CHARLESTON, S.C. – Former Citadel basketball standout Zane Najdawi has signed his first professional contract, signing on for the 2020-21 season with Hero Jairis out of Spain.
Najdawi, who graduated in May 2019, was one of just four players in Southern Conference history, and the only Bulldog in program history, to score at least 1,600 points, corral 700 rebounds and block 175 shots in a career.
A two-time All-SoCon selection, Najdawi was just the 11th Citadel basketball player in program history to earn all-conference honors in multiple seasons and first since Mike Groselle (2011-12, 2012-13) to earn All-SoCon honors in back-to-back years. He was a consensus first-team selection in 2017-18 and a third-team honoree as a senior in 2018-19.
A native of Midlothian, Virginia, Najdawi ended his career in the top 10 in program history in 12 different categories, including breaking into the top five in eight of those.
Najdawi is second in program history for blocks in a career (199) and is third in scoring (1,634 points), free throws made (395), defensive rebounds (478) and total rebounds (736). He is fifth in career field goals attempted (1,166) and offensive rebounds (258), sixth in made field goals (566) and free throws attempted (515), and 10th in minutes played (3,056).
Najdawi was one of just six players in program history to play over 127 games in a career and was just the fourth Bulldog to start at least 120 games.
Najdawi boasts four of the top 10 highest season block totals in program history and owns four of the program's top 10 single-game block performances. He swatted away multiple shots in 58 games over his career, including a career-high seven in the Bulldogs' 87-83, overtime win over Samford on Feb. 23, 2019.
For his career, Najdawi recorded 16 double-doubles, including seven as a senior. He is tied for fourth in program history for career double-doubles and his 2018-19 campaign is tied for sixth in Citadel history.
A Preseason All-SoCon selection by both the league and Mid-Major Madness in 2018-19, Najdawi earned National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) All-District 22 and NABC Honors Court plaudits as a junior in 2017-18 and was a four-time SoCon Player of the Week. He earned the Southern Conference Commissioner's Medal as a junior and was named to the Southern Conference Academic All-Conference team for Spring 2018.
The Citadel men's basketball program has had 13 players go on to play professional basketball over the years, including Rick Swing (Class of 1979) and Gary Daniels (Class of 1962), both of whom were drafted into the NBA.
Seven former Bulldogs are listed on current professional rosters, including Najdawi, Matt Frierson (Campo Mourão Basquete, Brazil), Lew Stallworth (BC Timi?oara, Romania), Tom Koopman (Mola di Bari, Italy), Cameron Wells (BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque, France), Morakinyo Williams (Mekong United BC, Thailand) and Joe Wolfinger (Gifu Swoops, Japan).