Partizan Belgrade is closing in on a short-term deal with French forward Bandja Sy to bolster the club’s frontcourt following an early-season injury in EuroLeague play, according to reports from Basketball Sphere. The potential signing, which would mark a return to Belgrade for the 36-year-old veteran, aims to provide immediate roster depth after American forward Derek Willis was sidelined by an ankle injury.
Addressing Frontcourt Depth After Derek Willis Injury
The urgency behind Partizan’s pursuit of Sy stems from an injury to Derek Willis during the team’s EuroLeague opening fixture against Milan. Club officials announced that the American interior player faces a multi-week recovery timeline, with further medical evaluations scheduled in three to four weeks to determine an exact return date. With the club competing across rigorous continental and domestic schedules, management moved quickly to secure an experienced option capable of slotting into the rotation without a learning curve.
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Familiarity and Preseason Preparation in Belgrade
For Partizan supporters, Sy is far from an unfamiliar face. Standing at 2.04 meters, the French power forward previously wore the black-and-white jersey from the 2017-18 season through the summer of 2019, arriving initially from AEK Athens and helping the club capture back-to-back Serbian Cups. His integration is expected to be easy; Sy spent part of the recent summer participating in the team's preseason training sessions alongside Nemanja Gordić, a development confirmed by the ABA League in August.
A Decorated Career Across European Competitions
Since his departure from Belgrade in 2019, Sy has built an extensive resume across various European leagues. His career path featured stints with Andorra, Boulogne-Levallois, and Paris Basketball. In the French capital, Sy enjoyed a highly successful run, capturing the EuroCup title in 2024, the Leaders Cup in 2024, the French Cup in 2025, and the French Pro A championship in 2025 before moving on to play in Romania.
Recent Statistics from the FIBA Europe Cup
Last season, Sy competed for CSM CSU Oradea in the Romanian top-tier league and the FIBA Europe Cup. Across 10 appearances in European competition, the veteran forward averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1 assist in just over 28 minutes per contest. He shot 43.5 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Domestically, Oradea reached the finals of the Romanian championship playoffs before falling to Cluj-Napoca.
Next Steps for the Club and Roster Finalization
As negotiations reach their final stages, Partizan Belgrade is expected to formally announce the short-term agreement once all administrative details are completed. The club continues its preparations for upcoming fixtures while managing its current rotation constraints.
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