Joel Soriano Bio
Joel Soriano is a Dominican-American professional basketball player who most recently played for Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), on loan from Valencia Basket of the Spanish Liga ACB. Standing 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) and listed at 256 lb (116 kg), he plays the center position and has built his career on rebounding, interior scoring, and physical play around the basket. After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, he has continued his development across the NBA G League, the Spanish top flight, and European competition, showcasing the tools that made him one of the most improved big men in the Big East Conference during his college years.
Early Life and Background
Joel Soriano was born on January 30, 2000, in Yonkers, New York, in the United States. He grew up in Yonkers and developed his game in the competitive New York City basketball scene, where he stood out for his size and toughness at a young age. Coming from a Dominican-American background, he has represented the Dominican Republic in international youth competition, including the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship.
For high school, Soriano attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York, a program with a strong tradition of producing college and professional talent. He then completed a postgraduate year at St. Thomas More School in Montville, Connecticut, a route many top prospects take to sharpen their skills and gain additional recruiting exposure before moving on to the college level.
Path to Basketball
Soriano’s path to college basketball began in the New York metropolitan area, where his combination of length, strength, and rebounding instincts quickly made him a priority recruit. His postgraduate season at St. Thomas More School gave him the platform to refine his footwork and post game, and his recruitment advanced as a result. He eventually committed to the Fordham Rams, joining the Atlantic 10 program with the expectation that he would develop into a frontline player.
His time at Fordham laid the foundation for the rest of his career. As a freshman, Soriano became a starter and finished the year with five double doubles, signaling that he could produce at the Division I level. As a sophomore, he averaged 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, narrowly missing a double-double average for the season. That production led him to enter the transfer portal, and on April 19, 2021, he committed to the St. John’s Red Storm, where he would take the biggest step of his college career.
Joel Soriano Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Joel Soriano’s early college career was spent with the Fordham Rams of the Atlantic 10 Conference from 2019 to 2021. He arrived as a developmental big man and quickly earned a starting role, finishing his freshman year with five double doubles and showing steady improvement in his rebounding and interior defense. By his sophomore year, he had grown into one of the more consistent frontcourt players in the program, posting averages of 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
That sophomore campaign marked Soriano as a player on the rise, and the production he delivered for Fordham created the opportunity for a higher-profile move. After the 2020–21 season, he entered the transfer portal and committed to St. John’s, a Big East program with a stronger national platform and a more demanding schedule.
St. John’s Breakthrough (2021–2024)
At St. John’s, Soriano’s first season under the previous coaching staff was a year of adjustment. During the 2021–22 season, he started 26 of 30 games, averaging 6.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while adapting to the speed and physicality of the Big East.
Soriano’s true breakthrough came during the 2022–23 season. He averaged 15.2 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, firmly establishing himself as one of the most improved big men in the conference. That performance earned him the Big East Most Improved Player award and a spot on the Second-team All-Big East. Heading into the 2023–24 season, Soriano was named to the Preseason All-Big East team and was placed on watchlists for the John R. Wooden Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, recognizing the best center in college basketball. He finished his college career at St. John’s as one of the program’s most productive frontcourt players of recent years.
Greensboro Swarm and European Move (2024–2025)
After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Soriano signed with the Charlotte Hornets on September 11, 2024, but was waived on September 28. He quickly found a landing spot when he joined the Greensboro Swarm, the Charlotte Hornets’ NBA G League affiliate, on October 27, 2024. With Greensboro, he continued to work on his game at the professional level and gained valuable minutes as a developing big man.
Casademont Zaragoza and Valencia Era (2025–Present)
On May 15, 2025, Soriano was announced as a new signing for Valencia Basket of the Spanish Liga ACB, a major step in his professional career. To help him adjust to European basketball, he was loaned to Basket Zaragoza for the first half of the 2025–26 season, allowing him to log consistent minutes in one of the strongest domestic leagues in Europe. In January 2026, he was loaned out again, this time to Ratiopharm Ulm of the German BBL, expanding his exposure across top European competitions. Through these moves, Soriano has continued to add to his résumé as a professional center with international experience.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Soriano’s career are his five double doubles as a freshman at Fordham, his Big East Most Improved Player award in 2023, and his Preseason All-Big East selection ahead of the 2023–24 season. His 15.2 points and 11.9 rebounds per game during the 2022–23 season stand as his statistical peak in college basketball, while his move to Valencia Basket in 2025 marked his arrival in elite European competition.
Joel Soriano Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Joel Soriano is Dominican-American and grew up in Yonkers, New York, where he developed his basketball foundation. He has represented the Dominican Republic in international youth competition, including the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship, reflecting his ties to his family’s heritage.
Beyond his basketball career, Soriano is active on social media, where fans can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. He remains focused on continuing his development as a professional big man, with the goal of establishing himself as a long-term contributor in top European leagues and competing for championships at the highest level.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked a transformative stretch in Joel Soriano’s professional career. After spending the 2024–25 season with the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA G League, he was announced as a new signing for Valencia Basket of the Liga ACB on May 15, 2025, beginning his transition to elite European basketball.
To ease his move into Spanish competition, Soriano was loaned to Basket Zaragoza for the first half of the 2025–26 season, where he had the opportunity to adapt to the pace, physicality, and tactical style of the Liga ACB. The loan arrangement allowed him to log meaningful minutes and continue his development as a professional center in one of Europe’s most respected domestic leagues.
Looking ahead, Soriano’s outlook remains bright. With the January 2026 loan to Ratiopharm Ulm of the German BBL, he added another top European league to his experience and positioned himself to compete on multiple fronts. If he continues to build on his rebounding, interior scoring, and physical play, he has the tools to remain a productive professional center in European basketball for years to come.