The circles still bear the scars of his time in the G League and yet Petr Cornelie’s American adventure is coming to an end. Excellent in the antechamber of the NBA last season, the interior will ultimately not be able to find a place in the Big League. Nothing to mope about for our Frenchie who is already flying in search of new challenges and above all, new rackets to torture. Take out the tapas and put on your best hat, next stop; Spain and more specifically Real Madrid where Petr has just signed up for a year. Ole!
One, two, three, then four and re-three, and now re-four: our French take power in the Spanish capital! After Fabien Causeur, Vincent Poirier and Guerschon Yabusele, it is now the turn of Petr Cornelie to engage with the finalist of the last edition of EuroLeague. Author of a nice season between the NBA and the G League – especially in the G League – the French international will not have managed to transform his two-way contract into a real, more solid lease. But no matter, for Petr, the essential is elsewhere, just admire the glow up.
First trained at Le Mans then drafted with the 53rd pick by the Nuggets in 2016, Cornelie waited five years in France before jumping across the Atlantic. Passed respectively by the MSB, Levallois, re-the MSB and finally Pau, the big stretch took the time to get used to our good old championship. He stood out there with his huge arms and this well-asserted shot. A slender interior (2.11m) capable of dominating in the racket as well as punishing from afar, the Frenchie is also a very high level rebounder, not to say elite. With a rather constant progression and well reinforced by his adventures with the Blues, this gentleman was still a silver medalist at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. He then decided to reach a new level by flying to… Denver.
???? Petr Cornelie, our number 2️⃣1️⃣!#WelcomeCornelie
— Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) July 27, 2022
Signed via a two-way contract and tossed between the Nuggets and Grand Rapids Gold, a G League team affiliated with the Rockies franchise, our Frenchman continues to progress and is gradually performing in the antechamber of the NBA. Finally, by « perform » we hear “squishes, rolls or dominates outrageously” : Petr sends some good big French steak to the Americans. Best rebounder in the G League last season, he compiles an impressive line of stats with 17.8 points (two 3-pointers) and 12.8 rebounds on average per night. The number 21 of Mile High City even wins the right to play his first minutes in the NBA. If the experience in the Great League proves statistically inconclusive, Petr’s move to the USA is far from a failure. Sharper than ever physically, the neo-dad (congratulations) is now preparing to discover the European games under the famous white tunic of Real. Party in Pau, returned to Madrid.
Already author of a good season last year, Real Madrid has a nice reinforcement for its internal sector. Paired with our other three Frenchies, there’s no doubt that Petr should wreak havoc in European rackets as well. But before that, heading for EuroBasket 2022 next September, and in good shape, gentlemen!