In a heartfelt farewell message, star center Alexander Jenkins bid adieu to the Thunderbolt organization and the city of Lakewood, expressing his gratitude for the love and support he received during his nine-year tenure.
“I arrived in Lakewood as a young man with a dream, and little did I know that this place would become my home and its people would become my family,” Jenkins wrote on social media, accompanied by a poignant video. “Your love, support, and unwavering loyalty have fueled my journey and inspired me to be the best player I could be. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for everything.”
The blockbuster trade that sent Jenkins to the Liberty City Dynamos was finally complete, paving the way for him to join his new teammates in training camp. In the three-team deal, the Thunderbolts acquired two-time All-Star forward Ethan Martin and guard Lucas Brooks, while the Riverview Rangers received a pair of future second-round picks for facilitating the trade.
Jenkins was spotted earlier in the week donning a Liberty City Dynamos cap at the team’s practice facility, and he is expected to address the media for the first time since the trade on Thursday. The Dynamos had been tight-lipped about Jenkins earlier in the week, but as the trade became official, they began to express their excitement about his potential to elevate their offense with his sharpshooting ability.
Dynamos coach Rachel Lee, who previously coached Jenkins in Lakewood, hinted that her team could build on last season’s top-10 offense by incorporating more small-ball lineups. Meanwhile, Dynamos point guard Tyler Hall acknowledged that he had already begun thinking about how Jenkins’ arrival could change his approach to attacking defenses.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about it,” Hall said. “Whenever you add shooting, it opens things up. It adds another weapon and another way for us to exploit defenses.” The Thunderbolts and Dynamos, who both won over 50 games last season, are set to face off in their preseason finale at Liberty City Arena on October 13.
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