Ricardo Ratliffe, an American forward who plays in the Korean Basketball League, is returning to the team that first recruited him to Korea.
The University of Missouri alum made his professional debut with the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in 2012. Thic was after he went undrafted by the NBA. In his three years with the Phoebus, they topped every season and won every championship. These numbers establishing Ratliffe as a valuable league asset.
In 2015, he left the team to play for the Seoul Samsung Thunders.
Ricardo Ratliffe in the KBL
Ratliffe concluded his most recent season with the Thunders scoring an average of 24.48 points per game with 13.58 rebounds. He had a double-double in 59 consecutive games, making him the league’s best center. Ratliffe ranked first in rebounds and second in average score among foreign players last season. Naturally, Ratliffe is a favorite for those who bet on basketball, because of his scoring skills.
“In 2012, we drafted a rookie, Ratliffe who just graduated from college at the time, and he led us to championship victories for three consecutive seasons,” said Lee Do-hyun, general manager of the Phoebus. “I’m glad to have a player with great experience back on our team. We want to bring back the championship trophy.”
His successful career in the Korean league earned Ratliffe special naturalization in January. Although, some suspect his reason for adopting Korean citizenship was financial, but Ratliffe said his decision stemmed from his love for the country.
Despite the limitations, the Phoebus are looking forward to Ratliffe’s return.
