KUALA LUMPUR — The Westports Malaysia Dragons have announced that they will be returning fan-favorite import, Chris Eversley, for a 3rd season with the team in the ASEAN Basketball League.
Eversley joined the Dragons late in the season last year with only 7 remaining games to play but managed to blend in nicely. The Chicago native averaged 28.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists as the Dragons made a push for the final playoff spot which they eventually missed out on.
It was actually Chris Eversley’s second season with the team after playing for the Dragons in the 2014 ABL season. Then a wide-eyed rookie straight out of college at Cal Poly, the 6’7″ forward had a superb year with the Dragons by helping them all the way to the ABL Finals. His 31-point debut with the Dragons still stands as one of the best debut performances for any player, tied for the highest scoring output in league history for a player’s first game. Starring as the team’s primary option on the wing, Eversley put up 19.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in his debut season.
After a few twists and turns following his rookie year, Eversley found himself back in Malaysia — a place where he proudly calls his second home. He’s built a strong relationship with the players and the community over the years, making it an easy decision to return the 27-year-old for a third season with the team.
Eversley has even spent an amount of time in Malaysia during the offseason working with the team. He coached the younger players in the local MPL D-League and played for the Dragons in the recent Malaysia Hoops Challenge 2018.
The experience and chemistry that Eversley has with the team will be the help that the Dragons need to turn around a two-year postseason draught. The last time the Dragons made the playoffs was in 2015-2016 when they won the ABL title. So far, the only offseason change the Dragons have announced aside from Eversley is the signing of Head Coach Jamie Pearlman.
The Dragons’ season starts on November 23 when they face long-time rivals, Singapore Slingers at OCBC Arena in Singapore. Their first home game will be the first game of the year 2019 on January 2 when they host the Saigon Heat at MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. Check out the Dragons’ season schedule here!
