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The Los Angeles Clippers today signed rookie forward Yaroslav Korolev, the team’s first round selection (12th overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft, announced Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor.

In eight games played for the Under-18 Russian National Team in July’s Under-18 European Championship, Korolev averaged 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.13 steals and 33.1 minutes per game. He also connected on 42-91 FG (.462), 19-49 3FG (.388) and 27-35 FT (.771), helping Russia to a fifth place finish in the tournament.

“Yaroslav is a very skilled player and has a great feeI for the game,” said Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy. “I am very pleased we were able to come to terms with CSKA (Moscow) to allow him to come to Los Angeles. I think having him here to learn our system and work with our coaches on an individual basis will speed up the learning process for him to play at the NBA level.”

During the 2004-05 season, Korolev averaged 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 25.3 minutes per game in the Russian Junior League.

The 6’9”, 18-year old Korolev was an early entry candidate in the 2005 NBA Draft and also saw action with CSKA Moscow in Russia’s Superleague A, where he shot .667 from the floor in four games in 2004-05.

The highest Russian draft selection in NBA history, Korolev supplanted the previous high selections of Viktor Khryapa (22nd overall) by New Jersey in 2004, Sergei Monia (23rd overall) by Portland in 2004 and Andrei Kirilenko (24th overall) by Utah in 1999.