WNBA: Lynx Forward Bridget Carleton Signs With Perfumerías Avenida in EuroLeague

Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton is taking her talents overseas for the remainder of the winter. Spanish club Perfumerías Avenida of EuroLeague announced Sunday that Carleton will join the team this week on a one-year contract.

Carleton is coming off an incredible run for Canada Basketball down under in Sydney, Australia at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup, where she led Canada to a historic fourth place finish, the team’s best performance in a World Cup in 36 years. She averaged a team-high 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks across a team-leading 30.9 minutes per game in eight contests.

FIBA named Carleton to its tournament All-Star Five for her efforts, alongside former Lynx Stephanie Talbot (Australia), Han Xu (China), Breanna Stewart (USA) and A’ja Wilson (USA).

Carleton then returned home to Chatham, Ontario where she was celebrated at her high school with a banner and commemorative posters on ‘Bridget Carleton Night,’ an equivalent of a jersey retirement, a very rare honor in Canada.

Perfumerías Avenida is currently fourth in EuroLeague’s Group B standings, but Carleton’s arrival is sure to help them on both ends of the floor. The team is currently third in the group in scoring, but Carleton’s 3-point shooting should help a squad connecting on just 33.3% of its attempts from deep. If she can also get to the free throw line like she did in EuroBasket last season for Ramat Hasharon (88% on 4.2 attempts per game), Perfumerías Avenida could have one of the most potent offenses in EuroLeague.

Carleton signing with Perfumerías Avenida is certainly a step up from Ramat Hasharon, an Israeli team with whom she dominated last year during the WNBA offseason. There, Carleton averaged 18.8 points on 46.2/36.6/88.0 shooting splits, 8.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.7 blocks across 37.4 minutes per night in 20 games.

Now, the trusted Lynx wing will be able to showcase her talents in EuroLeague, the second-best league in the world. After a terrific World Cup performance, it will be a great opportunity for Carleton to continue building her game as she enters the 2023 WNBA season, during which she may potentially play a larger role for the Lynx if she returns to Minnesota next spring.

She joins guard Kayla McBride (Fenerbahçe) as the two Lynx playing in EuroLeague this offseason.