If you were Chris Otule...

[Coleman]

I really really hope he stays. I love the Otule/Devante combo and I think that each being able to come in for the other allows them to stay fresh and out of foul trouble. They are both better players when both are suiting up. And I love that we can go big and put them both in there when we have to, as Buzz did a couple times this year.

Blue and Otule will provide key senior leadership next year. They are so key to us getting deep in the tournament. Hope they both are back.

[4everwarriors]

No, you are lying.

Actually, half the 'Bama players are professionals, hey?

[Jay Bee]

Actually, half the 'Bama players are professionals, hey?

You're just jealous because your alma mater doesn't have a football team. (Anymore, that is. I realize they were still playing big time football in the early fifties when you were in school.)

But, really.. AnotherMU84. Name a couple of examples if you don't want to believe me. You're w r o n g.

[Tugg Speedman]

I am fine with anything he decides to do. If I were his Dad I would tell him time to move on.

If he were my son I would STRONGLY tell him to do the exactly opposite.  Next year he has a chance to be a major reason for a team to make a final four.  Nothing he will do in his BASKETBALL career will come close to what he can do, and mean, next year for MU.  He has a chance to make history and to throw that away to sell insurance or coach high school basketball*** would be a tragedy.

*** Let me be clear about this statement.  It is not a slam against Otule.  Simply, as I have noted in countless posts, he is not getting paid anything meaningful to play in Europe.  He can make more money in the United States in a non-basketball job like selling insurance and/or coaching high school basketball.  Now, if he comes back next year, and plays an entire season injury free like he played the last 10 games of this season, then the equation of him playing for money changes.

Until that happens, he is not getting paid to play basketball.  So, what is he moving on to?

[The Lens]

Another84...Everything you say about overseas is the exact opposite of what I have read and experienced (I worked for NIKE / NBA in 1997 based in Switzerland).  Maybe dynamics have changed dramatically but guys have always been able to come out way ahead due to living stipends, transportation allowances and more. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Another84...Everything you say about overseas is the exact opposite of what I have read and experienced (I worked for NIKE / NBA in 1997 based in Switzerland).  Maybe dynamics have changed dramatically but guys have always been able to come out way ahead due to living stipends, transportation allowances and more.  

Also ... the NBDL pays 24k/year. 

Many European leagues restrict the number of foreign players, typically to 1 or 2 per team.  Teams also prefer veteran players that have experience in Europe over rookies given how hard the transition is.

http://www.globesportsmanagement.com/USA%20players%20in%20Europe.htm

Number of import players allowed per team:
1st div, 2nd div, 3rd div 4th div, 5th div

France 2 2 1 1 (64 teams) 2 (144 teams)
Italy  4  3  only ITA passports starting from 3rd Divisions  
Spain 3 non E.U. 2 1
Greece 2 2
Turkey 2 2
Germany 2 1 1 to . (regional rules - hundreds of teams)
Belgium 2 1
Luxemburg 1 1 1 1
Generally . 2 1 / 2 Local rules
Holland No limit

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So to even get into the top few divisions you have to considered one of the top 100 Americans not playing in the NBA.  Otherwise it is a third or fourth division team.  Is Otule even in the top 100 of the NCAA right now?

Pay by division (I bolded third and fourth division monthly salaries) ....

Average monthly salary for an import player (in US) : a rough idea with a few examples
1st div 2nd div 3rd div 4th div 5th div
France 11000 ,5000 ,2500, 1500 including maybe a job besides bball 1000 including maybe a job besides bball
Italy  15000, 10000 , 2500
Spain 15000 (some 50 000 !) 7000 5000
Greece 20 000 80000
Turkey 15000 7500
Germany 5000 (some 25 000) 3000 1500 1500 1500
Holland 3500 1500
Luxemburg 2500 1500
Switzerland 4000 1500
England 2500 1500
Poland 6000 3000
Scandinavia 4000 2000
Eastern Europe 3500-50000 ?

Keep in mind that the economic situation in Spain and Greece is so bad that some lower division clubs have flat out stopped paying players.

[Tugg Speedman]

A word on Rookie Salaries in Europe (remember that $65,000 is the average among all divisions with the division breakdowns are above)....

http://www.globesportsmanagement.com/USA%20players%20in%20Europe.htm

* Salary for a rookie may be one half to two third of the average salary
* European pro teams tend to sign less and less import rookies !
* The level of bball in Europe is far higher than it used to be
* The « Bosman » rule now allows a wider choice of players
* Teams now prefer to sign vet import players already accustomed to Europe and who can immediately fit into the team systems

Example : only one rookie (Kyle Hill from Eastern Illinois) in France's 1st division (32 imports) only 2 (Georgia Tech / Wisconsin) in France's 2nd division (36 imports)

* Same applies in many countries

* This means that unless you were in the NBA pre-draft lists or had tremendous reviews in a top NCAA D1 College, it will be difficult to start in a top pro league in Europe !

You will have to work your way up from either :
Some European countries where bball level is lower
A lower division of a « big » bball country (France, Italy .)
There, you will have to be very very good because top pro leagues coaches are generally « afraid » of recruiting a player coming from such leagues .
A vicious circle like we say in France .

[GGGG]

If Dwight Burke can do it, Chris Otule certainly could.  He may not get into the top leagues in Europe right away, but Burke started in Uruguay and made an all star team in Slovakia last year. 

He may want to stay in college another year, but it's not like his game is going to get drastically better with one more year at MU.

[Tugg Speedman]

If Dwight Burke can do it, Chris Otule certainly could.  He may not get into the top leagues in Europe right away, but Burke started in Uruguay and made an all star team in Slovakia last year. 

He may want to stay in college another year, but it's not like his game is going to get drastically better with one more year at MU.

I disagree ... if Otule can play an entire season like the last 10 games this year, without injury, his "stock" will get drastically better.  He might not have to play in a third world country like Burke for maybe $20k/year (less expensive flights back to the US to see his family).