Armenian basketball player Yura Melikyan to continue career in Bulgarian championship

20-year-old Armenian center Yura Melikyan will continue his career in the Bulgarian championship. The basketball player has signed a contract with reigning Bulgarian champions Balkan Botevgrad.

This summer, Melikyan was selected by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League Draft, but ultimately did not sign a contract with the American team. Instead, the Armenian player will continue his career in Europe.

In the new season, Balkan will compete in the EuroCup, where they will face opponents such as Greek side PAOK, Spanish club Manresa, and German team Ulm in the group stage.

Melikyan has already made a successful debut with the Bulgarian club. In a friendly match, the Armenian basketball player recorded a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in just 13 minutes on the court.

Melikyan spent the previous season in two European championships. In the first part of the 2025/26 season, he played in Latvia for Latvijas Universitate, averaging 8.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in 12 games, while playing 23.9 minutes per match.

In the second half of the season, the Armenian center moved to Swiss club Starwings. He played 16 games for the team, averaging 11.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game.

Melikyan will turn 21 in October 2026. Standing at 200 cm, he plays as a center but can also be effective as a power forward. After starting his professional career in Armenia, the basketball player has spent the last two seasons with foreign clubs, continuing his development on the European basketball scene.