Worthing Thunder are handing over their playmaking reigns to new boy Sherrad Prezzie-Blue.

The colourfully named 5ft 11in, 22-year-old point guard is Thunder’s third American signing of the summer.

He joins compatriots Reggie Bratton and Kadiri Richard, along with Bulgarian big man Pepe Zafirov and returning Latvian forward Janis Ivanovskis, in Worthing’s five-strong overseas contingent.

Prezzie-Blue’s distinctive name will be familiar to close followers of England’s lower divisions. He had a short but explosive stint with Northampton Neptunes last season as they struggled in EBL division two, the third tier of British basketball.

However he insists that was only a stop-gap move when a vacancy became available soon after he had parted company with his German team.

He had planned to head home to Connecticut and work on his game. Instead he toured the sports centres of England, averaging 27.5 points and 4.4 assists over 15 games for Neptunes.

Prezzie-Blue had an outstanding college career at third-division Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, setting a new record for three-pointers made. Now he sees his future in Europe with Thunder the next stepping stone.

He said: “My agent told me if I go over there and play well someone will bring me back next year for more money.

“That could also lead to jobs elsewhere. He said it could knock about two or three years off my career.

“I want to play at the highest level of basketball I can, whether it be the Euroleague or the Euro Cup.”

Video clips from Prezzie-Blue’s stint with the Neptunes show him playing a couple of gears above everyone else on court.

Thunder concede their new boy’s route to the BBL has not followed the established route but are convinced he can play at that level.

Coach Dave Titmuss is confident his lightning speed and accurate three-point shooting will make him a threat.