Real Madrid signs Spanish forward Jaime Pradilla from Valencia Basket on five-year contract

The transfer

Real Madrid confirmed on Tuesday the signing of Spanish power forward Jaime Pradilla from Valencia Basket. The 25-year-old passed a medical at Hospital Blua Sanitas Valdebebas and signed a contract that ties him to the club until the end of the 2030-31 season. The move was triggered by the payment of his €1.5 million release clause, which had been activated on 3 July.

Real Madrid C.F. and Jaime Pradilla have reached an agreement by which the power forward, from Valencia Basket, will be a Real Madrid player for the next five seasons, until the end of 2030-2031.

Pradilla had signed a contract extension with Valencia in February that ran until 2028, making his departure a significant blow to the club. He leaves after six seasons and 390 appearances, during which he won the 2025-26 Liga Endesa and Supercopa titles.

Coaching context

The signing is the second major move in a rapid overhaul of Real Madrid's basketball section. On Monday, the club presented Pedro Martínez as head coach, replacing Sergio Scariolo, who was dismissed after a season without silverware. Martínez had coached Pradilla at Valencia, where the pair won the domestic double. The chemistry between them is seen as a key factor in the transfer.

The club also recently saw the return of Juan Carlos Sánchez to the director's role, following the departure of Sergio Rodríguez.

Player profile and stats

Pradilla, a 2.02-metre international, averaged 10.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in the Spanish league last season, with a performance index rating of 15.5. In the Euroleague, his numbers were 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds for a 9.3 rating. Other sources report overall averages of 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2 assists across all competitions.

He will wear the number 4 shirt and is expected to form an inside partnership with Walter Tavares.

Roster impact

Pradilla's arrival addresses a pressing need for locally trained players (JFL) in Real Madrid's ACB squad. The long-term injury to Usman Garuba and uncertainty over Sergio Llull's future had left the team short of the required four cupo players per matchday. The move also fills the gap left by Canadian forward Trey Lyles, whose contract expired on 30 June.

When I have to decide my future, I will speak.

Pradilla had hinted at a possible exit during the VII Gala del Baloncesto español, and his transfer follows a similar path to Alberto Abalde's move from Valencia to Madrid in 2020.

Transfer timeline