Adecco ASVEL have signed American forward LaVell Blanchard on a short-term contract from the Toronto Raptors, as a temporary replacement for the injured Amare Sy.

Blanchard, 25, has penned a six-week deal at the Villeurbanne club and should make his debut on Sunday in the Pro A match against Gravelines.

ASVEL, who were dumped out of the EuroCup in Round I after finishing third in Group H, have plunged for a player who has had stints at a number of European clubs.

The 2.02m Blanchard left the US in 2003 after four years in the NCAA with Michigan.

He joined Reggio Calabria and was at the Italian Lega A side for two years before moving to German team EWE Baskets Oldenburg for the 2005-06 season.

He returned to North America this summer to join the Raptors, but now finds himself back on European soil.

Maurizio Gherardini, assistant general manager at the NBA franchise and former GM at Benetton Treviso, believes ASVEL have a good player on their hands.

"LaVell is a 3 (small forward), who can play at 4 (power forward) because of his athletic qualities," he told www.asvel.com.

"He can do a lot of things, without being brilliant in one particular department, even though he points out his physical qualities are in rebounding, notably offensive rebounding."

Blanchard did not sign for ASVEL in time to play in their Pro A match against Clermont on Wednesday night.