop our young talent.”
Born in Montreal, Manigat played his college basketball with the Creighton Bluejays in the NCAA Division I. Captain of the Bluejays for three seasons, Manigat started his last 121 games with the team and ranks sixth in Creighton history with 206 career three-points shots made. In five seasons at Creighton, his team had a record of 28-1 when he made three or more three-point shots, including 26 straight wins.
“I’m honoured to join the Alliance and play in my hometown,” said Manigat. “I look forward to contributing to the team’s success and representing Montréal.”
Having played professionally for over 10 seasons, Manigat has played at least one season in the top divisions of the Romanian, Cypriot, German, Lithuanian, Hungarian and Polish championships. The guard recorded over 10 points per game in a full season on seven occasions, including a season of 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in Cyprus.
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Smith and Manigat become the eighth and ninth players to join the Alliance for the 2024 season. The Montréal Alliance is gearing up for the 2024 season and will host the Edmonton Stingers in their highly anticipated home opener on May 30 at the Verdun Auditorium. Tickets are on sale here.
