Former GW star Brendan Adams set to join Latvian club VEF Riga

FOGGY BOTTOM – Former George Washington guard Brendan Adams is finalizing a move to join Latvian club VEF Riga, he told A10Talk. 

VEF Riga is one of the top teams in Latvia. They have won 10 Latvian Basketball League titles, and made the Latvian-Estonian league finals last season. Adams will join former NBA player and captain of the Latvian National Team Dairis Bertāns on VEF Riga. 

Adams had a breakout season for GW this past year. He averaged 17.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 37.9% from three in 37.7 minutes per game, was named the Atlantic 10’s Most Improved Player, and made All-Conference Third Team while leading GW to their best record since 2016-17. 

A signature moment from Adams’ 2022-23 campaign was when he scored a career high 35 points and set a GW record with nine threes in a double overtime victory over Richmond, all while shutting down Spiders star Tyler Burton on the defensive end.

Adams began his collegiate career at Connecticut, graduating in three years before transferring to GW for his final two seasons of eligibility. Adams was a consistent contributor off the bench for UConn, providing his biggest impact for the Huskies during his sophomore season, where he averaged 7.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 22.0 minutes per game. 

During Adams’ first year at GW in 2021-22, he appeared to struggle with the increased role. He was in and out of the starting lineup all season and averaged 8.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 27.2% from three in 30.2 minutes per game. 

Earlier this summer, the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Adams to their Summer League team. In three appearances for the Wolves, Adams averaged 4.3 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.67 assists, and shot 42.9% from three in 7.8 minutes per game. 

In addition to competing in the Summer League, Adams also won the 3X3U National Championship in April, participated in The Basketball Tournament as a member of the VCU Alumni team, Ram Nation, and made a few guest appearances in the Kenner League with Call Your Mother. 

“[Adams’] work ethic, character, what he’s been able to do academically… he was deserving of having a great year,” said GW head coach Chris Caputo. “So happy that he’s been able to see some success, we’re so proud that this opportunity came from that.”