Pallacanestro Reggiana Officially Signs Center Derek Ogbeide

Pallacanestro Reggiana is pleased to announce the signing of center Derek Ogbeide, who will wear the UNA Hotels Reggio Emilia jersey in the 2026/2027 sports season.

Born in Nigeria on March 28, 1997, holding Canadian citizenship, and standing at 206 centimeters, Ogbeide developed his basketball skills in the NCAA at the University of Georgia. His first professional experience came in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca, where over two years—between 2019 and 2021—he won the Championship and the Cup, and was named the league’s MVP. This was followed by stints at Hapoel Eilat in Israel, PAOK in Greece, and Konyaspor in Turkey, before his arrival in Italy.

On the Italian peninsula, Ogbeide played two consecutive seasons: the first, 2022/2023, in Serie A2 in Rimini; the second in Pistoia, where he finished with averages of 11.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, becoming the league’s top rebounder and reaching the playoffs. In the 2024/2025 season, he split his time between Cedevita Olimpija in Slovenia, Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel, and the Serie A playoffs with Trapani Shark. In the last year, he made 49 appearances in the G-League between the San Diego Clippers and the Grand Rapids Gold.

Coach Dimitris Priftis introduced him as follows: “Ogbeide is a player who already knows the Italian league and who has had the opportunity to work successfully alongside General Manager Marco Sambugaro in Pistoia. His main weapons are his rebounding and his pick-and-roll play. We believe he can help the team develop a good flow, contributing to the achievement of our set goals.”

These are the first words of Derek Ogbeide as a UNA Hotels Reggio Emilia player: “I chose Reggio Emilia because it is a prominent team in the Italian league and one that has always demonstrated a European dimension. I want to bring my dynamism to the squad, through a style of play that can be exciting for the fans, but above all, one that helps us win as many games as possible, which is a core part of my mentality. I expect a season where the level of the league will rise even further, and for this very reason, we will need to be ready to uphold the name of Reggio Emilia, bringing a competitive edge and fighting spirit to the court. I can’t wait to arrive in the city and meet all the fans. See you soon.”