Lleida, Catalonia, Força Lleida has confirmed that American guard James Batemon has renewed his contract for two more seasons, keeping him at Barris Nord until June 2028.
The club announced the agreement on Thursday with a video featuring Batemon. The message first appeared to be a farewell, before ending with the confirmation that he will stay in Lleida.
In the video, Batemon thanked supporters for their backing at Barris Nord and beyond, and said they were “undoubtedly the best fans in the ACB”, according to the AI-translated Spanish subtitles.
He also referred to the saying, “you arrive in Lleida crying and you leave crying too”, before adding that he would not be leaving yet. “Lleida, I’m staying one more year! We are ready for another dance!” he said.
According to SEGRE, the renewal had been the club’s most anticipated deal, and discussions began in April after Batemon said he was willing to stay in Lleida. The newspaper also reported that the new contract improves his financial terms and places him among the top players in the league.
The agreement comes as the club prepares to change its name to Ilerna Lleida from 1 July. For more local sports coverage, see our news page.
