Know Your Team: Rudolphe Joly

London Lightning

6’10

Centre

From Haiti

New London Lightning addition Rudolphe Joly is a player with wide and varied experience, who's reliable on both ends of the court and makes the most of his playing time - while the story of how he got there is one of the more interesting ones.

At a young age, Joly learned basketball in Haiti alongside Skal Labissiere, currently with the Portland Trail Blazers, before moving to Quebec City as a teenager. After leading College d’Alma to NSPAA & Canada Prep Titles, he became regarded as one of the country's best young players.

In 2013, he joined the Sherdian College Generals in Wyoming and after two years returned to Canada, joining the UQAM Citadins in Montreal. He and the team went on to win a 3x3 tournament held in China, and his performance there saw him selected for the 2015 FIBA 3x3 All-Stars tournament.

Joly first played professionally for the Windsor Express, appearing in 16 games, and averaging 4.4 points, 3.7 rebounds in the 2015-16 season. He then played for the Danang Dragons in Vietnam, going on to win the league championship with the team and scooping up international MVP honours for himself.

He then returned to the NBL Canada, joining Windsor for conclusion of 2016-17 season, and the St John’s Edge the following season, appearing in only 12 games across both years. In 2018 he moved between Thai teams T-REX and Nakorn as well as Rustavi in Georgia, before signing for his third NBL Canada team, the London Lightning, in 2019.

Picture: Tyler Brownbridge