Defending Swiss Basketball League champion Fribourg Olympic signed 28-year-old American point guard Chris Lykes ahead of the 2026–2027 season, Frapp reported on Monday. The 1.70-meter playmaker arrives following a standout performance against his new club while playing for Spirou Charleroi, where he registered 27 points. Before turning professional, Chris Lykes had already made a name for himself in the United States, having been trained in the US.
Fribourg Olympic Roster Addition
Fribourg Olympic confirmed the acquisition in a late-day statement on Monday, outlining plans to utilize the American guard’s speed and playmaking abilities to bolster their offense. Eurobasket.com noted that Lykes stands at 169 centimeters and weighs 73 kilograms, joining the SBL titleholders after starting his professional career across several European leagues. The 28-year-old and 1.70-meter American point guard particularly distinguished himself in Denmark with Horsens.
Last season in the BNXT League with Charleroi, Lykes averaged 12.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 10 games, according to Eurobasket.com data. Prior to his stint in Belgium, Lykes played for iLab Basketbol in Turkey during the 2024–2025 campaign, following a Turkish league stop where he recorded 21.9 points and 5.6 assists per contest, as detailed by Frapp. He also played in France with Denain, and in Turkey, where he averaged 21.9 points and 5.6 assists, and subsequently in Belgium under the colors of Spirou Charleroi.
Journeyman Career Across Europe
Lykes brings extensive international experience to the Swiss championship side. His professional journey includes stops in Denmark with Horsens IC—where his squad reached the league semifinals in 2023 and earned Eurobasket.com All-Danish Ligaen Honorable Mention recognition—and in France with Denain Voltaire.
Before turning professional, Lykes established a notable scoring pedigree in the United States. He played four seasons at the University of Miami before completing his collegiate eligibility at the University of Arkansas in 2022. During his high school career at Gonzaga College High School, he scored 2,266 points to become the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Upcoming Swiss Basketball League Fixtures
Fribourg Olympic has not yet announced the exact date of Lykes’s official debut in the team lineup for the 2026–2027 campaign, leaving the precise timeline for his first appearance in SBL competition unconfirmed pending further club updates.
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