SALO, Finland – Former Gardner-Webb standout DJ Laster inked his first professional deal, signing with Salon Vilpas of the top-level Finnish Korisliiga.

The club, founded in 1908, finished atop the Korisliiga standings in 2018-2019 with a 39-12 record and averaged 103.5 points per game overall through a 51-game season. Former Gardner-Webb forward Tyrell Nelson plays in the same league, starting for KTP Basket last season.

Laster (Pensacola, Fla. / Pensacola Catholic HS) enjoyed a strong finish to his senior season with the Runnin' Bulldogs, scoring 32 points in the Big South Championship game at Radford to lift Gardner-Webb to its first NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament berth.

The 6-foot-6, 230-pound forward averaged 13.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and led the Big South with a 55.2 percent shooting performance for the season. He averaged 21.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in the Big South Tournament and knocked in 10 first-half points to help Gardner-Webb build a halftime lead over eventual national champion Virginia.

Laster finished his career with 1,202 points, 501 rebounds and 114 games played in four seasons. He was part of two 20-win seasons in his four years in Boiling Springs, N.C.

Gardner-Webb returns three starters from its NCAA Tournament roster for the 2019-2020 season, as well as the Big South's top recruiting class according to 247Sports.com.