Clippers signed Yaroslav Korolev

First-round draft National Basketball Assocaition draft selection Yaroslav Korolev of Russia signed a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

Selected 12th overall, Korolev is the Russian chosen in the NBA's annual draft. He averaged 16.3 points and 7.5 rebounds for the under-18 Russian national team in July's European Championship.

An early entry candidate in the NBA draft, the 2.06-meter (6-foot-9) forward also played in Russia's Superleague A. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said, that Yaroslav is a very skilled player and has a great feel for the game. Other Russians selected in the first round were Viktor Khryapa (22nd) by New Jersey in 2004, Sergei Monia (23rd) by Portland in 2004 and Andrei Kirilenko (24th) by Utah in 1999, AP reports.