Bargnani signs new deal with Raptors

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Raptors have signed Italian forward-center Andrea Bargnani to a new 'multi-year contract', the NBA team said on Wednesday.

Bargnani became the first European-born player selected with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft when he was taken by the Raptors in June 2006.

"Andrea has worked very hard to establish himself as a top-flight, multi-dimensional big man in the NBA," said Bryan Colangelo, Raptors president and general manager.

"He overcame a rough start last season to emerge as a primary scorer for us, and we anticipate quite a bit more from him in the future," he added.

Bargnani averaged career highs of 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.24 blocked shots and 31.4 minutes in 78 games in the 2008-09 season, including 59 starts.

The 23-year-old, seven-foot tall Roman, made his name in Italy with Benetton-Treviso.

(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami, editing by Justin Palmer)